In the wild, blue crayfish live in small, warm ponds located on the island of Cuba. Back in 1980, they were brought to the territory of our state. Since that time, they have gained extraordinary popularity with domestic aquarists. Animals are quite unpretentious and quite suitable for keeping at home. In this article, you will learn about the main features of these arthropods.
Appearance
Blue crayfish, photos of which can be seen below, have the typical body shape inherent in all animals of this species. The average length of an adult is from six to twelve centimeters, excluding claws.
Cuban crayfish move with the help of four pairs of legs located in the lower part of the cephalothorax. As organs of touch and smell, they use a fairly long mustache. The abdomen of the animal consists of five segments, the last of which smoothly passes into a fan-shaped caudal fin.
From the name itself it becomes clear that the Cuban blue crayfish have a non-standard color. Moreover, their color largely depends on nutrition and conditions of detention. So, you can often see individuals in blue or light yellow. All the fullness and brightness of the color appears after the cancer reaches two years of age.
Character traits and compatibility with other creatures
Peaceful blue crayfish in the aquarium get along well with other inhabitants. It is important that they do not experience hunger. A well-fed arthropod is unlikely to touch fish or plants.
The bulk of their lives, these animals are busy searching for food. They can swarm under the stones, leaves and roots of plants. Frightened crayfish can develop impressive speed.
In one aquarium, it is desirable to contain no more than one male. Otherwise, you will have to regularly observe fairly tough skirmishes, often ending in serious injuries. It is also undesirable for blue crayfish to live together with small, slow, bottom or predatory fish and with water turtles. If necessary, they can be added to catfish, cichlids, balantheocheylus or barbus.
Conditions of detention
Many people who are directly related to the aquarium, recommend keeping these arthropods in 100-liter containers. But there are also such specialists who are sure that it is possible to limit themselves to smaller volumes. In their opinion, fifty liters will be sufficient for two adults.
Since blue crayfish are not a good habit to run away, it is recommended to cover their aquarium. Water intended for keeping these animals must be clean and oxygenated. It is desirable that its temperature be in the range of 20-25 degrees. It is important to equip the home of arthropod pets with a good biofilter and aerator. The daylight hours in summer should be at least ten hours, in winter at least eight.
At the bottom of the aquarium, sand mixed with limestone or marble chips should be poured. If possible, hard-leaved plants should be bred there on which the cancer could hang. For these purposes, Thai fern or cryptocoryne Usteri is excellent. As shelters, it is desirable to establish driftwood, stones and other decor there.
What do aquarium crayfish eat?
These arthropods are unpretentious in everything related to food. It is known that Cuban crayfish do not disdain even slightly spoiled products. They are happy to eat live or dry food for bottom fish. Young individuals can be given chopped bloodworms and tubule. Separately , javanese moss, dwarf anubias and hornwort should be grown for them.
Adult crayfish need to be fed with a large bloodworm, earthworms, as well as small pieces of squid, fish or meat. It is important to provide the animal with a complete and balanced diet.
How do blue crabs molt?
Where these arthropods are found and what they eat , we have already figured out. Therefore, now we turn to the equally important issue of changing the chitinous cover. Moreover, young individuals molt more often than adults.
During this period, defenseless cancer has to get out of the cover burst across the back. The discarded carapace becomes completely transparent. In appearance, it resembles the cancer itself with claws and a mustache. Over the next three days, arthropod eats its chitinous cover.
The molting period is considered one of the most dangerous stages of the animal’s life. At this time, his integument did not have time to harden sufficiently to protect him from the attack of predators. Therefore, cancer often becomes easy prey for its enemies. In addition, the arthropod has nothing to grind food, as a result of which he walks hungry.
Experts recommend that the cancer be placed during a molt in a separate aquarium, which has good aeration and numerous shelters.
Blue crayfish: breeding
Individuals who have reached six months of age are considered to be mature. They are able to reproduce throughout the year. For one pair, a twenty-liter aquarium filled with water heated to 25 degrees is enough. Soil in this case is not needed.
The selected pair is placed in a separate container. The pairing process is quite lengthy. It usually takes at least an hour and a half. After this, the male is planted, and the female for three weeks should bear from thirty to three hundred eggs under the tail. During this period, she becomes very shy, so it is better not to disturb her. After a three-week period, offspring of ripened eggs are born. In appearance, small crustaceans are very reminiscent of adults, they even have transparent shells. After the second molt, they can be separated from the mother into a separate dwelling. Until this time, the younger generation will be next to the female and, in the event of a threat, hide under her tail.
The basis of the diet of growing crayfish should be dry rations for fry, chopped blue whiting fillet, small daphnia and cyclops.