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Maybe this is a well-known fact, but I just need to ask.

Can crayfish adapt to a brackish environment, or are they strictly freshwater? I know crabs like brackish too, but I just didn't know about crayfish...

Great! Thanks for the info! I have one more question though...

My friend just asked me about setting up his tank for a crayfish - only a crayfish. He doesn't want any fish at all. He curious about the necessity of a heater or a good filter. Do crayfish necessarily need to have water in the upper-70's? Or would room temperature water, such as 72F, be acceptable? Also, would a 3-stage filter be necessary, or could he get away with one of the basic 2-stages from walmart?

Thanks again!

More quotes for you here that should answer all your questions.

"Crayfish are one of the least demanding animals to care for. Compared to other aquatic or
semi-aquatic animals, they only require the simplest living conditions. No filters or air pumps are
needed. Of course, many people provide this equipment and if you are able to, all the better.
However, the bare minimum that a crayfish needs is a small body of fresh water and a rock or branch
where it can climb out of the water. Being able to climb out of the water is absolutely required if the
water is not aerated. They need lots of oxygen, which they can get from the air, and can drown if they
are not able to get out or if the water is not heavily aerated. A heater should not be used. Although
there are a few species that can tolerate warmer water, as a general rule most should be left at room
temperature."

"They are amazing escape artists and if the
container is not tall enough, they will probably need a vented lid to keep them contained. They are
capable of climbing air hoses or anything else that extends high enough for them to reach the top. The
water needs to be at least deep enough to completely submerge their body, but preferably deeper. If
no filtration is used, the water will have to be changed frequently."

"They will feel more secure if some type of cover is provided for them to
reside in. This can be a piece of PVC pipe that is cut in half longways or a large flat rock atop a few
inches of gravel so they can dig underneath it. The "true burrowing types" that reside in a tunnel most
of the time may appreciate having a section of pipe that is partialliy buried in the gravel. Having plenty
of hiding areas is especially important if attempting to keep more than one crayfish in a container."

There is lots more info at the site that this came from that should help him successfully keep a crayfish.

[link=http://www.coolcrayfish.com/crayfish_care.html]http://www.coolcrayfish.com/crayfish_care.html" style="COLOR: #FFFFFF[/link]

Good luck and enjoy!

Great! Thanks for the info! I have one more question though...

My friend just asked me about setting up his tank for a crayfish - only a crayfish. He doesn't want any fish at all. He curious about the necessity of a heater or a good filter. Do crayfish necessarily need to have water in the upper-70's? Or would room temperature water, such as 72F, be acceptable? Also, would a 3-stage filter be necessary, or could he get away with one of the basic 2-stages from walmart?

Thanks again!

It depends on what type of crayfish he is seeking to keep; most North American Procambarus species can be kept at room temperature [the "blue" morphotypes are somewhat less hardy], but some tropical and warm-temperate forms (as Australian yabbies) generally do best in an artificially heated setup. However, most all crayfish, regardless of geographical extraction, achieve optimal growth and vigor in warm water. Nonetheless, do note that heater-induced injuries (sometimes fatal) are not unheard of.

Crayfish do best with three-stage filtration; solely chemical and biological filters are of little worth - carbon/zeolite quickly loses effectiveness, and, without a permanent medium for nitrifying bacterial growth, one runs the risk of toxic parameter spikes (as well as associated "shell rot" and appendage loss). Unless one is willing to do frequent 100% water changes, I would suggest, at the least, a simple sponge or HOB filter (some crayfish might shred the former).

Last edited by Veneer at 05-Mar-2005 10:16

Last edited by Veneer at 05-Mar-2005 10:17

Wow, thanks a lot for the info everybody. That really helps. I had a cray, but I never studied into that much detail. He was my favorite tank addition by far. I'll be sure to make sure my friend takes care of everything for his future cray!

Also, what did you mean about heater-induced injuries? I've never read anything about this before. What can this involve? Thanks again.

Also, what did you mean about heater-induced injuries? I've never read anything about this before. What can this involve? Thanks again.

Some isolated reports claim that crayfish receive burns from direct contact with the heater (allegedly when immobilized during molting), but I wouldn't be overly concerned about this risk.

Is your friend's crayfish to be a North American species?

That's crazy about the heaters, but I'm sure it's happened or nobody would ever have reason to talk about it! Thanks for the warning though, if he or I get another crayfish, I'll be sure to mount the heater up a little bit higher, just in case.

My friends's just kinda tossing around the idea of getting a crayfish right now. He'd probably get it from a local store, so I'm not sure whether it would be North American. What other kinds are there?

He wants a crayfish cause it will be a little easier to take care of than a fish. I'm gonna help him with it, and I bet within a month he'll have some fish in there too...

Thanks again for all your help.