TankBud

Cajun dwarf crayfish

Cambarellus shufeldtii

Also known as Shufeldt's dwarf crayfish, Mini lobster

FreshwaterCrayfish

Cajun dwarf crayfish (Cambarellus shufeldtii)
(c) Dan Johnson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by

Care at a glance

Temperature
64–79°F
18–26°C
pH
6.5–8.0
Adult size
1.6 in
4 cm
Minimum tank
5 gal
20 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Egg carrier · Easy
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cambaridae
Origin
Lower Mississippi valley and Gulf coastal plain

Overview

The Cajun dwarf crayfish is a tiny, busy crayfish for the bottom of a planted tank. It is easy to keep.

Did you know

The Cajun dwarf crayfish is so common in the ditches and roadside swamps of the Gulf south that most people walk right past it. Few notice that the little gray creature is a fully formed crayfish, barely longer than a thumbnail.

Caring for the Cajun dwarf crayfish

A small colony of Cajun dwarf crayfish does well in a densely planted tank of 5 gal (20 L) or more. Give them fine substrate, wood, leaf litter and many small caves. Each animal is essentially solitary, but several can share a tank as long as every one has its own hiding place.

It does not need a heater in a normal room and prefers cool to moderate water, at 64 to 79°F (18 to 26°C). Keep the water neutral to hard, at a pH of 6.5 to 8.0, with enough minerals to support molting.

Feed sinking pellets, wafers and frozen foods. It will scavenge for anything edible.

It stays active through the day, and unlike big crayfish it rarely harms plants or healthy fish. It may grab a very weak or newly molted tank mate, so keep it with small, quick fish rather than slow or delicate ones.

Breeding is easy, since the young develop directly with no free-swimming larval stage. The female carries her eggs and then her miniature young beneath her tail until they can fend for themselves.

Good to know

The Cajun dwarf crayfish, Cambarellus shufeldtii, is a North American dwarf crayfish in the family Cambaridae. It is one of the most widespread of the continent's dwarf crayfish. Its gray body is marked by dark blotches or broken stripes, and blue and other color forms appear in the hobby.

In the wild

The Cajun dwarf crayfish is native to the lower Mississippi valley and the Gulf coastal plain. It lives in sluggish bayous, ditches, swamps and weedy pond edges, where the water is often cool for part of the year.

Common questions

What size tank does a Cajun dwarf crayfish need?

A Cajun dwarf crayfish needs at least 5 gal (20 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Cajun dwarf crayfish need?

A Cajun dwarf crayfish is comfortable at 64–79°F (18–26°C) with a pH of 6.5–8.0.

What does a Cajun dwarf crayfish eat?

A Cajun dwarf crayfish eats sinking pellets, wafers and frozen foods. It also scavenges for anything edible.

How big does a Cajun dwarf crayfish get?

An adult Cajun dwarf crayfish reaches about 1.6 in (4 cm).

How does a Cajun dwarf crayfish breed?

Cajun dwarf crayfish are easy to breed, and the young skip any free-swimming larval stage. The female carries her eggs and then her miniature young under her tail until they can fend for themselves.

Related species