[3] The four pairs of well-developed walking legs are used for most movement, but the pleopods are small and no use for swimming; when alarmed, koura can flick their tails forward violently to propel themselves backwards at speed.

Koura in natural populations are omnivorous scavengers, consuming a variety of foods, with animal protein contributing the most to growth.

In soft sediments they may also excavate burrows or fan shaped depressions, in Lake Rotoiti at depths of 5–10 metres (16–33 ft).

Shag populations in the Rotorua lakes district in the North Island of New Zealand have been shown to feed on koura as the bulk of their diet.

Cannibalism can be a greater problem in high-density situations where competition for shelter and territory is greatest.

A lower limit of 5 mg/L of calcium in water for temperate species of koura has been suggested as sufficient to support exoskeleton hardening.

[6] Water temperature and calcium concentrations are thought to be the key variables determining koura growth rates.

Survival of koura also increases with higher calcium concentrations in the water, and this is thought to be in part due to a lower incidence of moulting-related deaths and decreased risk from predation.

A calcium concentration value of 20–30 mg/L in water is thought to be ideal for maintaining koura growth and survivability in aquaculture setups.

Once hatched, juvenile koura cling to their mother's abdomen using their pincers to attach until they have reached a length of 4–10 mm (0.16–0.39 in).

[9] Sweet Koura Enterprises Ltd, located in Central Otago, within the South Island of New Zealand, farm P. zealandicus in artificial ponds around 200 m2 (2,200 sq ft) in size.

[9] New Zealand Clearwater Crayfish Ltd farm grows the northern koura species P. planifrons using a gravity-fed system with pond culture and raceways.

A number of environmental challenges exist for koura farmers in ensuring optimum growth and survivability of stock.

Environmental contamination of fresh water supplied to ponds from other land use activities, such as livestock farming, can affect survival.

Algal blooms creating anoxic conditions and cannibalism caused by high-density stocking of ponds are also challenges to koura farmers.

[10] The outlook for the growth of koura aquaculture in the New Zealand domestic setting may be positive, with the potential for increasing demand in the restaurant and tourism fields.

[11] Kōura was commonly eaten during the early colonial era in New Zealand, but became less popular due to habitat destruction and predation by introduced trout species.