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Swamp dwarf crayfish

Cambarellus puer

Also known as Striped dwarf crayfish, Mini lobster

FreshwaterCrayfish

Swamp dwarf crayfish (Cambarellus puer)
(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
1.2 in
3 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
Common
Family
Cambaridae
Origin
Mississippi valley swamps, southern United States

Overview

The swamp dwarf crayfish is a nano crayfish for the bottom of a planted tank. It is easy to keep.

Did you know

The swamp dwarf crayfish's species name, puer, means boy in Latin. The name is a describer's joke about a crayfish that never grows up.

Caring for the swamp dwarf crayfish

Swamp dwarf crayfish are solitary by nature, but a colony will share a planted tank of 5 gal (20 L) or more. Give them leaf litter and small caves for cover.

It needs no heater in a normal room. Keep it at 64 to 79°F (18 to 26°C) with a pH of 6.5 to 8.0, and enough hardness to build a shell. Molting is when it grows and when it is most vulnerable. A crayfish that has vanished for a few days is usually hiding under cover with a soft shell.

Feed sinking pellets, blanched vegetables and occasional frozen food. It holds its own beside shrimp and small fish without hunting them. Keep it away from slow, long-finned fish, which are the one thing it will pester.

It breeds without help. Females carry eggs and then miniature crayfish under the abdomen.

Good to know

The swamp dwarf crayfish, Cambarellus puer, is a dwarf crayfish in the family Cambaridae. It carries dark lateral striping along the body.

In the wild

The swamp dwarf crayfish lives in the swamps and backwaters of the Mississippi valley in the southern United States. Its home water is warm, still and heavily vegetated.

Common questions

What size tank does a swamp dwarf crayfish need?

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

What temperature and pH does a swamp dwarf crayfish need?

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

What does a swamp dwarf crayfish eat?

A swamp dwarf crayfish eats sinking pellets, blanched vegetables and occasional frozen food.

How big does a swamp dwarf crayfish get?

An adult swamp dwarf crayfish reaches about 1.2 in (3 cm).

How does a swamp dwarf crayfish breed?

Swamp dwarf crayfish breed without help. The female carries her eggs and then miniature crayfish under her abdomen.

Related species