Photo: Emőke Dénes, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Florida blue crayfish
Procambarus alleni
10 cm
Adult size
120 L
Minimum volume
1
Minimum group
—
Lifespan
Size: body length.
Water parameters
Understand these valuesHardness (GH): not given by the sources
Carbonate hardness (KH): not given by the sources
- Genus
- Procambarus
- Diet
- omnivore
- Social life
- small group
- Activity
- nocturnal
- Adult habitat
- fresh water
- Breeding
- in fresh water
In the wild
Overview
The Florida blue crayfish owes its very bright coat to a selected form: wild populations are rather brownish. Males are larger with narrower claws, while females are stockier.
- Scientific name
- Procambarus alleni (Faxon, 1884)
- Classification
- Decapoda › Cambaridae
- IUCN Red List
- Least concern (LC)
Natural habitat
United States: Florida
Observations (GBIF) and localities Native countries Rivers and lakes
It lives in water of 18 to 30 °C, slightly alkaline (pH 7.5 to 8), over sand and humus. Wild populations are rather brown: the bright blue coat is a selected form.
Behaviour
Nocturnal, it lives in small groups on the bottom and is rather calm, but tolerates no intrusion into its territory and can fight its territorial neighbours fiercely.
In the aquarium
Care and setup
Prefer a species aquarium with caves and separate refuges. It may attack fish and crustaceans and damage plants. Keeping adults together remains risky, especially males.
Feeding
The source describes it as omnivorous; give varied food on the bottom.
Breeding
It breeds in fresh water. Cannibalism means a great many shelters are needed to have any hope of keeping the young.
Sources:Fishipedia GBIF · Base map: Natural Earth