blue lobster (crayfish)
- Thread starter usacutie81
- Start date
I dont think they're hard to take care of...the biggest caution with them though is that if you have slow moving or small fish in the tank that the crays will many times have them for dinner. I would think that in a larger tank, with larger fish like you're planning, they'd be ok. There are a ton of fishy bottom feeders that would go well in the tank too...so just do your research and keep in mind that if you get a crayfish it limits what other fish you can have in the tank. I believe there are a few people here who have them, I'd do a search for blue lobster or blue crayfish and read through the threads that come up.
okay, so we got 2 blue lobsters last night. Yay! They are so cool to watch! One of them only has one big claw (the lfs guy said it would grow back?)we're calling him Uno. The other shed his skin while we were sleeping...we're supposed to take that out now, right? And what do they eat? Obviously they scavange, but are we supposed to supplement their diet as well with something else?
What is the size of your tank? Lobsters are territorial so you will need a larger aquarium with plenty of shelter for one or another to hide. It won't hurt to leave the molted lobster shell in your tank because oftentimes lobsters eat their shell after molting to recover Calcium and then bury the rest. Lobsters are Omnivores, so plant matter, fish they can catch, dead fish, snails, Ghost Shrimp and leftover food they will eat.
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We have a 75 gal. I figured that was big enough for 2, but Uno is starting to seem like he may be a bully (must be from only having one claw) so now I'm not sure. I'm pretty sure the rocks in our tank are pumping out calcium like crazy, but I'll leave the shell in there for a week or so just in case. Here is a pick of our tank:
and here's one of Uno
here's Flipper (the other lobster). Uno poked him this morning (right after Flipper molted) and Flipper flew across the tank and landed in this plant and hasn't come down since. It's been about an hour. Should I be worried?
and here's one of Uno
here's Flipper (the other lobster). Uno poked him this morning (right after Flipper molted) and Flipper flew across the tank and landed in this plant and hasn't come down since. It's been about an hour. Should I be worried?
Lobsters are very vulnerable, right after molting. Their new shell is too soft and they can't really defend themselves properly against other lobsters at this point, even with their claws. 1-2 Weeks is needed for their shell to become adequately hard. Flipper should come down when he/she is ready. Just watch them closely. 75 Gallons should be plenty of space. 20 Gallons of space per lobster is about the minimum of space required if for each lobster in a tank. You can even remove Flipper for a few days to give your lobster enough time for it's shell to harden if the other one is persistent in bothering it.
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I don't know too much about crawfish reproduction, this page should clear some of your questions about breeding behaviors and sexing crawfish. Crayfish
Also this has pictures of the differences between male and female.
Crayfish Sexes
Also this has pictures of the differences between male and female.
Crayfish Sexes
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So here's the update. Flipper is finally out of the plant and wandering around. Him and Uno pretty much ignore each other except for the occasional poke from Uno (big bully!). We don't have any live plants, all plastic and silk, so how often should I feed these guys? And what? I don't want them to get too hungry and start picking off the fish.
THEY ARENT LOBSTERS!!!!!!!!!
now that thats out of the way... depending on how much you feed them at a time, how often you feed them varies. you shouldnt just drop stuff in the tank. mine is in a tank with other fish, and i overfeed a tiny bit, so that some sinks to the bottom for my cray. i also every once in a while give him a piece of a freeze dried krill, or algae pellet. i havea male procambarus alleni. it looks like you have the same kind as me BTW. yes, the claws do grow back, so you have nothing to worry about there. if you have both males depending on the species, they will fight to the death. if you have a male and female, you have to see what "stage" the male is in. there is 1 and 2. if he is in 2, he cant mate. if he tries to mate in this stage, he will become frustrated, and kill the female. (men... *sighs*) if he successfully mates, the female may kill the male later. (hehe they deserve it) if you have 2 females... well thats just lucky! they still may be territoreal, but not as aggressive as males. NOT ALL CRAYS ARE THE SAME!!! they range in size from about 1 inch to 2 feet!! procambarus alleni's grow to about 6 inches in proper conditions. they are also of the most aggressive.
now that thats out of the way... depending on how much you feed them at a time, how often you feed them varies. you shouldnt just drop stuff in the tank. mine is in a tank with other fish, and i overfeed a tiny bit, so that some sinks to the bottom for my cray. i also every once in a while give him a piece of a freeze dried krill, or algae pellet. i havea male procambarus alleni. it looks like you have the same kind as me BTW. yes, the claws do grow back, so you have nothing to worry about there. if you have both males depending on the species, they will fight to the death. if you have a male and female, you have to see what "stage" the male is in. there is 1 and 2. if he is in 2, he cant mate. if he tries to mate in this stage, he will become frustrated, and kill the female. (men... *sighs*) if he successfully mates, the female may kill the male later. (hehe they deserve it) if you have 2 females... well thats just lucky! they still may be territoreal, but not as aggressive as males. NOT ALL CRAYS ARE THE SAME!!! they range in size from about 1 inch to 2 feet!! procambarus alleni's grow to about 6 inches in proper conditions. they are also of the most aggressive.
So here's the update on my blue guys. Flipper has had a change of heart and is wandering all over the tank, into and on top of everything. Uno, on the other hand, has been hiding in one of the rock caves since last night. He doesn't even move a whisker and sometimes I'm afraid he's dead. But this morning he scrambled around the tank for a minute before racing back to his cave. Now he's not moving again. What's wrong with him? Is he sick? Should I take him out of the tank and put him in his own tank? Or is he just getting ready to molt? I'm worried about him. I don't want him to die.
mine is imobile most of the day. sounds silly, but in the middle of the night when the lights are out, sneak up on your tank with a flashlight, and i bet he'll be out. when i turn my lights on sometimes i catch him out, but he usually just walks back to his cave. he used to climb all over everything when i had him in my 10 gallon. now that he is in my 29 he is less active. i think it might have something to do with boredom. maybe they just get bored and climb all over stuff. maybe one is just hyper? i really wouldnt be to woried though. try feeding him something. if he wont accept food, there may be something wrong. he also might try to get away from you. if you hand feed them things, they will get used to your hands in the tank. if ou get them accostomed to that, it will be easier to check their health, plus its pretty fun to show your friends how your cray takes food from your hand.
just put your hand in the tank holding the food and put it close to him, and lay it on the substrate and slowly push it towards him with your finger. every day hold it a little longer intill you are so close you set it down strait in front of him. then start holding onto it lightly until they take it. by this time they sould be used to your hand in the tank. mine even chases my hand with the food.
