Crayfish Growth?

[jmeunier]

Recently I added two crayfish to my aquarium. When I added them, they were each about 2 inches long. Well, 4 weeks later, one of them has molted twice (!!) and is about 7 inches long, while the other hasn't grown at all. Is this normal? Shouldn't I expect the other to be growing at the same rate? How much larger can I expect the 'big' one to get--it's getting to the point where I'm thinking of giving it it's own tank.

Thanks;
Jay

 

[Megalofyia]

7 inches is a big crayfish. I've had mine for more than a year and it's only about 4 - 5 inches big. Do you two get along? How big is your tank? I was under the impression that they didn't get along with each other. Maybe one is eating alot more than the other and that is causing the growth differences.

 

[ferret]

What in the world are you feeding that thing?

 

[sultana]

no i too have a 7 inch crayfish i ve had it nearly a year and i think it gonnu molt again!

 

[molotov256]

That sounds like a huge crayfish to me! I've had one in my 55g for probably 2 or 3 months now, and I haven't seen it molt once yet. It hides a lot, though, so maybe it could molt without me knowing. I assume that when it molts, though, I'd see a discarded shell lying around somewhere?

 

[AlonelyCody]

I have had 2 Crayfish for about 6 months and they are around 4 inchs. they have doubled since i have gotten them. they seem to molt once a month. I added a new one last week and he is doing fine he is about 2 inchs. I have 2 tiger barbs and 3 long finned rosy barbs in the same tank and they don't go after them i feed them pellets for bottom feeders. 7 inches, I want to know what you are feeding them!!

 

[Raimeiken]

i want to buy one, but can i put it in a heavy planted tank, without it destrying any of my plants?

 

[Sati]

i want to buy one, but can i put it in a heavy planted tank, without it destrying any of my plants?

No.

 

[Raimeiken]

ahh nuts :x

 

[AlonelyCody]

I wouldn't recomend it mine are having a hayday with my plants.

 

[TN Tanks]

Lobster tail anyone?

I have a baby blue lobster, cute, but hard to find, I mean, REALLY hides well. Some barbs tried to give him grief, but he won.

 

[jmeunier]

An Update on my crayfish situation

Well, I'm at 6 weeks with the cray, and here's where I stand.

It's molted once again---yes, 3 times in 6 weeks--this thing's crazy! He has also turned completely BLUE! I originally wanted a blue lobster for the tank (kids love 'em!), but we settled on the $1.49 crays as opposed to the $19.99 blue lobsters. Alas, I now have a blue monster in my tank.

What has it eaten? Let's see: 2 Oscars (1 of them was 3 times it's size!), 4 goldfish, 1 red terror, 1 pleco, the other crayfish, and 1 green severum. It's also eaten it's old shell twice. This thing is crazy!

What do I feed it? Well, I have a 100% S.A. cichlid tank now, and I feed the tank tetra cichlid granules in the morning and night, and also add a few shrimp pellets in the evening. As a treat, every 3 days I add an ice cube with diced 'real' shrimp meat in it.

In any case, this monster is amazing to watch. I was "lucky" enough to see him catch and eat oscar #2, and it was simply fascinating to watch. These buggers are FAST when they want to eat. From catch to completely eaten was about 30 minutes. Not a trace left.

In the tank with the cray I have 2 1.5 inch convicts, 1 3 inch green terror, 1 3 inch red terror, 1 green severum, and 1 pleco. He has been trying unsuccessfully to catch them all week.

So, as of today, the cray is about 8 inches long, has claws that are about 2.5 inches long, and is striking fear into the hearts of all my cichlids.

At this rate, ill have a fully formed 'lobster' in about 2 months. It's amazing!!! Seriously, it really is frustrating, since I **love** the cichlids, and aside from the kids, would have a 100% cichlid tank. The cray has eaten about $30 of fish, and is really starting to tick me off! BUT, the kids love the thing, so it's not going anywhere!

Jay

 

[Guest]

I assume that when it molts, though, I'd see a discarded shell lying around somewhere?

Maybe, maybe not. Sometimes they eat the old shell, need some kinda nutrients in the old shell to harden the new shell. I cna't recall what the nutrient is right now, dag it!

 

[Allivymar]

Yep; many of the FW shrimp/cray/lobster types will eat their moults to get the lost minerals back. I know they all need a source of calcium; shrimp need a little iodine as well but I'm not positive about crayfish. My ghost and cherry shrimp get a drop of iodine every week after I water change the tank they're in.

 

[sultana]

well mine jus died it had an infected leg , i ve never kept one more than a year :?
what species were yours ? i've had two both were american signals....i miss them!
anyone with some of these living sucessfully?

 

[Sati]

Re: An Update on my crayfish situation

Well, I'm at 6 weeks with the cray, and here's where I stand.
What has it eaten? Let's see: 2 Oscars (1 of them was 3 times it's size!), 4 goldfish, 1 red terror, 1 pleco, the other crayfish, and 1 green severum. It's also eaten it's old shell twice. This thing is crazy!

Good god, I'm never getting one unless it has it's own tank, lol. That's insane.

 

[AlonelyCody]

I lost a Cichlid last week because of a cray and i love them but not in the same tank as anything else.