Blue CrayFish

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Jonesy

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Nov 27, 2002
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Hi Guys,
I just bought 2 blue crayfish (not sure exactly what species) for an empty 35 gallon tank I have (thought I'd try something different). They're very cool and interesting but I feel as if I'm flying blind here. I've been keeping fish for about 15 years but these are my first crayfish and they have done some unusual things.

So far, one has managed to escape the tank, crawl about 5m across the room and then escape down a large drain pipe in the floor (I'd laugh except I can't figure out how to get the thing back). I know it's still there since something has been eating the shrimp pellets I put down the drain... but I haven't quite figured out how to catch it again (I have a very tight cover now... so crayfish # 2 will not be joining it's friend in the drain). Any ideas on traping a crayfish in a drain pipe?

Anyway, I don't know much about these guys (except that they are escape artists) and haven't been able to find much online.

I have a few questions and would be grateful if someone knew the answers:

1. What do they eat primarily?? I've seen mine eating shrimp pellets but so far it has avoided flake, spirulina, and some sinking pellets I have for my chiclids.... surely they eat other things?

2. Is there anyway to sex a crayfish?

3. What is the lifespan of these things?

4. What kind of tank setup do they like (my tank is half rocks and half gravel). I usually find the crayfish on the gravel side but at night I've noticed it goes onto the rocky side and hangs upside down from a plant??
 

tomm10

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Oct 15, 2003
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Total guess here on getting back your escapee but you might try to catch him like they catch crabs. Tie the food to a string and drop it down into the drain. He should grab onto the food with his claw. Slowly pull back the string until you can net him.

Is there a trap in the drain that you can get to? If so you could try removing it and flushing the crawfish out.

Tricky situation, I hope you can get him out.
 

btowntaz

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Feb 22, 2003
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http://www.bluecrayfish.com/ Go here for questions on blue crayfish. I have a red crayfish. He eats everything. Flake, frozen, and even goldfish (I have to injure them and hand them to him.)

As far as getting him out of a drain, the string on a piece of bacon is the only trick that came to mind, as Tomm10 mentioned.

Also I just added sand to the corner of my tank (for my fresh water flounder to hide in) and my crayfish loves it. He digs around in like he is looking for something. That is where he stays now.
I used a fine sand. It has been sieved on a 30mm sieve. Tank got a little cloudy when I added it, but everything went back to normal.

Good luck and keep us informed on your progress.
 

Jonesy

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Nov 27, 2002
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Thanks for the responses... I'd really like to get some sand for this tank (sounds interesting) but I'm running an undergravel with 3 power heads as the filter for this tank. I thought the crayfish might like the current.. since I used to catch different a species in rivers when I was a kid. I don't think I can have this setup with sand?? Maybe I can buy heavier sand somewhere and put a fine screen on top of the undergravel plates??

Anyway, I defintely saw the escaped Crayfish this morning but couldn't get my hand in the pipe fast enough.... this pipe goes down about a foot into concrete then turns and goes out of the house (tanks are in the basement).... the crayfish is hiding somewhere around the bend out of reach. I guess I'm fishing for crayfish in my basement!!!
 

valerie

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Apr 18, 2001
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Not sure how to catch the crayfish in the pipe. MAybe make a little ladder(somethign he can climb) and put some food at the top of the drain. Crayfish are great clibbers and maybe he will climb out by himself.

As for what crayfish eat, I have a regualr bronw crayfish that ate anything i put in his tank. Veggies, shrimp pellets, other sinking pellets, flakes, cooked chicken, earthworms(his fav.), plant clippings. He would eat anything
 
B

BigFishDude

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Where does the pipe lead to? If it leads to the street you should try flushing it out.
 
B

BigFishDude

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BUMP.

I really am interested in knowing the out come.
 

dethjam316

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Apr 6, 2003
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Originally posted by Jonesy
1. What do they eat primarily??

2. Is there anyway to sex a crayfish?

3. What is the lifespan of these things?

4. What kind of tank setup do they like (my tank is half rocks and half gravel). I usually find the crayfish on the gravel side but at night I've noticed it goes onto the rocky side and hangs upside down from a plant??
1. anything they can.
2. i don't know.
3. i don't know. i've had one for a year and he's plotting world domination.
4. they kind of like anything, but it's good if they have a cave of some kind, be it a rock or store-bought dealy or pvc pipe.

they like to eat.
 

Dragon_Lord_Tia

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Feb 14, 2003
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get a old stocking and pull it around abit till theres gapes in the faberic.

put some meat in the stocking

tie it to some string

place it in the drain and lower it down

wait

when he grabs it pull it up slowerly

hopfully hes claws will get stuck and theirs no escape;) :D
 

Hans

I will eat your fish.
Oct 24, 2003
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how long can they live breathing air?? mine never left my tank, every day i would drop a lil algea pellet down to him, he would come out of his little chinese house and say thanks and run away with it and feast all morning he got huge! then died :( 50 cents at a bait store hehe
 
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