Blue crayfish

I remember seeing some photos of a species of crayfish thats blue in color...almost like bright brilliant blue...but I forgot which one it is....and to which state its native to...does anyone here catch one regularly?

check out this sight, i came across it last week or so

http://www.bluecrayfish.com/

from what i can gather blue crayfish are some sort of genetic quirk that effects several types of crayfish, but it is heridatary.

there is a species in the west virgina area that is blue as a species not a mutation.


the catfish alliance trip around oct 13th or so we caught several crayfish, non blue but they did have interesting shell patterns, kinda sand colored with darker brown marbleing, good looking for a crayfish.

There are several bluish species native to FL. Cambarus ludovicianus is the most notable.

A lot of crayfish will turn blue or red if you keep them out of muddy water for several months, which is a trick well known to some growers, so you have to pay attention to make sure you are getting real blue crays.

There is a blue cray farm a couple counties east of here, and that guy really cranks them out even in his mudddy ponds, since they're the real deal.

I've seen a lot of crays all over the place, and the Marietta, GA area has some real beauties. Pine green with orange tails!
There are glossy black ones near some caves with either red or gold stripes, too, and of course there are plenty of cherry red ones to be found.

in WNC the chimmney crayfish(they dig holes from the land to the stream)

Its blue and very common after rains on the yard drying up but not yet dead
big and blue and kinda mean againist other blue crayfish

I believe that there is a species of crayfish in Florida that is naturally blue.

Procambarus alleni I think... (or was it clarkii? anyway, one is the blue cray and one is the red swamp cray)

P. clakii are red swamps.

I caught a naturally blue crayfish once doing a stream survey. I kept it and it breed with other "normal" colored crayfish and had a few blue offspring. Pretty cool.

P clarkii are red swamp crays but they do have a blue morph. P alleni is the florida blue cray which is supposed to be blue

Every species of crayfish can be geneticlly blue.

The most common species in the pet trade is the Procambarus alleni which is naturally brown but sold in the blue & white forms. P. clarkii comes in Red, Blue, white & orange.

The crayfish from WV are members of the Cambarus species. The most notable blue is the

Cambarus monongalensis.


These Cambarus species also come in many othe color forms such as orange & deep red.

Edited by Canadiancray, 05 April 2008 - 11:27 PM.

Seems we have a few crayfish enthusiasts as well as fishheads. Heres a photo of one of my favorite southern appalachian crayfish, Cambarus dubius (crayfish guru Roger Thoma says he's going to give this one the common name of Upland Burrowing Crayfish). This one is found along the uplands of Tennessee, both the Cumberland Plateau, Ridge and Valley, and the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is highly variable in color (see last two photos in the previous post), however most of the individuals I have sacrificed my hands for (from digging) have been either blue with red tips on the claws or blue with cream or yellow tips on the claws. One population I found is solid black. Another population over on the Clinch River in southwest VA is about half blue and half orange. I have seen individuals from farther north (Kentucky, WV, and PA) that are red, orange, and all shades in between. Whatever the color, these are beautiful animals. Truth be known, many of the experts think that this is probably a species complex. I'll see if I can dig up some more photos of other colors. The first photo is one of the blue from around Kingsport. The next photo is of a variety dubbed the Cumberland Orange collected in Kentucky on the Cumberland Plateau. Those oranges are fresh collected. You can imagine what they look like after a molt!

Rick

 wettimbertree.jpg   26.4KB   2 downloads

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There is no doubt it is a complex and is being split out as we speak. Some great talks took place at the end of Feb. about the diversity of SE crayfish. A proceedings of the meeting should be coming out in about a year.

Wow very diverse! Amazing color!

While collecting on our property in MS, I have occasionally encountered blue colored crayfish. I have never kept any though.

I remember seeing some photos of a species of crayfish thats blue in color...almost like bright brilliant blue...but I forgot which one it is....and to which state its native to...does anyone here catch one regularly?

the South think Florida/Ga have the true blue cray up North they have the lighter blue crays . Ofcourse there are MANY crays not just blue.
When I lived in NY I had the 'friendly" lighter blue upstate NY crays 3 Females 1 male in 30 gallon long tank they get a long great the Florida Blue cray does not get along with other crays imagine most crays dont.

Seems we have a few crayfish enthusiasts as well as fishheads. Heres a photo of one of my favorite southern appalachian crayfish, Cambarus dubius (crayfish guru Roger Thoma says he's going to give this one the common name of Upland Burrowing Crayfish). This one is found along the uplands of Tennessee, both the Cumberland Plateau, Ridge and Valley, and the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is highly variable in color (see last two photos in the previous post), however most of the individuals I have sacrificed my hands for (from digging) have been either blue with red tips on the claws or blue with cream or yellow tips on the claws. One population I found is solid black. Another population over on the Clinch River in southwest VA is about half blue and half orange. I have seen individuals from farther north (Kentucky, WV, and PA) that are red, orange, and all shades in between. Whatever the color, these are beautiful animals. Truth be known, many of the experts think that this is probably a species complex. I'll see if I can dig up some more photos of other colors. The first photo is one of the blue from around Kingsport. The next photo is of a variety dubbed the Cumberland Orange collected in Kentucky on the Cumberland Plateau. Those oranges are fresh collected. You can imagine what they look like after a molt!

Rick

 wettimbertree.jpg   26.4KB   2 downloads

 cumberland_orange.jpg   45.08KB   8 downloads

Wow fantastic looking they look like ceramic real nice have never seen any like those

check out this sight, i came across it last week or so

http://www.bluecrayfish.com/

from what i can gather blue crayfish are some sort of genetic quirk that effects several types of crayfish, but it is heridatary.

there is a species in the west virgina area that is blue as a species not a mutation.
the catfish alliance trip around oct 13th or so we caught several crayfish, non blue but they did have interesting shell patterns, kinda sand colored with darker brown marbleing, good looking for a crayfish.

I bought my crays from that guy years ago when lived in NY was infact going to order more but understand he cant sell to Florida . I am not interested in the Florida blue as impossible to house M/F together

That would be Bob Adams & the species you purchased was Orconectes Immunis.

P. alleni will get along fine as long as there are plenty of hides for both. Also never put a crayfish into a tank that already has a crayfish in it without rearranging all the decor or there will be territory fights.

I bought my crays from that guy years ago when lived in NY was in fact going to order more but understand he cant sell to Florida . I am not interested in the Florida blue as impossible to house M/F together

Edited by Canadiancray, 13 April 2008 - 10:14 PM.

Nice work Rick

I have never seen a crawdad this color, or crayfish. It was caught in the flood plains in Henning, TN. The backwater was crossing the road and i found it on the side of the road. I just want to know how common these are and if i'll see one again.  Blue crawdad.jpg   19.91KB   6 downloads