Red Claw Cray Question

[bettabrat]

I just got 2 of these guys on the 17th. I've already seen one shed (the lighter one of the two) and has gone into hiding. The other one (which was the darker one of the two) has gone from this BEAUTIFUL cobalt blue to this UGLY mustard drab yellow/brown/green with blue only showing on the tips of his claws, he was blue yesterday. I feed color enhancing pellets, and kens invert sticks w/calcium. Is this normal to see such a drastic change in colors? I think he will probably shed next, I hope his bright blue comes back Anyway do you think it's the food, the fact he is ready to molt or maybe a bit of both. And will be get his normal coloration back? The other one didn't change colors at all before and after molting and is on the same diet. Should I be conscerned?

 

[pixl8r]

It is most likely due to stress. With fish, shrimp, crabs, a crayfish, their color reflects their mood. Animals that molt (crustaceans), tend to take longer to get their full color back, after loosing it. It may take two or more molts for the color to return.

Make sure that there are plenty of hiding places for each crayfish, preferably more than there are crayfish. Also remove as many other causes of stress as possible, aggressive fish, noisy areas of the home (don't keep them in a tank where kids tromp around, if possible.

Good luck!

 

[bettabrat]

Here is the best shot I could get. They actually turned this color right after molting. Both are now this color.

I don't have kids noise is not an issue. There are plenty of hiding spots for them, I have kept crays before just not this small. Plus the food is new so I thought that might be a possibility. I just watched him molt before my eyes really crazy cool!

 

[black_sun]

The color you're describing is actually one of the "natural" variants of the quads colorations. The blue coloring (the bright and dark blue, the lighter blues can be rather normal) is from selective breeding, just like it is in P. alleni (electric blue crayfish/electric blue dragon crayfish).

Generally, you should be worried with such drastic changes... they usually come from stress or pH being wonky. But these color changes happen often in young Cherax quads. I've had whole batches go from their juvenile coloring to browns, dark olive greens and one was almost black.

Check your tank, if there's nothing wrong with the water and they aren't acting stressed, I'd chalk it up to them just adopting a natural coloration. The blue probably won't come back as bright, but if it is likely to, feeding them things with spirulina will help it to return.

Here's some pictures of more normal looking quads (you can see the blue mostly in the claws, but the bodies are often a muted blue, brown, olive green, etc color):

http://www.aquarienkrebse.de/Bilder/Cherax quadricarinatus.jpg

http://www.aristocratama.com/gallery/images/products/lobster/lobster-7.jpg

http://www.efishbusiness.co.uk/images/inner/cray1.jpg

http://www.defra.gov.uk/marine/images/red_claw.jpg

 

[pixl8r]

Here's a pic of my C. quadricarinatus. He was much younger there, lacking the bright red spots on the outer edges of the claws. He's now somewhere between 9" to 10" from tip of rostrum to the end of his tail, and is vivid dark blue.

I agree with dark_son, that color changes happen as crayfish age. However, I still think that the loss of color is more of a sign of stress (from shipping, moving multiple environments in a relatively short time span, or possibly illness).

I think the best thing to do is, make sure your tank is healthy, and that there are plenty of hiding places. Oh, and this is a big one, remove any living plants that you don't want shredded.

 

[bettabrat]

Phew! I am not so worried now. Could be stress, I just got these guys a lil over week ago and they were specially ordered for me. I went right down to pick them up. So they went from being shipped, to the LFS, to my house. Poor guys I think they will be fine though, they are always out at night looking into what sort of trouble they can get into It was just such a drastic change from the vibrant blues I am used to. My first Krusy never changed colors at all but he was about an in or so bigger than these guys when I got him. Thanks for all the links black_sun, wondered where you were hiding. & pixl8r impressive cray!

Anyway I feed Ken's foods - color enhancing pellets and invert sticks with calcium. There are live foods in the tank as well but I don't think they are old enough to know what to do with them yet. As for the live plants I don't mind if they shred them, I toss clippings in there for them to destroy if they choose. They like to "doze" through them

 

[black_sun]

As for the live plants I don't mind if they shred them, I toss clippings in there for them to destroy if they choose. They like to "doze" through them

You'll see them go after those when they get older. When they are younger it's still harder for them to break down plant matter and easier for them to break down protein matter. So, they'll be more inclined to eat prepared foods and meats over plants, for the most part at least (they'll still try to eat plants here and there). But as they get older you'll see them tear through plants, literally. A lot of times they'll destroy the plant and not eat it right away, they wait for it to start to decay and then eat it (ah, I forgot which it is... bacteria, microorganisms, etc. But stuff starts growing on the plants as they decay and the crays get an extra bonus from eating them, apparently they know this too lol).

Thanks for all the links black_sun, wondered where you were hiding.

Not hiding! Just tired... I started a new job last week... I've gone from P/T to F/T already... so... tired... so... zzzZzzZzzz

lol, keep an eye on your crays and your tank. But it sounds like they're doing alright. ^_^

 

[bettabrat]

You'll see them go after those when they get older. When they are younger it's still harder for them to break down plant matter and easier for them to break down protein matter. So, they'll be more inclined to eat prepared foods and meats over plants, for the most part at least (they'll still try to eat plants here and there). But as they get older you'll see them tear through plants, literally. A lot of times they'll destroy the plant and not eat it right away, they wait for it to start to decay and then eat it (ah, I forgot which it is... bacteria, microorganisms, etc. But stuff starts growing on the plants as they decay and the crays get an extra bonus from eating them, apparently they know this too lol).

Not hiding! Just tired... I started a new job last week... I've gone from P/T to F/T already... so... tired... so... zzzZzzZzzz

lol, keep an eye on your crays and your tank. But it sounds like they're doing alright. ^_^

OK so decaying plant matter = good thing for crays? I didn't know that! Man I love you guys :thm:

Hope you enjoy the new job!

You know seeing how large these guys get...Do you think a 75 gallon would be a good fit for a forever home as they start to grow up? I can't think of what else to use the 75g for. It's really nice thick glass. I'm thinking it might be perfect. Plus I have loads of lava rock my DH broke up to make perfect caves for them. And I have plenty of sand, they seem to like digging until they hit gravel. That and since I have 2 I figure less fights as they age.

Anyway I am keeping a close eye on them, you should have seen me nearly have a heart attack as I watched the one shed last night. OMG that looks like a horrible experience.

 

[black_sun]

OK so decaying plant matter = good thing for crays? I didn't know that! Man I love you guys :thm:

For the ones that enjoy plant matter (which includes the Red Claws). It just fouls up the water if you put it in the tank with a species that prefers meat matter. But yea, that was my lesson from a Red Claw breeder (commercial/large scale)... they like to mow down the plants and eat them later when there's extra goodies growing on them.

You know seeing how large these guys get...Do you think a 75 gallon would be a good fit for a forever home as they start to grow up?

It'd be a great home for them. They'd have lots of space, more than most people give them. They'd do great with it. ^_^

Anyway I am keeping a close eye on them, you should have seen me nearly have a heart attack as I watched the one shed last night. OMG that looks like a horrible experience.

I love watching them molt! It's so weird... I can't imagine if we had to grow like that... it's like, hmm let me just take this whole layer of skin off at once! :eek3: