How big are my crayfish going to get?

[newchloe]

hello, im new to this community
i hope someone can answer my question.
i have 2 orange crayfish that a family friend of mine had gifted to me, when i had received them there were about half an inch big.
I'm not sure if they are dwarfs or not.
I've had them for about 3 months now and they are both an inch big.

Could anyone tell me if they will grow to be bigger?

 

[Autumnsky]

Any pics? After 3 months these could be the Dwarf variety. Are the a moderately bright orange and shells are kind of sheer �� orange? You can look up images of Dwarf CPO to compare.

They are a favorite because it is convenient to keep them since they are small. They can eat leftovers from your, hopefully small community fish, but need something with good mineral content for their shells.

I use quality dwarf shrimp foods and, more economical Hikari Crab Cuisine which costs around $5.00.

The bigger ones generally grow much noticeably larger for that time frame. And the shells are usually more solid in color

What size tank are these in? Only get a petite ~2" What a lovely gift.

 

[newchloe]

I'm not sure how to attach an image, but they are both very bright orange and a bit see-through.
they are currently in a 2.5-gallon tank because it's all i have right now to keep them separate till I can find a bigger home for them.

Thank you so much for replying to my post and for your help!

 

[Aiken Drum]

https://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f9/including-photos-in-your-posts-378679.html

 

[ADsnail]

They'll grow to adult size - approx 3", give or take - in about eight months.

They do need to be in separate tanks or, as they mature and become aggressive, they'll attack each other and maim or kill. It's about space, and having one large tank won't do it - they'll find each other and battle it out. I would go no smaller than 10 gallon for each. They like wide, not tall, as they need to roam.

They also need to hide, so rocks and caves are their environment. They like to stay active, and the number one way they do this is to dig. In sand. Sand is their happiest substrate.

And decor - they love to upend everything and rearrange the furniture. To put them in a relatively empty environment with nothing to do is - pardon me for being anthropomorphic - courting depression for the little guys.

And make sure you have a lid that closes fully! They do like a wide space to roam but they can also climb and jump. You don't want to hear a sickening crunch as you discover someone escaped in the night and made it to the floor.

 

[ADsnail]

Sorry, I meant to say AT eight months old, so that's about five months from now. A good diet, including plenty of protein (including shrimp, the kind you eat, keep some frozen, give half a small one each week) will help them to grow properly. They love vegetables, fresh as well as the pellets and algae tabs, but they relish a nice shrimp.

 

[Autumnsky]

I'm not sure how to attach an image, but they are both very bright orange and a bit see-through.
they are currently in a 2.5-gallon tank because it's all i have right now to keep them separate till I can find a bigger home for them.

Thank you so much for replying to my post and for your help!

Make sure to have several hiding spaces for them. If one molts then the other might try to eat him, best to have several spaces for an optimum outcome.

2.5G is a basic needs size more suited for one. Keep up pwc schedule and do not over feed. Think of a portion size to be ~ about the size of their eye. So like a piece of a pellet of a Hikari Crab Cuisine.

Any other fish with them?

Do you have any other tank(s) and what are their stock?

Do you have other fish / fish keeping experience?

 

[newchloe]

Make sure to have several hiding spaces for them. If one molts then the other might try to eat him, best to have several spaces for an optimum outcome.

2.5G is a basic needs size more suited for one. Keep up pwc schedule and do not over feed. Think of a portion size to be ~ about the size of their eye. So like a piece of a pellet of a Hikari Crab Cuisine.

Any other fish with them?

Do you have any other tank(s) and what are their stock?

Do you have other fish / fish keeping experience?

there are no other fish with them, i do have 5 other tanks.
my biggest is a 10 gallon community with guppies, corys, and a khuli loach.
3 of my tanks have betta fish, 2 of them have guppies.

 

[Autumnsky]

I have kept one in a nano type community tank (for many years) and had no issues, when they are closer to adult size. And making sure to still have multiple hideouts for their comfort and convenience. When I have kept 2 (or 3) together one always ends up missing. So I only do one per tank now.

Unless I was attempting to try and get a mating.

Long, long ago, when I got a berried female from the lfs I had SO many babies but they seemed to eat each other. I didn't know very much about them then.

So just hopefully helpful info, if, ever in the future you get babies, I would separate as many as possible after they start to get growing.

One of my favorite little guys, could catch a wafer, most of the time when he knew I was going to put one in!!! Definitely a favorite little aquatic creature.