Crayfish doin the nasty and i need help

[Spot86t]

Re: Crayfish doin the nasty and i need help

On the Florida blues (all the ones that came from Rrocket2002 are this kind) they can mate but the female may not berry for a good while.  I had one that didn't berry until 3 weeks later.  Once they do berry, don't do anything that would greatly change the water parameters which might prompt a molt.  If they molted shortly before becoming berried, then a water change probably won't instigate molting - usually there must be some substantial growth before they will molt.  If she's berried and molts, you can say bye to the berries.

If you want to do more research - the scientific name for these is Procambarus Alleni and they are often called Electric Blue Crayfish (but so are the Cherax Quadricarinatus, so find pics or scientific name to verify).

[pam916]

Re: Crayfish doin the nasty and i need help

I feed my blue crayfish algae wafers and frozen green peas.  I just drop them near the crayfish and since neither food falls apart it doesn't make a mess before the crays find it.  They might eat other veggies like cucumber and squash if you weighted it down where they can find it.  I have also fed shrimp pellets and while they eat them the little endler's I keep in the tank with them dart in and out grabbing tiny pieces of shrimp pellet.  I have never known mine (I have about 7 of them) to eat a fish, not even a dead one.  I did see one grab at one of my discus once but I am not sure if it was in self defense or he was trying to catch it, but when the discus bolted away, the crayfish ran for cover.  Mine seem to be more defensive than agressive.  One thing I have observed is that they enjoy eating small snails the size of small ramshorns and if you have a snail problem they can be a big help.  When I have an excess of small snails, I just drop them in the tank near my crayfish and they seem to love them.

[mrairportjunke]

Re: Crayfish doin the nasty and i need help

Hey gang  I just scored me some babys.  YEA YEAH  I noticed the other day when i came home from my 4 day trip and my mommas got EGGS.  nice.  now whats the advice when they hatch?????????

[Spot86t]

Re: Crayfish doin the nasty and i need help

Momma will leave them alone for a few weeks, unless you don't feed her.  The babies will pick off the bottom, or eat the sponge filter if there's not enough food (and I mean they will EAT the sponge!).  Make sure there's a lot of hiding places for the babies.  They start squabbling soon as they realize they have siblings.

Nothing like seeing a couple of 3 day old crays trying to kill each other....

[mrairportjunke]

Re: Crayfish doin the nasty and i need help

i dont havea  sponge filter.  lol.  just to hob's

[dblondfemme]

Re: Crayfish doin the nasty and i need help

um....how long do the eggs stay well...eggs?   I first noticed  hundreds of black eggs on the 20th... and she is still holding eggs (I check periodically with a flashlight into her "cave" but I don't physically reach in and check).  Should they be hatching soon? And Mrairportjunkie... I put a sponge over the intake of my HOB so they can't be sucked up.

[Spot86t]

Re: Crayfish doin the nasty and i need help

Should take about a month before the first ones start wandering out on their own.  Sometimes it takes up to 2 weeks for the last little one to crawl out from the shelter of momma's tail.

[rrocket2002]

Re: Crayfish doin the nasty and i need help

I was thinking about buying 3 hundred or so clear plastic cups with lids for straws.  That way I can seperate most of the buggers out.  LOL

[mrairportjunke]

Re: Crayfish doin the nasty and i need help

i read 20 to 30 days for the hatching out.  im gonna have to cover the filters then

[dblondfemme]

Re: Crayfish doin the nasty and i need help

Seriously...I bought a long (about 16") sponge when Charles was at the old place.  I have a "prefilter" on each of my intakes just in case some "small ones" appear in the tank.  I cut a piece, use the scissors to hollow out the inside a little and slide it over the intake.  I am now down to the last few pieces and am using rubber bands to hold them on lol.  I feel going by the "better safe than sorry" rule is helping my babies continue...
Dang.... I'll keep making "x" marks on my calendar to count down the arrival of my new crays.

[edmlfc]

Re: Crayfish doin the nasty and i need help

This is what I use on most of my intakes. It don't work on emperor 400 but it slips onto all the other filters I use. It's cheap and you get two in a box.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4182&pvid=19657&productnum=0902430

[dblondfemme]

Re: Crayfish doin the nasty and i need help

I'm sure Charles knows what I am talking about and it is much cheaper than even that sponge.  It was like $9.99 (not counting the HFB discount) and I have at least 14 tanks that have the sponges protecting the intake.  But...I do like that sponge Ed.

[mrairportjunke]

Re: Crayfish doin the nasty and i need help

well yall are both spendin too much. lol.  i took some of that basic filter material stuff like you can get at walmart for pillow filling or sometihng.  like 3 bucks for a big bag.  i cut a little, and wraped it around my intakes on my 75 with the kuhlis in it that keep goin inthe intake.  that works and was supper cheap.  rubber band and thats it.

[Spot86t]

Re: Crayfish doin the nasty and i need help

I never had problems with crays getting into the intakes.  Or at least not that I know of...

For baby caves though, just grab a handful of drinking straws - preferably of a large diameter.  Cut them in half.  Now with each half, put a nylon zip tie in the middle, pulling it tight.  It'll make a cluster of baby cray caves.  rubber-band a rock to it so it stays sunk - dont' forget to shake the excess air out of it when you put it in the tank.

Another thing I did was go to the cat toy section of Walmart.  There they have a package of about 9 or 12 plastic balls with slots in them, and a little bell inside for about a buck.  I took out the bells, and put in a couple of rocks instead - to keep them from floating.  I also added a few other fluorescent colored caves and fake greenery and considered it a cray nursery.  I took some old black ugf filter plates, knocked holes in them and made a few layers of balls and plates - just tossed randomly in there.

[ghoastgirl1]

Re: Crayfish doin the nasty and i need help

I put a divider into Etouffees tank (rubbermaid lid) and despite my best efforts to keep Gumbo and Etouffee apart their need to get it on has beaten me. I found them at it this morning. I did take some excellent shots maybe for the calender. Maybe babies in the future...