Red Claw Crayfish

By: Evan G.
 
Common Name: Red Claw Crayfish
 
Latin Name : Cherax quadricarinatus
 
Origin: Australia
 
Temperature: 70-78°F (21-26°C)
 
Ease Of Keeping: Medium due to large size and escape efforts
 
Aggressivness: Males extremly aggressive, females mildly agressive
 
Lighting: Dim lighting if any
 
Adult Size: 12 in. (30cm) maybe bigger depending on tempature and diet
 
Minimum Tank Size: 55 gal. at adult size. I house mine in 20 gal. till about 8 in.
 
Feeding: Shimp pellets. No raw shrimp. Algae wafer plants snails fish.
 
Spawning Method: Egg-layers. After the females mate they wait anywhere from 1-3 months before eggs move to their "swimmeretts" under they're tails.
 
Comments: This crayfish is a true joy (as much as a crayfish can be). This species is a dark vibrant blue. The males in this species have a large bright red patch on his claws that makes him look stunning. This species gets quite large at about a foot. They need at least a 55 gallon tank once they reach adulthood. This may take years to reach. I've had both males and females. The males are extremly aggressive. My male when I brought him home I put him in a tank with a female and I walked in a week later and found him ripping her limb for limb. These crays are solitary animals. They can't be kept with any other live creatures including plants. They are excellent escape artists. My male just last week got out twice in two days and I had to resort to duct taping the entire top of the tank. All in all these are an interesting but large crayfish to have.