Acclimating a blue cray

[lbr1022]

Hello,

We just brought our blue crayfish home today. We purchased her from a specialty fish shop. There she was housed in a 20 gallon long tank kept at about 78 degrees with a pH of about 7.4 and mostly RO water.

Our tank is new (as we're new to owning fish) and was just recently set up. It's about 50% RO and 50% tap, 20 gallons high, around 69 degrees, and has a pH of about 7.8 (we have pretty alkaline water around these parts). But no ammonia or nitrates or anything like that.

The water was a little cloudy from a slight bacterial boom caused from adding a bit of vinegar to the water in attempt to lower the pH a touch. The experts at the fish shop didn't think the changes in pH or temperature would be too major of an issue as long as we acclimated her very slowly (which we did - first floating the bag for 1 hr, then adding a bit of tank water to her bag water every five minutes until it was well blended). They also recommended a PureChem carbon filter to clear up the water and said she'd likely be fine in it took the 24 hours to clear.

We brought her home and acclimated her and for about the first 2 hours or so she was fairly active - checking out her new surroundings, climbing the plants, walking around, and enjoying the slate rock/hiding cave. I fed her an algae round, which she devoured. But then she parked herself under the rock and basically hasn't moved since other than to change positions for the past 6 hours. She does move a bit and her little antennas and legs move too, I'm a little worried about her and if she's acclimating okay or if she's not going to make it.

Being new to crayfish I don't know if this is just part of the acclimation process because there are several big changes she's adjusting to - water temp, pH, etc. (how long does acclimation take?), or if the water pressure and water weight increase from a 20 gallon long tank to a 20 gallon high tank is taking some getting used to, or if she is just tired because she wore herself out acclimating and moving around a whole lot earlier (she was really really active for several hours there), or if there's a problem with the water and she isn't acclimating well.

Can anyone with experience acclimating new crays or who know the habits of crays please give us your thoughts? Thanks!

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Welcome to AA!
Do you own a test kit? If so, what are your parameters?
I have no experience with crays but they do need the same things as fish to be healthy.
Why are you not using straight dechlorinated tap water?
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...-to-Starting-a-Freshwater-Aquarium/Page1.html
Please read this and if you have any questions don't be afraid to ask!

 

[lbr1022]

Thanks! We do own a test kit, but it's very basic, just pH. The full scale 7-in-1 is in the email. Everything read safe, except our pH where we live is up near 8, so we used 1/2 RO and 1/2 tap with dechlorinator to try to bring the pH down a little bit.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Thanks! We do own a test kit, but it's very basic, just pH. The full scale 7-in-1 is in the email. Everything read safe, except our pH where we live is up near 8, so we used 1/2 RO and 1/2 tap with dechlorinator to try to bring the pH down a little bit.

It would be a good idea to get a master test kit. It tests ammonia, nitrite and nitrate as well as pH. The actual number of the pH doesn't really matter (in most cases). What matters is if it's stable. A fluctuating pH can be deadly. It's usually advised not to mess with the pH at all. 8 isn't high at all. I have 9 tanks ranging from 7.6-8.

Ammonia, nitrite and nitrate will not be present in a new tank until it starts to build, bacteria are formed and conversion starts. (read the link above it will explain)

For now I'd recommend a 20-30% water change with just dechlorinated, temperature matched tap water. See if he/she perks up after that.

 

[lbr1022]

Yeah I was thinking a bit of a water change and maybe a few drops of API Accu-Clear to clear out her tank a little. I think I'm done messing with pH.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

No need for a clarifier. The ONLY thing a healthy tank needs is a dechlorinator. Everything else is a waste of money and could endanger your fish/invertebrates.
The tank could be cloudy from the substrate or a bacterial bloom. Both are harmless and both will clear on there own.
I'm going to suggest you change 30-50% of the tanks water daily until you can get a liquid test kit for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Ammonia will start to build soon and can make your cray very sick.

 

[lbr1022]

Thanks for the advice. The full test kit was supposed to arrive Friday but the postal service lost it...we're hoping to get it in today so we can make sure her levels are still fine. I'm glad to hear the cloudiness will clear on its own...will the slight bacterial odor in the water clear on its own too then?

She's making a little progress. She made it through the night and will sneak out when she's sure nobody is watching her....so perhaps she's just really scared and is still trying to acclimate?

 

[Jess1ca]

I had one that only came out at night. Would tuck itself away in a cichlid stone till the lights went out My ph is 8.2 and my cray was just fine

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Thanks for the advice. The full test kit was supposed to arrive Friday but the postal service lost it...we're hoping to get it in today so we can make sure her levels are still fine. I'm glad to hear the cloudiness will clear on its own...will the slight bacterial odor in the water clear on its own too then?

She's making a little progress. She made it through the night and will sneak out when she's sure nobody is watching her....so perhaps she's just really scared and is still trying to acclimate?

Yes. It should. Clean tanks don't smell bad. keep up the water changes until your test kit arrives.