Louisiana crayfish

Procambarus clarkii

Also known as Red swamp crayfish, Blue dragon crayfish, Crawfish

FreshwaterCrayfish

Louisiana crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) — (c) Céline, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by

Care at a glance

Temperature: 59–82°F (15–28°C)
pH: 6.5–8.5
Adult size: 5.9 in (15 cm)
Minimum tank: 20 gal (75 L)
Temperament: Aggressive
Social behavior: Solitary
Tankmates: Tankmates with caution
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Easy
Rarity: Very common
Origin: Gulf coastal plain, United States; invasive worldwide
Family: Cambaridae

Overview

The Louisiana crayfish is a tough, aggressive crayfish that is happiest on its own, since it will fight other crayfish and eat plants, snails, and any fish slow enough to catch. Keep one per tank of around 75 liters or more, with a firmly weighted lid and no gaps, because it climbs, escapes, and can travel over damp ground. It spends its time on the bottom, digging, rearranging decor, and foraging for whatever it can find. Provide caves and sturdy hiding spots for molting, and expect soft plants to be shredded. It is not fussy about food and will take sinking pellets, vegetables, and meaty items. This is a hardy pet, but a serious one, and it must never be released into the wild.

In the wild

In its native range on the Gulf coastal plain of the United States it lives in almost any warm, still or slow water, from swamps and rice fields to ditches and ponds, and it burrows into banks when conditions turn against it. It tolerates a very wide range, from cool water near 15 C up to about 28 C, and a neutral to hard pH from roughly 6.5 to 8.5. In the tank it needs a solid lid, a sandy or fine gravel floor it can dig, and rock or wood caves. Its toughness is exactly why escaped and released animals have become invasive on several continents.

Good to know

Procambarus clarkii, the red swamp crayfish, is a cambarid that grows to around 15 centimeters and is the most farmed and most widely introduced crayfish in the world. It matures fast, breeds readily, and produces large broods, with the female carrying eggs and young under her tail, which makes breeding easy and helps explain its success as an invader. Selectively bred aquarium lines include blue, white, and ghost color forms, though the wild animal is a dark brick red.

Did you know

Bred for the dinner table and shipped around the globe, this crayfish has escaped across Europe, Africa, and Asia, where it is now one of the most damaging invasive animals in fresh water. Keeping one is fine; releasing one is not.