Unidentified Crayfish care.

pixl8r said:
Sounguru,
It is possible that powellmacaque has a P. clarkii. I based my identification on the second picture. The second reference picture that was posted, I would say definitively is an alleni. This is based on the exoskeleton plate lines on the back of the thorax. The P. clarkii has two side plates that touch at the top of the thorax (technically the head, but often called the back). The P. alleni has a narrow gap because the plates never touch.

Here's a link to a picture that clearly illustrates what I'm talking about. The link is to a thread at the bluecrayfish.com forum.

powellmacaque,
In either case, the temperament of P. alleni and P. clarkii is the same.

Good luck
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I have never heard of alleni being used as as feeders but clarkii I know is common and we would get in shipments quite often from Florida of feeder golds, shrimp, and reds that would have crays and they have always been clarkii. From my information the ponds they use for raising/holding the feeders are riddled with clarkii.

I'm not saying it isn't a alleni but my bet lies strongly in the clarkii camp and only the OP with a better pic or visual will be able to answer....:read: .... here is why if you look at this thread you can see that there are strains of clarkii that they do not touch or are more open as you stated..

(Yes Yes I did just confuse and muddy the waters even more...:-)

In my experience the clarkii is a lot more destructive to the tank surroundings than the alleni which I have had both over the years. Also my allenii didn't take as many attempts at a walkabout did as my clarkii's...

No matter which one the OP has the requirements are the same as stated... I kept mine in a 55 gallon and they seemed to love the room and decor that they could climb over under and thru..

off topic...
All this talk makes me really miss my little clawed buddies I need to get another or several crays... anyone want to get me the ones I want?
 
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powellmacaque said:
Just so you guys know, the second pic I posted was from LiveAquaria and wasn't my cray. I'll try to post a better picture in a little while.
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I know it was that is why ID is still up in the air... :)
 
powellmacaque said:
Just so you guys know, the second pic I posted was from LiveAquaria and wasn't my cray. I'll try to post a better picture in a little while.
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The watermark kind of gave it away ;)

Sorry, I don't want to hijack your thread, so this will be my last tangent.

Sounguru,
I also used to breed P. alleni (blue and white), and C. quadricarinatus (red claw). I first became interested in crayfish when I was a child, catching them in streams in Southern California. I've kept P. clarkii as well as a few Cambarellus species. But about 15 years ago I got interested in Macrobrachium shrimp. I find them fascinating due to their hierarchical social structure. Since then, I've only kept the odd single cray.
 
pixl8r said:
The watermark kind of gave it away ;)

Sorry, I don't want to hijack your thread, so this will be my last tangent.

Sounguru,
I also used to breed P. alleni (blue and white), and C. quadricarinatus (red claw). I first became interested in crayfish when I was a child, catching them in streams in Southern California. I've kept P. clarkii as well as a few Cambarellus species. But about 15 years ago I got interested in Macrobrachium shrimp. I find them fascinating due to their hierarchical social structure. Since then, I've only kept the odd single cray.
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I too used to breed crays and it is like keeping goldfish everyone has their own opinions ... if it turns out to be an alleni I will send you a virtual cookie ... :evil_lol:

So back on topic get us a picture top down if possible so we can see who gets the cookie....
 
It's possible to pick up any crayfish safely. With a small one like yours, you need to be careful not to hurt it. Pin it down, and grasp it with just behind the claws. Nets can be problematic with crayfish. They're proficient climbers and have very powerful tails.

The best pictures are taken with the crayfish in just enough water to cover it. That will keep it relatively calm. I used a large glass bowl to take top pictures. For quick and easy bottom pictures, it's best to have a helper. You hold the crayfish like I said, but with your other hand pinch the end of the tail to keep it from jerking while the helper takes the picture. Then you'll be able to sex your cray, and possibly help determine species.
 
pixl8r said:
It's possible to pick up any crayfish safely. With a small one like yours, you need to be careful not to hurt it. Pin it down, and grasp it with just behind the claws. Nets can be problematic with crayfish. They're proficient climbers and have very powerful tails.

The best pictures are taken with the crayfish in just enough water to cover it. That will keep it relatively calm. I used a large glass bowl to take top pictures. For quick and easy bottom pictures, it's best to have a helper. You hold the crayfish like I said, but with your other hand pinch the end of the tail to keep it from jerking while the helper takes the picture. Then you'll be able to sex your cray, and possibly help determine species.
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That is a lot better than the way I used to do it. I would put it on my wife's shoulder and when she screamed and Whacked it across the room I tried to get pictures of it's underside while in flight... Never worked too well but was a blast to try.
 
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