Wild Crayfish
- Thread starter Reframer
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Sounguru
Guru at being an expert
Do not try it you will need a chiller on the tank to keep the water cold enough. Most of the species will need cooler water to survive since they are adapted to it. There are 6 species in your area here is a list. Crayfish of Minnesota
You will also need to check your local fish and game to see what the laws are about crayfish hunting. This is the only one that really shows and color. Cambarus (Lacunicambarus) diogenes Girard, 1852 it is commonly called the Devil Cray and would not do well in a tank. It has earned it's name and is also a burrowing cray so needs time out of water in a burrow to really do well.
You will also need to check your local fish and game to see what the laws are about crayfish hunting. This is the only one that really shows and color. Cambarus (Lacunicambarus) diogenes Girard, 1852 it is commonly called the Devil Cray and would not do well in a tank. It has earned it's name and is also a burrowing cray so needs time out of water in a burrow to really do well.
Of the known species for your state:
Cambarus diogenes - You're not likely to find this one. It's a burrowing crayfish, so you'd have to be flooding or digging out it's burrows (they look like big ant hills/chimneys). It's also hard to keep in an aquarium because it's required environment is hard to replicate, not that you couldn't keep it, it just wouldn't be very happy in the long run.
Orconectes immunis - A very cool crayfish to keep, they have a broad range of patterning and coloration depending on the area and state in which you find them. You will have to keep your tank a bit cooler than normal, low 70/high 60s for this species. And it will NOT breed in captivity unless you invest in a chiller, it requires the temperature change of (fall - winter, winter - spring) to induce berrying in the females.
Orconectes propinquus - Never kept this species, personally. I understand from a few other keepers that it's requirements aren't that demanding. Similar to the above description.
Orconectes rusticus - A large, angry crayfish. Capable of surviving throughout the US, in a variety of temperatures and conditions (this is why it's highly invasive and illegal to sale or trade in most areas). Breeds readily in captivity. Very impressive looking crayfish as an adult.
Orconectes virilis - One of my favorites to catch. Reaches a large size as an adult with pretty fearsome looking claws. It can have a variety of patterns or colors depending on the location you're obtaining it from. It can handle cold to warm water tanks, but it will NOT breed in captivity. This one also requires a chiller to induce the berrying in the females.
Procambarus acutus acutus - One of the most commonly seen feeder crayfish you'll find for sale in most LFS and bait shops in the US. Very hardy, and can handle most conditions and temperatures. It'll breed well in captivity, and looks pretty impressive as a young cray (adults tend to lose their patterning and dull out in coloration, though).
How are you planning on QTing your crayfish and for how long? You can't really add a lot to their tanks, most meds have things in them that are dangerous to crayfish. You can salt bathe them, though, that gets rid of a lot of parasites and what not.
Cambarus diogenes - You're not likely to find this one. It's a burrowing crayfish, so you'd have to be flooding or digging out it's burrows (they look like big ant hills/chimneys). It's also hard to keep in an aquarium because it's required environment is hard to replicate, not that you couldn't keep it, it just wouldn't be very happy in the long run.
Orconectes immunis - A very cool crayfish to keep, they have a broad range of patterning and coloration depending on the area and state in which you find them. You will have to keep your tank a bit cooler than normal, low 70/high 60s for this species. And it will NOT breed in captivity unless you invest in a chiller, it requires the temperature change of (fall - winter, winter - spring) to induce berrying in the females.
Orconectes propinquus - Never kept this species, personally. I understand from a few other keepers that it's requirements aren't that demanding. Similar to the above description.
Orconectes rusticus - A large, angry crayfish. Capable of surviving throughout the US, in a variety of temperatures and conditions (this is why it's highly invasive and illegal to sale or trade in most areas). Breeds readily in captivity. Very impressive looking crayfish as an adult.
Orconectes virilis - One of my favorites to catch. Reaches a large size as an adult with pretty fearsome looking claws. It can have a variety of patterns or colors depending on the location you're obtaining it from. It can handle cold to warm water tanks, but it will NOT breed in captivity. This one also requires a chiller to induce the berrying in the females.
Procambarus acutus acutus - One of the most commonly seen feeder crayfish you'll find for sale in most LFS and bait shops in the US. Very hardy, and can handle most conditions and temperatures. It'll breed well in captivity, and looks pretty impressive as a young cray (adults tend to lose their patterning and dull out in coloration, though).
How are you planning on QTing your crayfish and for how long? You can't really add a lot to their tanks, most meds have things in them that are dangerous to crayfish. You can salt bathe them, though, that gets rid of a lot of parasites and what not.
Wow, thanks for the great info. I believe that I have rusty crayfish in my cabin's lake, but I'm not sure. I'll get some pics in a couple weeks and then share them so we can ID it right, and then I guess I'll decide from there whether it is feasible or not.
Guru, I did check the laws and they say it is ok to hunt up to 25 lbs of crayfish, as long as I don't transport them from lake to lake.
What kind of diet would it need?
Guru, I did check the laws and they say it is ok to hunt up to 25 lbs of crayfish, as long as I don't transport them from lake to lake.
What kind of diet would it need?
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Ooo, you're lucky. I can't hunt any crayfish (invasive or native) without buying my seasonal fishing license first ($25 or it's a $250-500 fine). And then I can only catch certain species without issue, if I catch any of the invasive species I'm supposed to turn them over for humane destruction, such a pain in the arse. I wish I had simple restrictions like yours, haha.
Anyway, Rusties are real neat crayfish. They'll eat just about anything you give them, very undemanding by comparison to some other species. They'll eat plants, plant matter, fish, invertebrates (not recommended for disease reasons), meat scraps, etc. The ones I used to keep were very partial to Hikari pellet products and plants like Hornwort, Java Fern, etc. They also liked to eat my cleaned fishing scraps (made clean up easy lol). But just give them a fair mix of plant & meat matter in some form, they're really not picky... honest, and make sure they still have a good source for calcium intake (Ken's Fish Food just created a new product for inverts with calcium supplements. I use crushed up eggshells and cuttle bones in my tanks, though).
I would be leary about bringing any wild aquatic animals to my tanks, never know what pollutants, parasites, and whatever else may be tagging along..