Care Guide
Dwarf Crayfish Care
Everything you need to keep Cambarellus dwarf crayfish healthy. Hardy invertebrates, easy to care for.
Water Parameters
72 to 82 F
Room temperature to slightly warm. No heater usually needed unless your room drops below 70 F.
6.6 to 7.4
Neutral to slightly acidic. Most tap water works. Stability matters more than hitting an exact number.
50 to 300 ppm
Moderate to hard. Calcium is important for exoskeleton development and successful molts.
40 to 120 ppm
Provides pH buffering. Adequate KH prevents dangerous pH swings.
0 ppm
Must be zero. A fully cycled aquarium is essential before adding crayfish.
< 20 ppm
Keep low through regular water changes.
Tank Requirements
Tank Size
Minimum 5 gallons for a pair. 10 gallons for a colony. Larger tanks provide more stable water and more territory.
Substrate
Fine gravel or sand. Dark substrates bring out the best coloration. Avoid large gravel that traps waste.
Filtration
Sponge filter is ideal. If using a hang-on-back, cover the intake with a pre-filter sponge to protect babies.
Plants and Decor
Java moss, Java fern, Anubias, and floating plants. Add driftwood, rocks, and small caves or PVC pipe for hiding.
PVC pipe sections make excellent hides
What They Need
After molting their shells are soft and they need somewhere to go. Caves, tunnels, and plants will make them feel comfortable.
Dwarf crayfish stay at the bottom 99% of the time. Floor space matters more than tank height.
Like Neocaridina shrimp, they eat dying and dead animals and plant matter. They clean up after themselves.
They enjoy staying in the shade. Floating plants and overhangs help.
Dwarf crays explore the bottom. Having circulation moving things around keeps everybody happy.
Diet
Dwarf crayfish are true omnivores. In the wild, they feed on biofilm, algae, detritus, and small invertebrates. In the aquarium, they accept a wide variety of foods.
Recommended foods
- Sinking pellets or wafers (shrimp/crayfish specific)
- Blanched vegetables (zucchini, spinach, cucumber)
- Algae wafers
- Frozen or freeze-dried bloodworms (occasional)
- Indian almond leaves
- Calcium rich foods (cuttlebone)
Feeding tips
Frequency
Small amounts every 1 to 2 days. Remove uneaten food after a few hours.
Variety
Rotate food types for better coloration and health.
Calcium
Critical for exoskeleton. Supplement with cuttlebone or crushed coral.
Molting
They eat their shed exoskeleton. Do not remove it.
Tank Mates
Compatible
Endlers, ember tetras, chili rasboras
Neocaridina, Amano
Nerite, mystery, ramshorn
Same species, with adequate hides
Avoid
Cichlids, large barbs, bettas
Procambarus, Cherax
Loaches, large catfish
The Breeding Cycle
- After a lady dwarf crayfish molts, she'll climb up and release hormones that make the boys race around the tank.
- When she's ready she'll drop down and mate.
- The male will grab her claws and hold them up as they stay together belly to belly for 5 to 20 minutes.
- She'll go hide and lay her eggs (20 to 60) and attach them to her swimmerettes.
- She'll fan them and remove bad ones for 3 to 4 weeks.
- Most of this time she'll be hiding, only coming out to eat if she's hungry and didn't hoard enough food in her hiding place.
- The eggs hatch and little crayfish hang around mom for a day or two.
- After that they need to leave her or she'll eat them.
- She'll be hungry for a big meal afterwards.
- She'll spend a week running around the tank like she's on Spring Break.
- Then the process starts over again.
Provide dense moss, leaf litter, and small caves to reduce predation from adults. The babies are fully independent from birth.
CPO pair mating
Brazos pair mating
Molting
Crayfish shed their exoskeleton to grow. This is the most vulnerable period in their life.
Pre molt
Reduced appetite, less activity, slightly cloudy appearance.
During
Splits the old shell and emerges soft. Usually at night. Do not disturb.
Post molt
Hides 1 to 3 days while hardening. Will eat the old shell for calcium. Never remove it.
Prevention
Adequate calcium, stable water, and proper GH prevent failed molts.