How to Take Care of Crayfish
Get your crayfish., Get the right tank for your crayfish., Make the tank comfortable for your crayfish., Feed your crayfish., Keep your crayfish safe from other fish., Take care of your crayfish when it sheds its skin., Keep your crayfish from...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Get your crayfish.
You can easily find a crayfish at a tropical fish store or another pet store.
You can get a red crayfish for 1-3 dollars, while more high-end crayfish, like the blue crayfish, can cost 20 dollars or more.
You can always go on reputable websites to find even more rare and exotic crayfish, but they could end up costing you as much as 100 dollars.
You can start by getting just one of these critters and getting him used to his new home.
If you live in certain parts of the United States, you can have a great time going crayfishing, looking for fish in streams or shallow bodies of water.
Just get a small net, turn up some rocks, and try to make it so that the crayfish end up rapidly swimming right into your net. -
Step 2: Get the right tank for your crayfish.
Crayfish need a tank with a pH of
7.0 (neutral) that has a temperature between 70–75 °F (21–24 °C).
Do not use a heated aquarium for these critters.
Additionally, the aquarium should have proper aeration and filtration.
One crayfish needs at least 5–10 gallons (18.9–37.9 L) of water all to himself.
It's not recommended that you put more than one crayfish in a tank, but if you do, you should make sure they have enough space to themselves, and enough places to hide.
Also, if you do have multiple crayfish in one tank, make sure they are of the same species, or they are likely to kill each other.
In addition to filter oxygenation, you'll need air bubblers or long bubble walls on your tank.
Make sure to partially change the water each week to keep it fresh.
You can also put your crayfish in a tank with fish, if you take the right precautions
-- more on that later! Don't put seashells in the tank, or this can affect the pH level of the water.
Perform regular water changes.
Because crayfish have large bio-loads, do at least two water changes each week.
Always use a dechlorinator when replacing water.
Don't use an undergravel filter.
Crayfish like to dig, which can jam the filter. , Crayfish love to burrow, hide, and to generally be in darkness, so you have to create an environment that is conducive to this.
You can add elements like a tipped-over castle, PVC pipe, rocks, or plants.
They like to climb in plants, but try to get fake ones, or they may eat the real plants very quickly.
They need hollowed-out rocks, gerbil pipes, or any 3-sided containers to truly feel safe, especially when they are extra vulnerable after shedding their shells.
Try to minimize the light exposure the tank gets, because crayfish are much more comfortable with the lights out. , Crayfish need to have a sinking pellet food as a staple.
Sinking shrimp pellets are perfect.
They also like to eat vegetables as well as any decaying matter.
Since fish eat shrimp pellets too, make sure you drop enough of the pellets around the crayfish's hiding place that he can get to them.
He may also eat some regular fish food flakes if they make it his way, but this is not enough for him.
When it comes to veggies, they can eat cabbage leafs, zucchini medallions, or shelled peas.
They can also eat some frozen foods, such as daphnia, blood worms, frozen fish, and brine shrimp.
Cooked chicken can also make for a great occasional treat. , Your crayfish can live in a tank with other fish, as long as you don't have any bottom dwellers, because crayfish like to clean the bottom of your tank, too.
And if you have any pricey or just special fish in your tank, then you may think twice about adding a crayfish to the mix.
They are not just bottom dwellers, but are also scavengers and hunters, which means that they will swipe at passing fish.
Though this is mostly just amusing to watch and they rarely are able to attack fish, this can happen.Mostly, the crayfish attack fish that are getting sick and sinking toward the bottom of the tank.
They'll stay away from strong, healthy fish.
If you have large or aggressive fish, then there's a chance they can go after your crayfish, too.
Cichlids are known for eating crayfish.
Crayfish are known for eating cloud mountain minnows, rosy red minnows, and rainbow darters.
Goldfish and crayfish tend not to get along. , Crayfish will molt their protective shell from time to time, which will make them feel more vulnerable to other crayfish or fish, so you have to take extra care with them.
When they shed their shell, do not remove it, because they will actually need to eat it, or some of it, to help strengthen the new shell they are going to grow.
Do not feed your crayfish when it molts, because it will only be eating its shell.
Some people even place their crayfish in a separate tank to protect it while it is molting. , Crayfish love to explore new territory and are great at escaping, so make sure you have protected any openings in the filter and have kept the lid firmly placed on the tank.
You can use aluminum foil and rubber bands and tape to seal off the filter opening from the outside, as long as you don't let the aluminum touch the tank water.
If a crayfish escapes, it can dehydrate and die in just a few hours, so it's very important to be vigilant about this.
If you have caught an escaping crayfish, do not place it directly back in its tank.
His little gills need time to get used to the water again, and you don't want to drown him by mistake.
Place the crayfish in a tall bucket with just enough water to fully cover it.
Add a rock to the bucket to make the crayfish feel less vulnerable.
After one full day, pick up your crayfish and hold it upside down on the surface of the water.
If it does well here, let it return to its normal environment. -
Step 3: Make the tank comfortable for your crayfish.
