# My crayfish pictures



## Arachnopuppy (Apr 18, 2004)

I know that this probably belong in the other invert forum, but I never go there and as far as I know not many people go there either.  I'd prefer that the mods don't move this thread to there, but I suppose I can't really do anything if they decide to.

Anyhow, I am sick and tired of not being able to show off my tarantula pictures, since they are currently with Conipto and David.  However, I have started keeping crayfish as my invert pets.  Here are some show off pictures I have of them.  Not as good as tarantula pictures, but they will have to do for now.

Here is one munching on a live leech that I put in.  I feed them fruits, fishfood, ratfood, fish, leeches, and just about anything else I can find.








Here is the same one eating the same leech from a different angle.








A little one just hanging out.








3 hanging around together.  I have spent the last 3 months trying to seperate the agressive ones from the docile ones.  I gave all the aggressive ones to my parents and sister (about 20 to my parents and 10 to my sister) and kept all the docile ones to myself.  I think this is a very good idea because my parents have a 75 gallon tank and so does my sister.  More room means less fighting.  I can only have a 20 gallon tank here, so I don't want them to start killing and eating each other.  That's why I only kept the docile ones.







One of them recently molted.  Here is the exoskeleton.







Lastly, here are some small ones just hanging out.


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## Paladin (Apr 18, 2004)

crawfish...tarantulas.....crawfish...tarantulas...

i think ill stick to the tarantula thing for now.

actually, i have always wanted to set up some kinda of fresh water aquarium like that. a good friend of mine had a nice setup going but i lost contact with him. hey i have a spare 20 gal laying around collecting dust. why not?


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## sansoucie (Apr 18, 2004)

Pretty cool Lam. Unusual choice in "pet". Are they for  anything other than observa5tion? (school, etc)

I could'nt keep them as I would look at them as a snack


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## Paladin (Apr 18, 2004)

anybody got any recpies for lam to try on his pets? i mean for the rest of us?


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## MrDeranged (Apr 19, 2004)

Sorry Lam,

It's been moved.  Maybe if more people posted in here, more people would come in here.... 

Scott


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## edesign (Apr 23, 2004)

mmmm...crawfish  tasty lil buggers heheeh

i've never cooked em myself but down here most people soak them in a cooler or other large container (eating 5+ pounds is not a problem for most people...and crawfish boils often cater to 5-20+ people) so that they purge themselves of dirt. Eating gritty crawfish blows 

after that a large pot of boiling water is prepared using a propane burner...crawfish are dumped in live (i can't imagine they last long) and seasoned to taste. SOme like em spicy hot and salty, others prefer milder...throw in some potatos and onions and you have a feast!

or...just boil em up like you would shrimp, peel em, and make an etouffe or whatever sounds good at the moment.

I wouldn't eat one that was someone's pet though...kinda interesting to watch but the big ones can give a nasty pinch (payback is a b*tch ). never thought anyone would keep one as a pet, interesting lol. one man's food is another man's pet.


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## Zach33 (Apr 23, 2004)

I would think captive kept crayfish would get larger than wc.  Could be a feast in the making over in Lam's neck of the woods


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## AudreyElizabeth (Apr 26, 2004)

I've always had a pretty healthy interest in crustaceans myself, both for food and for pets. I have one bright blue crayfish that I purchased at the pet-store. Unfortunately, no pictures. 

Good pics Lam!


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## Wade (Apr 27, 2004)

Crayfish are actually quite responsive captives, moreso than most captive invertebrates. A friend of mine who works in a bug zoo (NC Natural History Museum) told me he can no longer eat shellfish after working with crabs and lobsters!

Wade


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## Darwinsdad (Apr 27, 2004)

Zach33 said:
			
		

> I would think captive kept crayfish would get larger than wc.  Could be a feast in the making over in Lam's neck of the woods


Most creatures of that type are very similar in thay they will most often grow to a size that fits thier space to live. Living near the Genesee River in Ny I used to spend all day grabbing those things from under rock(for fish bait not food) and routinly saw many in the 4 or 5 inch range and even a couple near 7 (we measured them) I doubt that any would grow nearly that large in captivity since they just dont have the room to grow.


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## Wade (Apr 27, 2004)

I've seen captive reared crayfish exceed 4-5" body length and more than 8" if you include the claws. Diet and temerature probably matter more than tank size.

Wade


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