Yabbies feed on decaying material. Although they are omnivorous they prefer a vegetarian diet. Yabbies will eat each other so it is best to provide pieces of pipe or other shelter if yabbies are kept in a tank.
emptied after harvesting. Placing yabbies in a tub (a bath will do) of fresh water with a little salt added will improve their flavour. The yabby tail and claws provide the bulk of the edible flesh. The claw meat is sweeter than the tail meat. The 'mustard' (or 'fat') is the soft, orange-brown liver found in the carapace, it has a mustard flavour and connoisseurs relish it when spread on the tail meat. The 'coral' is the developing ovary or egg sac, found in the carapace of the female; it turns red on cooking and is quite tasty alone, or beaten into sauces.
A yabby makes a great low maintenance pet – just make sure you keep a cover over your tank to prevent it from escaping.
Yabbies breed readily in the warmer months. A female yabby will lay several hundred eggs two or three times each season. Many of these juveniles will be eaten by other yabbies, fish and other predators. Providing shelter will increase survival rates.