I purchased a "blue lobster" from PetCo. I know that it is actually a freshwater crayfish. When I purchased it - he was about an inch long. He has molted at least once since and is now a good 3 inches long. However, after he molted his colors have changed drastically. Originally he was a BRIGHT blue - now he has some blue markings but is mostly a mottled brown. Am I missing something in his diet? I really liked the true blue of his original coloration.
?Blue Lobster
- Thread starter Theatre1sm
- Start date
Something is wrong with your water quality. Blue lobsters stay blue in clean water, they lose coloring (and health) in poor water conditions. Invertebrates are very sensitive.
What is your tank maintenance schedule (water change regimen) and parameters?
What is your tank maintenance schedule (water change regimen) and parameters?
Water change of (avg.) 15 gal per week from a 65 gallon tank. I use Prime since I have Chloramine in my city tap water.
Kent Concentrated Iodine once a month (5 ml) for the shrimp and "lobster".
Temp is normally 80 degrees (though it's been running slightly hotter in the recent heat wave).
Ammonia and Nitrites at 0 (and the Ammonia Alert says Clear)
Nitrates less than 5 ppm (based on the water tube color).
Tank has been up and running for approx. a year though the lobster (the most recent addition) was added a month ago.
Feeding daily a mix of tropical flake and Hikari variety wafers.
6 Amano shrimp, 12 platy, 10 bosemani rainbow fish.
Various live plants from Wal-Mart bulbs...
Kent Concentrated Iodine once a month (5 ml) for the shrimp and "lobster".
Temp is normally 80 degrees (though it's been running slightly hotter in the recent heat wave).
Ammonia and Nitrites at 0 (and the Ammonia Alert says Clear)
Nitrates less than 5 ppm (based on the water tube color).
Tank has been up and running for approx. a year though the lobster (the most recent addition) was added a month ago.
Feeding daily a mix of tropical flake and Hikari variety wafers.
6 Amano shrimp, 12 platy, 10 bosemani rainbow fish.
Various live plants from Wal-Mart bulbs...
Forgot to add: running a Magnum 350 Pro with bio wheel as well as Marineland 350 plus a Marineland 100 (to start bacteria for the next tank).
He has the brown spots because he has shell rot which most likely isnt your fault. They almost all have this from the breeders. Melafix your tank for a week and then when he molts next time make sure you get the shell and that he isnt able to eat it. If he still has brown spots keep takeing the shell from him when he molts till he has no more brown. If he eats the old shell it can cause the rot to come back. Good luck and heres a link to a site and forum dedicated to blue crayfish www.bluecrayfish.com
Your water changes are not enough. 50% weekly is recommended, 15 gallons out of 65 is under 25%.
Shell rot would mean an uneven shell, with possible holing and definate non-uniform surface texture. That diagnosis cannot be made based on a simple color change, nor should you medicate until you are sure based on a shoot from the hip guess. A picture of the crayfish might help if that is suspected, especially before exposing the animal to meds. Inverts are notoriously hard to treat, and many medications that do not bother fish (copper based meds) much will kill an invertebrate quickly.
I've read quite a bit on blues discoloring and it is nearly always related to water quality.
Crayfish also eat the old shells for calcium to rebuild their new shell. If you do remove the molt, you would need to substitute some other form of calcium in order for him to receive the vital minerals lost from his molt.
Shell rot would mean an uneven shell, with possible holing and definate non-uniform surface texture. That diagnosis cannot be made based on a simple color change, nor should you medicate until you are sure based on a shoot from the hip guess. A picture of the crayfish might help if that is suspected, especially before exposing the animal to meds. Inverts are notoriously hard to treat, and many medications that do not bother fish (copper based meds) much will kill an invertebrate quickly.
I've read quite a bit on blues discoloring and it is nearly always related to water quality.
Crayfish also eat the old shells for calcium to rebuild their new shell. If you do remove the molt, you would need to substitute some other form of calcium in order for him to receive the vital minerals lost from his molt.
Ive seen many cases of shell rot without pitting just discoloration. Melafix is hardly a medication and wont hurt anything unless you overdose. A lot of discus guys use melafix before a show because it causes the fish to display more vibrant colors but I really dont care to debate you as you are never wrong in your little world.
