Title: Crayfish, Crawfish, Crawdad...
Description: The Basics...
Description: The Basics...
jdizine - April 7, 2006 03:13 AM (GMT)
So you have one, ey?
There are alot of questions on this little guy. So, I will give you the basics...
Their Home:
* If you have a smaller cray it is okay to keep him in a 10G tank. Crays on the larger side will require a larger tank. They can get up to 7" if well taken care of.
* Fake plants only. They will climb on everything! If you have real plants, expect them to be destroyed. Tall rigid ones to climb on and big leaved ones to hide under or behind, etc.
* At least one cave, this can be a broken flower pot, plastic tube, I use a tall black shot glass. You can make one, stacking rocks to form a cave. Make sure if you do this, the rocks are stable.
* Substrate, you can use sand or gravel or a combonation of both. They love to dig and burrow themselves. I DO NOT recommend mud. Though it is their natural habitat, it is very messy and hard to clean.
* They should have a gap at the top of the tank to be able to crawl out of the water if they wish to. I suggest about 3-4 inches. Make a landing of some sort. Or lean a branch to the top.
* The tank top should be completely escape proof. If you have a hood, use some aluminum foil or screen to cover any holes. Make sure it is secure.
* They are a coldwater fish and will live longer if kept that way. They do survive in a tropical environment but it will shorten their life span.
* They should have an air pump and filter. But not needed if you make alot of water changes. They are very messy in terms of ammonia, so water changes are a must. In a smaller tank it requires more than once a week changes.
Tank Mates:
* The only tank mates I suggest are feeders. I have noticed though after adding some guppies, alot of floating plants, and a crays favorite food, the fish are still alive, and growing. I have also noticed the snails I added are still alive and crawling on the glass. BUT! These were all meant to only be food for the cray, so don't go and add a fancy goldfish or something you enjoy watching on a daily basis.
* Other Crays, with live with one another!? In a larger tank you can have a few crays actually survive and live together, but you need alot of hiding spots, caves plants, and watch them very regularly. When a crayfish molts, he is very vulnerable. (example: Molted crayfish and any other fish... You with no skin in a tropical rainforest full of mosquitos). If you have a molted cray in with others try to make sure you give him a good hiding area, or isolate him altogether along with his exoskeleton (his shedded shell).
Food:
* They should be fed one to two times per day. They love sinking food since that is where they spend most of their time. I suggest shrimp pellets, one per day. When they molt, LEAVE THE EXOSKELETON in the tank for three days, and DO NOT feed him during these three days. He will eat his discarded shell which helps him harden his new one. Give him some feeders every once in a while if you like. Suggestion: At your regular time of feeding him, just add one feeder fish (goldfish, guppy) he will love you long time!!! It is also very fun to watch!!!
Helath:
* These guys are fairly resistant to diseases. GREAT!! You must make sure their water conditions are maintained, and good filtration is a plus!
* If your cray is not moving around very much, or not eating... time to change the water!!!
* Don't overcrowd his tank with feeders. This will only dirty your tank faster, and he will not be as active as you may like.
* Do not overfeed him! If he is overfed you will shorten his lifespan. A well fed cray will molt 8-10 times the first year and less after that. If he is molting on an average of more than that, you are feeding him too much!
* Add a feeder fish or two along with his regular pellet food, this will keep him well excercised, by chasing them, and if they get caught, it is no loss.
* Crays LOVE to explore, so give them alot of things to climb on, in around. I like to change my tank around with my weekly water change, he seems to really enjoy this. I give him new plants, a different type of cave or dwelling, change the rocks, etc. This is very easy if you have more than one tank.
There are alot of questions on this little guy. So, I will give you the basics...
Their Home:
* If you have a smaller cray it is okay to keep him in a 10G tank. Crays on the larger side will require a larger tank. They can get up to 7" if well taken care of.
* Fake plants only. They will climb on everything! If you have real plants, expect them to be destroyed. Tall rigid ones to climb on and big leaved ones to hide under or behind, etc.
* At least one cave, this can be a broken flower pot, plastic tube, I use a tall black shot glass. You can make one, stacking rocks to form a cave. Make sure if you do this, the rocks are stable.
* Substrate, you can use sand or gravel or a combonation of both. They love to dig and burrow themselves. I DO NOT recommend mud. Though it is their natural habitat, it is very messy and hard to clean.
* They should have a gap at the top of the tank to be able to crawl out of the water if they wish to. I suggest about 3-4 inches. Make a landing of some sort. Or lean a branch to the top.
* The tank top should be completely escape proof. If you have a hood, use some aluminum foil or screen to cover any holes. Make sure it is secure.
* They are a coldwater fish and will live longer if kept that way. They do survive in a tropical environment but it will shorten their life span.
* They should have an air pump and filter. But not needed if you make alot of water changes. They are very messy in terms of ammonia, so water changes are a must. In a smaller tank it requires more than once a week changes.
Tank Mates:
* The only tank mates I suggest are feeders. I have noticed though after adding some guppies, alot of floating plants, and a crays favorite food, the fish are still alive, and growing. I have also noticed the snails I added are still alive and crawling on the glass. BUT! These were all meant to only be food for the cray, so don't go and add a fancy goldfish or something you enjoy watching on a daily basis.
* Other Crays, with live with one another!? In a larger tank you can have a few crays actually survive and live together, but you need alot of hiding spots, caves plants, and watch them very regularly. When a crayfish molts, he is very vulnerable. (example: Molted crayfish and any other fish... You with no skin in a tropical rainforest full of mosquitos). If you have a molted cray in with others try to make sure you give him a good hiding area, or isolate him altogether along with his exoskeleton (his shedded shell).
Food:
* They should be fed one to two times per day. They love sinking food since that is where they spend most of their time. I suggest shrimp pellets, one per day. When they molt, LEAVE THE EXOSKELETON in the tank for three days, and DO NOT feed him during these three days. He will eat his discarded shell which helps him harden his new one. Give him some feeders every once in a while if you like. Suggestion: At your regular time of feeding him, just add one feeder fish (goldfish, guppy) he will love you long time!!! It is also very fun to watch!!!
Helath:
* These guys are fairly resistant to diseases. GREAT!! You must make sure their water conditions are maintained, and good filtration is a plus!
* If your cray is not moving around very much, or not eating... time to change the water!!!
* Don't overcrowd his tank with feeders. This will only dirty your tank faster, and he will not be as active as you may like.
* Do not overfeed him! If he is overfed you will shorten his lifespan. A well fed cray will molt 8-10 times the first year and less after that. If he is molting on an average of more than that, you are feeding him too much!
* Add a feeder fish or two along with his regular pellet food, this will keep him well excercised, by chasing them, and if they get caught, it is no loss.
* Crays LOVE to explore, so give them alot of things to climb on, in around. I like to change my tank around with my weekly water change, he seems to really enjoy this. I give him new plants, a different type of cave or dwelling, change the rocks, etc. This is very easy if you have more than one tank.
MAZZA_402 - April 7, 2006 01:50 PM (GMT)
Good article! Makes me want a crayfish already! Last time I tried to add one to my 40, my bichir made quick work of him, even though the cray was bigger! I've got a spare 10 though, so that doesn sound very interesting. If I give it a try, I'll be sure to let you know how things go.