Burrowing Crayfish

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DBray6

AC Members
Dec 2, 2006
110
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16
Tampa Bay, FL USA
About 2 months ago I set up a vivarium for something different than a regular tank. The front half is water about 8 inches deep with some driftwood and a rock and gravel bottom. The back section is home made potting soil without ferts and plants. There is also a waterfall in the back corner.

After setting it up and cycling I purchased a few feeder live bearers and a feeder crayfish to see how this set up would work out. Feeders have survived fine and the crayfish has molted 4 times in 2 months. I always leave the shell in the tank and he eats it in a day or two.

Anyway, I noticed that I hadn't seen the crayfish in two days and thought that was kind of odd because he always comes out at feeding time and does a dance trying to get the flakes off of the surface before I give him a couple of shrimp pellets.

I took the cover off of my tank and was going to look behind the rock and noticed a mound of dirt in the land section. There is a HUGE hole that he has dug and I can see all the way to the bottom of the tank but cannot see him. He must have done a tunnel once he hit bottom.

My question is why did he do this and does he come out to feed after the lights go out? I grew up catching crayfish for fun but never even imagined that they could dig or even come out of the water. I know that I am not going to be sticking my fingers down that hole, after 4 molts he has gotten quite large.
 

Sounguru

Guru at being an expert
Some crayfish live all their in burrows it just depends on the species.

Some are also on the invasive species list for their burrowing, the p. clarkii is one. The p. clarkii is the common one sold for feeder or bait if not banned in your state as they are here. (common name red swamp cray)
 
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