Saturday, May 22, 2010

my little brother just got a crayfish and i have a few questions about them.?

ok.i think its a male. first question

1. what do they eat?

2. are they a part of the lobster family?, direct descendents. cuz they look so much alike.

3. how big do they get?

4. what kind of enviroment should they be in?

5. fish bowl, little critter cage or jar.or whatever?

6. can they live outside of water?

7. if its not a guy, can we tell if it lays eggs and if it does,do they have eggs quick and frequently?

8. how often should the water be changed?

9. can we touch it?

10. how long will they live?

u dont have to answer every 1 of the questions but a few would help, tell what ya know.

thx鈽?!-- Question-to-best answer
Answers:
lobster family for fresh water, they will pinch you if not careful, eat most anything like little dead fish, raw bacon, set the home up like for a turttle wher they can get out of the water when they want, can get up to 8", lenghth of life vearys.
Cray fish need a tank with a filter and places to hide. They are bottom feeders and most pet stores sell food that falls to the bottom of the tank. They don't grow more than about 6 inches long. Be careful putting other fish in the water with them, they might catch one for lunch, usually surface dwelling fish do best with them. I am not sure about the eggs or life span of a cray fish and yes they are related to the lobster family. You can touch it but be careful and don't leave it out of the water for to long. I hope I have answered most of your questions.

Good Luck

P.S. I had two crayfish in my fish tank that lived for nearly a year, but I went out and got two African Cichlids that ate them! I didn't know any better at the time! So be careful with what kind of fish you choose to go with them!
1. what do they eat?
They're omnivorous. They will eat your aquarium plants and fish food. They're especially fond of the fish food called "shrimp pellets."
2. are they a part of the lobster family?, direct descendents.
They're decapod crustaceans, just like lobsters. It's possible that lobsters are descended from crayfish! We don't know.
3. how big do they get?
Depends on the species. There are some that are adult at 2" and some at 10". The kind that I had, Louisiana crawdad, got to be about 6".
4. what kind of enviroment should they be in?
Freshwater aquarium, with undergravel filter and plastic plants (they'd eat real ones). You'll need a good hiding place for each crayfish in the tank. This can be a nook between the plants, or a "cave" made by rocks, or even a 6" length of PVC pipe.
6. can they live outside of water?
Not very long. A couple of hours, maybe.
7. if its not a guy, can we tell if it lays eggs and if it does,do they have eggs quick and frequently?
Yes. They attach eggs to their swimmerets (the feathery things under the tail). Mine laid 50 eggs about twice a year, and each time, 35 hatched. Bear in mind, a female will probably not lay eggs unless she's recently mated with a male.
8. how often should the water be changed?
*sigh* not recommended! Better to get an aquarium with a filter. But. whenever there's too much crud in the water. If you're not using an aquarium with a filter, keep the crayfish in water shallow enough so that it can get up to the air to "breathe." They only "breathe" air if the water they're in is polluted or acidic.
9. can we touch it?
Yes. For some species, that wouldn't be recommended, as some species can deliver a mighty painful pinch. Also, be careful handling your pet right after a molt, because it will be delicate then.
10. how long will they live?
Hard to say. The ones I had lived two years, but didn't die of old age. They died of a snapping turtle climbing into their tank :(

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