-
Step 4: Feed your crayfish.
-
Step 5: Keep your crayfish safe from other fish.
-
Step 6: Take care of your crayfish when it sheds its skin.
-
Step 7: Keep your crayfish from escaping their tank.
Detailed Guide
You can easily find a crayfish at a tropical fish store or another pet store.
You can get a red crayfish for 1-3 dollars, while more high-end crayfish, like the blue crayfish, can cost 20 dollars or more.
You can always go on reputable websites to find even more rare and exotic crayfish, but they could end up costing you as much as 100 dollars.
You can start by getting just one of these critters and getting him used to his new home.
If you live in certain parts of the United States, you can have a great time going crayfishing, looking for fish in streams or shallow bodies of water.
Just get a small net, turn up some rocks, and try to make it so that the crayfish end up rapidly swimming right into your net.
Crayfish need a tank with a pH of
7.0 (neutral) that has a temperature between 70–75 °F (21–24 °C).
Do not use a heated aquarium for these critters.
Additionally, the aquarium should have proper aeration and filtration.
One crayfish needs at least 5–10 gallons (18.9–37.9 L) of water all to himself.
It's not recommended that you put more than one crayfish in a tank, but if you do, you should make sure they have enough space to themselves, and enough places to hide.
Also, if you do have multiple crayfish in one tank, make sure they are of the same species, or they are likely to kill each other.
In addition to filter oxygenation, you'll need air bubblers or long bubble walls on your tank.
Make sure to partially change the water each week to keep it fresh.
You can also put your crayfish in a tank with fish, if you take the right precautions
-- more on that later! Don't put seashells in the tank, or this can affect the pH level of the water.
Perform regular water changes.
Because crayfish have large bio-loads, do at least two water changes each week.
Always use a dechlorinator when replacing water.
Don't use an undergravel filter.
Crayfish like to dig, which can jam the filter. , Crayfish love to burrow, hide, and to generally be in darkness, so you have to create an environment that is conducive to this.
You can add elements like a tipped-over castle, PVC pipe, rocks, or plants.
They like to climb in plants, but try to get fake ones, or they may eat the real plants very quickly.
They need hollowed-out rocks, gerbil pipes, or any 3-sided containers to truly feel safe, especially when they are extra vulnerable after shedding their shells.
Try to minimize the light exposure the tank gets, because crayfish are much more comfortable with the lights out. , Crayfish need to have a sinking pellet food as a staple.
Sinking shrimp pellets are perfect.
They also like to eat vegetables as well as any decaying matter.
Since fish eat shrimp pellets too, make sure you drop enough of the pellets around the crayfish's hiding place that he can get to them.
He may also eat some regular fish food flakes if they make it his way, but this is not enough for him.
When it comes to veggies, they can eat cabbage leafs, zucchini medallions, or shelled peas.
They can also eat some frozen foods, such as daphnia, blood worms, frozen fish, and brine shrimp.
Cooked chicken can also make for a great occasional treat. , Your crayfish can live in a tank with other fish, as long as you don't have any bottom dwellers, because crayfish like to clean the bottom of your tank, too.
And if you have any pricey or just special fish in your tank, then you may think twice about adding a crayfish to the mix.
They are not just bottom dwellers, but are also scavengers and hunters, which means that they will swipe at passing fish.
Though this is mostly just amusing to watch and they rarely are able to attack fish, this can happen.Mostly, the crayfish attack fish that are getting sick and sinking toward the bottom of the tank.
They'll stay away from strong, healthy fish.
If you have large or aggressive fish, then there's a chance they can go after your crayfish, too.
Cichlids are known for eating crayfish.
Crayfish are known for eating cloud mountain minnows, rosy red minnows, and rainbow darters.
Goldfish and crayfish tend not to get along. , Crayfish will molt their protective shell from time to time, which will make them feel more vulnerable to other crayfish or fish, so you have to take extra care with them.
When they shed their shell, do not remove it, because they will actually need to eat it, or some of it, to help strengthen the new shell they are going to grow.
Do not feed your crayfish when it molts, because it will only be eating its shell.
Some people even place their crayfish in a separate tank to protect it while it is molting. , Crayfish love to explore new territory and are great at escaping, so make sure you have protected any openings in the filter and have kept the lid firmly placed on the tank.
You can use aluminum foil and rubber bands and tape to seal off the filter opening from the outside, as long as you don't let the aluminum touch the tank water.
If a crayfish escapes, it can dehydrate and die in just a few hours, so it's very important to be vigilant about this.
If you have caught an escaping crayfish, do not place it directly back in its tank.
His little gills need time to get used to the water again, and you don't want to drown him by mistake.
Place the crayfish in a tall bucket with just enough water to fully cover it.
Add a rock to the bucket to make the crayfish feel less vulnerable.
After one full day, pick up your crayfish and hold it upside down on the surface of the water.
If it does well here, let it return to its normal environment.
About the Author
Marilyn Jimenez
Enthusiastic about teaching DIY projects techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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