Like other true crayfish, A. astacus is restricted to fresh water, living only in unpolluted streams, rivers, and lakes.

The main predators of A. astacus, both as juveniles and adults, are European mink, eels, perch, pike, Eurasian otters, and muskrats.

[1] A. astacus is sensitive to dips in oxygen levels in the water it inhabits, which makes it particularly vulnerable to eutrophication.

[5] Documentation of the consumption of A. astacus dates back to the Middle Ages, when it was popular among the Swedish nobility, spreading to all social classes by the 17th and 18th centuries due to its ready availability.

[6] Hundreds of smaller or larger lakes were once found in the northern Moldavia, used for growing A. astacus meant for consumption during the extended fasting periods of the Orthodox Christian calendar.