Blue Lobster female with eggs - no male

[imagirlgeek]

Re: Blue Lobster female with eggs - no male

Wow!  I can honestly say I've never seen a pink or blue snail.  That's really cool!  Maybe we can do a swap??  :)

You want bread?   $3.00!!

[loopy119]

Re: Blue Lobster female with eggs - no male

LOL! Sure, we could swap some! No problem... They don't get very big, but they will breed like crazy for you...but they don't seem like pests to me because they look good! Their eggs are usually laid on a flat surface like the tank wall and look like a little bitty clear yellow scale... It's easy to see through and it's not ugly or anything. I really like snails...yeah, I guess I'm a geek too...

Three dollars?!?! But you just said two and the other guy got it for free!!  :wink:

Rebekah

[imagirlgeek]

Re: Blue Lobster female with eggs - no male

I'm so excited about these snails!  I never would have thought I'd get excited about snails...who knew?!  

NO SOUP FOR YOU!!  

[ImaGuyGeek]

Re: Blue Lobster female with eggs - no male

Mulla(sc. heh mullesc)gutani. Stepping back and waiting to be seved.

ILY Imagirlgeek.

ImaGuygeek

[imagirlgeek]

Re: Blue Lobster female with eggs - no male

Spot86t!!!   Spoooootttt!!  You around??  :)

You had mentioned Iodine to help the molting...are you talking about regular old drugstore iodine?  

BTW - I finally moved her on Sunday and I think it was more traumatic for me than for her.  But she did unclench her tail for a minute and all I could see (bad angle) was what looked like fuzz or hair type stuff around the edge of her tail.  Is this normal?  She all clenched up again, so I have to believe she's still got them.  I'm also not using any light on the tank she has all to herself...right move?

[Spot86t]

Re: Blue Lobster female with eggs - no male

I don't know if regular drugstore iodine is the same but I really doubt it.  Go to the saltwater section of a pet store - Kent is the brand I get.  Just 1 or 2 drops in a 10 gallon is enough.  I put a little more in the older tanks with ones that only molt about twice a year, since they seem to have a rougher time of it often losing claws or worse.  I've even had to 'assist' a time or two to try to help them not lose claws.

I left my light on the regular timer, with about 10 hrs of "daylight".  

The "hair" around the edge of her tail sounds normal unless it's super fuzzy which might indicate fungus.  Mine all have a tiny bit of it just around the edge.  Sometimes on their first batch, they don't seem to aerate the eggs enough, and some will fungus.  Usually at least some will make it just fine though.

You don't want her to molt right now, cause she'll lose the berries if she does.  She's only got a week or 2 left, maybe more if the tank has been rather cool.  It will be hard to see the babies, they're realllllly tiny, easier to see on white gravel, or with a flashlight with the tank lights off.  At first they'll stay close to mom, climbing around on her and just under her.  After a week, they'll have begun to venture further away.  Some will grow much faster than others.  Lots of anachris will give them munching stuff and more "floor space" which helps reduce aggression.  I've seen these guys go after each other when only .25" long!

So you gonna have a 'craybaby shower'?  

[imagirlgeek]

Re: Blue Lobster female with eggs - no male

I'm so glad you came when I called.  Did you hear me yelling for you?  

Oh my gosh!  They can lose their claws!?  That's horrible!  Well, our girl has molted twice since we've had her, and the last one was not long before her unplanned pregnancy.  I just want to have all I need to be ready.  I'll buy Kent because I'm considering you our official cray adviser.    

I'm not going to worry about the fuzz then.  At least not now.  I have caught her tending to the eggs on occasion, so hopefully instinct has taken over and she's doing what's right.  It's not like a big bush of fuzz, just a bit around the edges.

I know I've got a timer around here somewhere...hmmm.....where could that thing be?  Since we moved her, she's been using her T-PVC pipe...just like you said!  But I've also got the rock we got at the party and a small piece of coral (not live) in there because it's got lots of little nooks for the babies.  We use it for our fry as well.  It's an excellent hiding place.  But I'm still looking forward to making the little straw hiding places. :)

We keep the temp on all our tanks between 78 and 80 because that's what the majority of our fish like.  Is this okay for Pinchy?  OH!  Speaking of 'Pinchy'...that article had me laughing out loud!!  Thanks for sharing!

