Please tell me about blue lobsters

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QTOFFER

Aquarium Advice Addict
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Nov 11, 2003
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Kew Gardens, NY
Next week, I'm going to have a free 10 gal tank. The tank has a heater and a cycled Penguin Mini filter with a biowheel.

I'd like to get a Hammers Cobalt Blue Lobster (Cherax sp.).

I'm going to use black Tahitian moon sand as a substrate. Because my water is so soft (KH and GH about 3 degrees), I'm going to decorate with Texas Holey rock and some real coral. I figure this will provide soluble calcium for the lobster's shell, as well as some nice hiding spots.

I know lobsters are opportunistic predators, so no bottom dwellers or slow fish. However, I was thinking of putting 6 zebra danios in there. They spend very little time on the bottom, and they're so fast, I doubt that the lobster could catch them.

I plan on feeding the lobster a variety of frozen krill, sinking shrimp pellets, and flake.

A few questions:
Do these inverts like a bit of aquarium salt?
How deep should I make the substrate - do these guys like to dig?
Are lobsters compatible with any live plants?
Are the zebra danios a good idea? Any other potential tankmates?
Any further suggestions regarding feeding?
How long do they live? I've read that they can get to be 5 inches.

Thanx!
 
Text below from http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=1641 .

The Hammers Cobalt Blue Lobster is the result of selective breeding of a few different species of crayfish in the Cherax genus. They are brilliant blue, which intensifies as the crayfish matures. Because of the selective breeding, they will not loose their coloration, except in times of stress. They may arrive in a brown coloration due to the stress of shipping, but will regain their bright blue coloration within a few days in a proper environment. They stay relatively small in the aquarium, only attaining a total length of 5 inches.

Provide a freshwater aquarium of at least 20 gallons with plenty of rocks, and a substrate with a moderate grain size or finer, for the Hammers Cobalt Blue Lobster to burrow in. They are territorial towards their own kind, and a larger aquarium will be needed if housing more than one. Provide at least 20 gallons per Lobster and include plenty of cover including both rocks and plants.

The Hammers Cobalt Blue Lobster is generally peaceful, except with its own kind. They will not typically bother fish, unless they are very small, and slow enough for the lobster to catch.

These Lobsters are omnivorous, and will act as a scavenger in the aquarium, eating any food that comes to rest on the bottom. Supplement their diet with a quality sinking pellet, flake food and dried algae.


P.S.- ideal water temperature for these guys is 72-77F.
 
I've kept them before, fun to watch when they are out of hiding. I wouldn't go with plants, as in my experience, they chow down on anything they can (ps - LOVE frozen krill. Was able to have it take it from my hand every time)

I tried keeping them tetras, I figured they would be way too fast, but sure enough, the population went down until I finally just gave away the rest. Never seen it myself, but they do their most hunting when fish are asleep at the bottom. If you do try fish with them though, I imagine danios would be the way to go.
 
They will mow down any plants, but they don't really dig - substrate does not have to be too deep. When I had white clouds in with mine they spent the entire day up on a rock with claws up and out, trying to catch one as it went by. The white clouds were VERY nervous and did not swim around normally at all, and they seemed aware that the crayfish was hunting them. I moved them out and they returned to normal behavior.

Maybe a big ole apple snail, but I'd bet it would find a way to get that, too, lol!
 
I have experience with blue "lobsters" in the wild. Mine I encountered in Costa Rica in freshwater streams with very soft water and very few nutrients because it rained all the time there. I am sure the domesticated variety are a bit different but for what its worth this is what I observed.

The live in streams with rocky bottoms but with mud sides where I think they construct burrows so providing an artificial PVC burrow might be popular. the streams are basically pools connected by running water (depending on rainfall) & they prefer the more still pools. The will eat anything in the wild including tapir feces and fallen leaves or fruit or whatever dead things they can find or anything they can catch. Like most crayfish they seemed pretty secretive but I worked at night so I often got good views of them. They are quite spectacular.

