Aquarium crayfish appeared in the banks of aquarists not so long ago, quite recently they were not even considered as possible inhabitants of the aquarium. Perhaps in our time, aquarium has become more than a hobby, every person is trying to stand out, the various and rare species of inhabitants of the globe are settled in aquariums.
Yes, and the average size of aquariums over the past decades has increased dramatically, a large amount of equipment has emerged that is able to maintain favorable conditions for any species of living inhabitants.
The content of aquarium crayfish is very similar to their closest relatives – shrimps, in most cases all differences in content are related to size. Aquarium crayfish like hard and very clean water. The temperature content may vary 21-27 degrees, depending on the species. The pH of the water should be neutral or slightly shifted to the alkaline side; crayfish do not live in acidic water.
Due to the fact that the water must be clean, good aeration of the water and the installation of a high-quality filter are necessary, preferably with biofiltration.
The high hardness of the water for crayfish is due to the fact that their shell is largely composed of calcium. In the aquariums where only crayfish are kept you can place marble stones or limestone.
In the process of molting, the cancer discards the old shell and builds up a new one, the old one should not be removed from the aquarium, it contains substances that will help the cancer to quickly restore a new one.
Young crayfish shed their armor up to 8 times a year, large individuals 1-2 times a year. Molting cancer is necessary for growth, it drops the shell of a smaller size and builds up a larger one.
The process of dropping the shell in good conditions should last from several minutes to several hours. After the cancer has dropped the shell, it hides in the shelter until a new shell is hardened.
If you keep crayfish with fish, you should remember that in nature they sometimes go ashore, so in the general aquarium it is advisable to create a surface on which they can get out of the water, most often it may be a snag looking out of the water. Ideally, it is worth keeping the crayfish in the aquaterrarium, it is such an aquarium for the crayfish in which there are both the underwater part and the surface part, to which the crayfish can sometimes crawl out.
In the aquarium for crayfish should also be a large number of shelters. For aquarium crayfish shelters are vital because in the course of a tench the crayfish are defenseless without their shells and can become prey even to their relatives, not to mention the aggressive types of fish.
As shelter, you can use pieces of marble pots, shelters of stones, and more.
When keeping from crayfish with fish, fish population should be carefully selected. Veil fish with long fins are at risk of being left without them at night. Small fish that sleep in the lower layers of the water can be eaten by crayfish.
Somics in an aquarium with crayfish are also undesirable because they feed on the same territory and can become competitors. It is also not recommended to subdot large cichlids to these inhabitants, since here crayfish will suffer more, due to the fact that cichlids are quite aggressive fishes.
Buying at a pet store is best for young aquarium crayfish, they are better adapted to changing water parameters. Transport them one by one in a dark package, this will reduce stress, as they will think that they are in shelter.
All types of crayfish prefer to lead a twilight lifestyle, so during the daytime you will not often be able to admire them, unless of course you do not deprive them of shelter. But at nightfall the crabs begin to roam around the aquarium in search of food. In this regard, the crayfish will not be able to eat up the remains of food inherited from the fish, they must be fed separately.
At night, you can feed the crayfish with almost any food falling to the bottom: frozen bloodworm and tubule, feed in catfish pills will also be eaten perfectly. Sometimes it is worth throwing pieces of lean meat and scalded lettuce or cabbage into an aquarium. In the absence of plant feeding, crayfish can switch to live plants in your tank.
You can feed them infrequently, once every few days. During the molting period you can increase the frequency of feeding.
Young crayfish can be fed feed for fry.
Reproduction of aquarium crayfish usually occurs after molting, females release pheromones luring males into the water. Males begin to roam the aquarium in search of females.
Approximately 20 days after mating, the female lays its eggs. The calf is attached to its legs until the crustaceans hatch. To increase the number of live offspring, the female with caviar is better transplanted into a separate aquarium.
After the crustaceans hatch, they usually continue to hang on the female until the first molt. After the second molt of crustaceans, it is better for the female to return to the general aquarium. In an aquarium with fry of crayfish it is necessary to organize the same conditions as in the main, especially it concerns shelters.
Young crustaceans in the process of molting can also be attacked by their fellows.
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