Photo: Tommy Kronkvist, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Mexican dwarf orange crayfish (CPO)
Cambarellus patzcuarensis
4 cm
Adult size
30 L
Minimum volume
2
Minimum group
2 years
Lifespan
Size: body length.
Water parameters
Understand these valuesHardness (GH): not given by the sources
Carbonate hardness (KH): not given by the sources
- Genus
- Cambarellus
- Diet
- omnivore
- Social life
- colony
- Activity
- diurnal
- Adult habitat
- fresh water
- Breeding
- in fresh water
In the wild
Overview
Native to the shallow shores of Lake Pátzcuaro in Mexico, this small crayfish comes in brown or orange coats. The orange line is known as CPO; this trade colour does not refer to another species.
- Scientific name
- Cambarellus patzcuarensis Villalobos, 1943
- Classification
- Decapoda › Cambaridae
- IUCN Red List
- Endangered (EN)
Natural habitat
Mexico (Michoacán): Lake Pátzcuaro, in the Río Grande de Santiago basin
Observations (GBIF) and localities Native countries Rivers and lakes
It lives in shallow water along the lake shore, in calm or still water that is alkaline (pH 7.5 to 8.9) with variable temperatures (15 to 30 °C). Listed as endangered by the IUCN since 2010, it suffers from water abstraction and pollution across a very small range.
Behaviour
It lives in large groups scattered through the vegetation and is active by day. Like other crayfish it defends a small territory, but it is rather peaceful towards its own kind.
In the aquarium
Care and setup
Heavily planted decor with leaves and plenty of shelters makes care easier. Keep separate refuges for moulting and watch the interactions, even though this crayfish is usually easier to keep with others than the large species.
Feeding
It accepts foods made for crayfish.
Breeding
It can breed in fresh water. The young hatch fully formed and shelter among plants and leaf litter.
Sources:Fishipedia GBIF · Base map: Natural Earth