I'm actually browsing Aquabid right now to get some anachris.  I found someone selling 5 stems(?), will this be enough?  I can get as much as 10 stems from this guy.  Forgive my ignorance, but I know nothing about plants.  We only have 2 plants in our entire pond....we don't know.  :)

[imagirlgeek]

Re: Blue Lobster female with eggs - no male

Yes, you will be receiving your invitation to the craybaby shower in the mail.     Just Kidding....although that would be a good way to get the Anacharis.  :)

[Spot86t]

Re: Blue Lobster female with eggs - no male

Noooo, don't buy anachris - I'll bring some to the shower!  I don't keep a heater in the cray tanks - they're fine even down to 50 degrees.  They just move slower.  I keep my house around 75 and everyone does fine. I only have a few tanks with residents that prefer a heater.

She'll be fine especially with you taking the care tat you are.  There are several crayfish sites, that's where I gleaned much of my information, and then went with what really worked.

:)

[spyke1969]

Re: Blue Lobster female with eggs - no male

This is too funny, I just got back from NY & was craving soup the whole time I was there!! how are the babies coming along & when is the shower?

[imagirlgeek]

Re: Blue Lobster female with eggs - no male

 Yea!  Another one who 'got it'!  You people rock!

The babies could very well still be eggs for all I know.  Pinchy must be all hormonal or something...she won't talk to me, except when I drop food in for her.  And on top of that, however I can't be sure since she has claws, but I'm fairly certain she's flipping me off while she's backing into her PVC pipe.  She also won't let me see under her tail for very long.  I think she's teasing me.  It's actually quite rude, but I guess I have to cut her some slack since she's pregnant and probably bloated and nauseated.   So, considering her moodiness, I think we'll have to do a shower AFTER the babies come.  I wouldn't want to subject you guys to her nasty disposition.  

[Spot86t]

Re: Blue Lobster female with eggs - no male

Ok, to satisfy your craving to see some baby crays, here are some pics from my last craymomma, and a pic of her momma too. Three generations worth.

Note the 'fuzz' on the edge of her tail - this is normal.

[imagirlgeek]

Re: Blue Lobster female with eggs - no male

Thank you!!  I can't wait to see our little Pinchy with all those ankle-biters latched on to her tail!  So about a month, huh?  Since I posted this on Dec. 3, I think we noticed the eggs on Dec. 1st.  So, maybe we'll have New Year's babies!  I'm so impatient!  

Thank you for the pics Spot.  That does help a lot to know what to expect to see.  I'm thinking we're on track.  I was a little worried I should be seeing more than I was, but based on the timeline, I guess we are doing well.  Also, I took your idea and set up her tank on a timer.  10 hours of light on, then off the rest of the time.  Giving her a little more routine. :)

Hey, I can't tell from your pics, but does your cray have some pink on her tail?  Ours does.  Here's a picture of her before she berried.  See the pink on her tail?

[Spot86t]

Re: Blue Lobster female with eggs - no male

Ahhh, finally a photo of the expectant mommy!  Situation changes a little now that I see a pic.  My photo's are of Procambarus Alleni - a native Fla. Crayfish.  Your Pinchy is really a Cherax Quadricarinatus - AKA Austrailian blue lobster, AKA Redclaw.  Where did you find her?  I've been looking for a female Quad, to put with my 2 males?  I had one once, but she got out, and I didn't know it until it was far too late  :(.  The purple markings are normal, and there are some wide color shade variations - all normal.

She'll max out at around 12" long.  Quads are not as aggressive as the Alleni's, my 2 males (Blindie and Macgyver) have been sharing a 36L for a while now and only occasionally squabble.  They're also less aggressive towards their finned tankmates.  Basic care is same as for the Alleni's, but you will eventually need a larger PVC "T"  :).  

Notice the red on the claws in the below photo - that's the distinguishing factor between males vs. female.  Females never aquire the red gash on the claw, and males only after reaching a certain size.    Mine got their gas at about 4", during a molt of couse.  New shell had the redclaw whereas beforehand they looked just like the lady you've got.  This is also the feature which dubs the Austrailian alias "Redclaw".  Yabbie/Yabby is what Aussies call crayfish/crawfish.  Redclaws are bred as a foodsource there - they eat them just like we eat the red guys - only it takes fewer of them to fill you up!  :)

Ok, now you can put me on the list for a couple of girl babies  :)

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Blue Lobster female with eggs - no male

That picture with the babies hanging on is kinda gross......