Blue Kong zebra crayfish
Cherax alyciae
Also known as Alycia's crayfish, Blue Kong crayfish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 72–82°F (22–28°C)
- pH
- 7.0–8.0
- Adult size
- 4.7 in (12 cm)
- Minimum tank
- 20 gal (75 L)
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Tankmates
- Tankmates with caution
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Rare
- Origin
- Vogelkop Peninsula streams, West Papua, Indonesia
- Family
- Parastacidae
Overview
Keep this blue and cream crayfish on its own unless the tank is very large, since two will fight over territory and a molting animal is easily killed. It works the bottom of the tank and will take any slow tankmate it can catch, so house it alone or only with quick, upper level fish. Give it a soft bottom, a spread of caves, pipes, and rockwork to break up sight lines, and a firmly closed lid to stop it climbing out. Feed sinking pellets, algae wafers, and blanched vegetables, with an occasional meaty item. Around 75 liters gives a single adult enough floor space.
In the wild
The blue Kong crayfish comes from clear rainforest streams on the Vogelkop peninsula of West Papua, warm tropical water over sand, stone, and leaf litter. Hard water on the alkaline side, roughly pH 7.0 to 8.0, and a warm 22 to 28 C keep it healthy. Caves, smooth stones, and driftwood give it the shelter it needs, and steady filtration keeps the warm water clean and well oxygenated.
Good to know
A Parastacidae crayfish reaching about 12 cm, this species was described only in 2018. Its claws are tipped in blue over an orange and cream body. It is a moderate breeder: the female broods her eggs and then carries miniature, fully formed young under her tail until they are ready to leave, with no larval stage.
Did you know
It is sold under trade names like Blue Kong and Black Kong that suggest different animals, but these are color forms of one species, which was only told apart from the zebra crayfish and described in 2018.
Common questions
What size tank does a Blue Kong zebra crayfish need?
A Blue Kong zebra crayfish needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH do Blue Kong zebra crayfish need?
Blue Kong zebra crayfish are comfortable at 72–82°F (22–28°C) with a pH of 7.0–8.0.
How big do Blue Kong zebra crayfish get?
An adult Blue Kong zebra crayfish reaches about 4.7 in (12 cm).
Where to buy
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