How fast do marbled crayfish grow

Being efficient creatures, they will eat their discarded exoskeleton. There are now videos online showing the various stages of a marbled crayfish being berried see the Resources section at the end of this article.

An Internet search on the marbled crayfish will turn up a number of articles from the British press that feature frantic horror stories about this animal taking over ecosystems in Europe. While the marbled crayfish was discovered in Germany, it is considered an American animal. Hysterical, sensational hype found in British articles—in scientific journals and the tabloid press—also claim that this species carries a virus or fungal plague that can kill crayfish species exclusive to European rivers and lakes.

However, biologists in the United States tend to downplay these stories, as no outbreak has actually been recorded in Europe or elsewhere. To date, marbled crayfish are legal to keep in the U.

The diet of the marbled crayfish is mainly vegetarian, and it will eat most live plants found in aquariums, particularly Anacharis and Cabomba.

It is my experience that marbled crayfish will not chase and eat aquarium fishes, unlike other crayfish species. They will, however, eat bloodworms and very finely chopped pieces of calf liver when mixed in with a vegetarian diet. Marmorkrebs also enjoy eating aquarium snails of all sizes and are very good to use for wiping out snail populations in overrun tanks. Interestingly, it is also possible to modify the color of this crayfish species with their diet.

For example, feeding green-colored algae tablets over time will cause the entire animal to take on green colors. Likewise, feeding foods rich in the pigment astaxanthin,which is found in red algae such as Haematococcus pluvialis, will cause the crayfish to turn cherry red. Like any crayfish, they tend to be messy, and their water will eventually reflect the color of their diet if not properly filtered. Having tried a number of filtering setups, I have settled on a dual system—running an undergravel filter with a powerhead through a fine or sandy substrate, plus an external filter.

The intake of any external filter should be covered with a sponge or filter media bag to prevent newborn crayfish from being sucked into the filter. This also creates a feeding station for the smaller crayfish. Since the marbled crayfish is quite prolific, the size of the aquarium it lives in can be a concern for hobbyists interested in keeping it.

Like other crayfish, the marbled crayfish likes to hide, a trait that allows keeping large numbers in relatively small places. PVC tubes, stacked in pyramids or other configurations, invite the crayfish to hide, feel safe, and develop eggs within. The addition of the PVC tubes effectively increases the livable area of their aquarium. This is a very good crayfish for a community tank, and they are also hardy, making them suitable for beginners to aquarium keeping. Most other species of crayfish will eat the fishes in an aquarium, but not the marbled crayfish, based on my experience.

The marbled crayfish seems at home with most livebearers and tetras, as well as with most freshwater aquarium Caridina shrimp. They will eat pretty much anything you toss in their tank and might also start nibbling on aquarium plants if not enough food is provided. Feed your marmorkrebs a varied diet to keep them happy and healthy. Algae pellets , tropical fish flakes, blanched veggies, thawed frozen foods - anything you can think of probably works! Breeding marmorkrebs is not a difficult task at all.

If you're a beginner and would like to get into breeding crays, this might be a good species to start with. Some aquarists might also like to breed marmorkrebs as live food. They make an especially great food for puffer fish, which naturally feed on crustaceans. Honestly, there is not much you need to do to get your marmorkrebs to multiply.

You only need one adult crayfish, although more obviously makes for a faster process. Supply plenty of hiding places the more, the better. Keep the water quality high and feed a varied diet to make sure the crays stay healthy. They should start becoming berried soon. Although most crayfish are known to eat their young, most marmorkrebs breeders report no such thing happening with this species. If you want to be absolutely sure you can separate mother and fry after the eggs hatch.

Since their discovery in the 's, marmorkrebs have become increasingly popular in the aquarium hobby. Although not all pet- and aquarium stores carry them, it shouldn't be too difficult to find one. The Shrimp Farm also sells marmorkrebs with live arrival guarantee!

This entry was posted in Caresheets , Freshwater Crayfish and tagged aquarium crayfish , marbled crayfish , self cloning crayfish , marmorkrebs on October 11, by Mari.

This is an informative article, but with one serious oversight. Since Marmorkrebs are illegal to possess in several states, you should have included this information with a list of those states. I think they're awesome, but they are considered an invasive species in many places.

Have ideas on how we can improve our website or order process for our customers? Please contact us. Washington St. Suite A 2 Bloomington, IL Shopping Cart 0 item added. Scientific name : Procambarus fallax f.

Choose a Variant: 1 Marbled Crayfish. The variants we're currently offering are:. Beautiful and variable coloration that makes for a wonderful centerpiece to the aquarium Much more active than many crayfish species Extremely hardy and adaptable Excellent scavenger.

Diet : Omnivorous. High-quality sinking pellets, plants, and freeze-dried or frozen meaty foods will be readily accepted. Cuttlebone should be added to the aquarium to supplement calcium, which will aid in exoskeleton production. Crayfish will typically eat whatever they can catch, but since they are slow-moving, they are not often able to harm fast-moving fish. Origin : Tank-raised, but indigenous to Southeastern United States Average adult size : 4 - 5 inches 10 - While dwarf shrimp can be kept successfully with these crayfish, caution should be exercised, as the crayfish have been known to catch and eat slow, sick, or particularly small shrimp.

Cichlids can be aggressive toward crayfish and should not be kept in the same tank. Bottom-dwelling tankmates should definitely be avoided.