Blue Crayfish (Procambarus alleni) - The Free Freshwater and Saltwater Aquarium Encyclopedia Anyone Can Edit (original) (raw)

A small blue Crayfish

This animal is available captive bred

1 Alternative names
2 Sexing
3 Tank compatibility
4 Diet
5 Feeding regime
6 Environment Specifics
7 Behaviour
8 Identification
9 Notes
10 Pictures
11 Videos
12 External links

Alternative names

Everglade Crayfish, Florida Crayfish, Blue Crayfish

Sometimes incorrectly called 'Blue Lobsters'. Lobsters are the saltwater variety.

Sexing

Male has two extra short appendages at the rear of the back legs. Female has none.

After growing over an inch in length, the claws can typically be used to distinguish between males and females. A male has elongated claws compared to a female's claws.

Tank compatibility

Aggressive. Do not keep with fish or smaller invertebrates, species tank only.

Diet

They will eat almost anything they can get their pincers on. But not too much fat. They will eat vegetation, sunken fish food, shrimp pellets, small fish, slow shrimp, and worms. Also try small pieces of carrots and peas.

Feed food which is high in Iodine as this helps it moult. Kelp tablets are one source.

Feeding regime

Once a day.

Environment Specifics

It requires hard hard water to develop its shell correctly.

Crayfish are well known to climb out uncovered aquariums, so make sure that your aquarium is escape proof. Crayfish like being hidden, so give them a cave or some kind of shelter.

Behaviour

Crayfish will eat small fish and large fish, like Oscars, eat them.

Small fish can harm crayfish when they are moulting due to their very soft skin. Other crayfish (and crabs of small size) can be put with crayfish if they both have more than one cave/shelter. But if you do put them with another crayfish (or crab) there is always a chance one will be eaten during moulting.

Identification

The blue form is the most commercially sold variety. In the wild they will be found also in a more natural dark red-brown.

Notes

This cray is unlikely to be found for sale outside of the USA due to strict exportation laws on crayfish, and is in fact illegal to keep in several places outside the USA including the UK due to their invasive nature.