For the ones I saw I would stay away from coral & limestone & have a bed of leaves & twigs which they can pick through & hide under. I would also go with gravel & river rocks. I never did see them in the more brackish parts of the stream that had any tidal influence (harder water). Of course if these have been bred to other species they might have different requirements. For all I know this species is from a completely different part of the world.

My general observation about crawfish is that they are tough as nails & will only be unhappy if your water gets too warm for them but I never really tried to keep these. I know most species like some water flow.

One cool thing about them is that when they have babies many species provide parental care for a while & the babies kling to the mothers swimmerets until they are ready to venture out on their own. I am not sure if the blues do this.

Anyway HTH.

P.S. they love to eat tadpoles which they can easily catch & are fond of going for walkabouts to find better places to live so keep that aquarium covered
 
frog girl said:
I have experience with blue "lobsters" in the wild. Mine I encountered in Costa Rica in freshwater streams with very soft water and very few nutrients because it rained all the time there. I am sure the domesticated variety are a bit different but for what its worth this is what I observed.

The live in streams with rocky bottoms but with mud sides where I think they construct burrows so providing an artificial PVC burrow might be popular. the streams are basically pools connected by running water (depending on rainfall) & they prefer the more still pools. The will eat anything in the wild including tapir feces and fallen leaves or fruit or whatever dead things they can find or anything they can catch. Like most crayfish they seemed pretty secretive but I worked at night so I often got good views of them. They are quite spectacular.

For the ones I saw I would stay away from coral & limestone & have a bed of leaves & twigs which they can pick through & hide under. I would also go with gravel & river rocks. I never did see them in the more brackish parts of the stream that had any tidal influence (harder water). Of course if these have been bred to other species they might have different requirements. For all I know this species is from a completely different part of the world.

My general observation about crawfish is that they are tough as nails & will only be unhappy if your water gets too warm for them but I never really tried to keep these. I know most species like some water flow.

One cool thing about them is that when they have babies many species provide parental care for a while & the babies kling to the mothers swimmerets until they are ready to venture out on their own. I am not sure if the blues do this.

Anyway HTH.

P.S. they love to eat tadpoles which they can easily catch & are fond of going for walkabouts to find better places to live so keep that aquarium covered


I have read from numerous sources that these are not natural crayfish, they were made by humans mixing and mating different crayfish. could be wrong but I never heard of a natural species
 
I feel stupid. :oops: Being crustaceans, crayfish shells are made of chitin (a polysaccharide). They won't be affected by the softness of my water, so I don't need to use limestone.

I'm going to use the tahitian moon sand substrate with some driftwood and red lace rock. The tank has a good, tight lid, but I'll have to silicone some nylon mesh around the filter.

frog girl said:
They will eat anything in the wild including tapir feces

Thanks, Frog girl! LOL, I checked, but my lfs doesn't sell tapir droppings, so this lobster will have to settle for frozen krill! :lol:

NJFishman, blue lobsters really are natural crayfish with a genetic mutation that makes them blue, instead of brown. It's a 1 in a million mutation (like albinoism) that doesn't survive long in the wild - the blue color is like a neon sign that says, 'eat me for lunch'.
 
That is a great mini profile you gave, Frog Girl!

And it reminded me that you don't need a heater with these guys, since they like it cool, natch. :wink: Nothin' cooler than a blue crayfish!
 
I've seen these crayfish in the stores here and always been tempted (and averted simultaneously by the price!) but I am curious as to how well they'd do in either a south american or african cichlid tank?
 
Actually they aren't all that uncommon in the streams in SW Costa Rica in the middle of the National Park there. The ones I am thinking of are bright cobalt blue. I think since they are sort of nocturnal that the blue colored ones do fine in terms of predators. I know that naturally (have seen them being eaten by) caimans, & pulled one out of the stomach of the smoky jungle frog I was studying at the time. Also water opposums probably munch them down.


Anyway sorry on the tapir dropping front QT :wink: but I am sure they will love frozen krill or leftover chicken bones or any scraps of meat or vegetables.

Post some pics if you have a chance.
 
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