Invertebrates | Crayfish

Scientific Name: Procabarus Clarkii

Common Name:  Crayfish

Adult Size: 6 inches

Life Expectancy: 2 – 3 years

Habitat: Nile River

Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons

Ideal Tank Conditions:

• pH : 6.5 – 7.5
• Temperature: 65°F – 75°F
• Water Hardness: 6° to 15°

Temperament:  Can be aggressive/territorial with its own kind.  Crayfish will typically eat whatever they can catch, but since they are slow-moving, they are not often able to harm fast-moving fish.

Diet/Nutrition:  Omnivorous. High-quality sinking pellets, plants, and freeze-dried or frozen meaty foods will be readily accepted.  Cuttlebone should be added to the aquarium to supplement calcium, which will aid in exoskeleton production.

Breeding:  Will breed at any time in the home aquarium, though feeding high-quality foods and keeping the water pristine will help trigger breeding behavior.

When mating begins, the male deposits a sack of sperm on the female who then passes her eggs through the sperm to fertilize them. After the eggs have been fertilized, they are then kept under the tail by the female who should be placed in a tank on her own at this point.

After around four weeks, the eggs will hatch and the young crayfish will emerge. The female crayfish will take care of the young for a short period of time but should be removed after a few days to prevent the fry from being eaten. A large nursery tank is required if any number of crayfish fry are expected to survive as they are extremely cannibalistic like their parents.

Gender:  Males tend generally to be larger in size than females, with larger chelae and narrower abdomens. Their tails host small appendages, including swimmerets. Males carry an extra set of these swimmerets, which are enlarged and hardened. Females possess a small hole just behind their swimmerets. The female’s broader abdomen provides an ideal place to carry her brood.