I don't think they are fighting...this position lasted for probably near an hour...
Crayfish Breeding In Captivitity?
Started by
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, Nov 27 2007 03:43 PM
17 replies to this topic
#1
Guest_Seedy_*
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Posted 27 November 2007 - 03:43 PM
At 1st, I thought the cray on the bottom was dead and being consumed by the one on top. However, after watching for a while I realized the crayfish on the bottom was alive and didn't appear to be struggling to get away from the one on top...
I don't think they are fighting...this position lasted for probably near an hour...
I don't think they are fighting...this position lasted for probably near an hour...
#2
Guest_ashtonmj_*
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Posted 27 November 2007 - 04:11 PM
Amazing picture! That is the exact detail "ID this crayfish" pictures need and have if you look in the KY and MO books. Yes, the female playing dead is exactly what crayfish copulation looks like.
#3
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Posted 27 November 2007 - 04:21 PM
Thanks, the male was stroking her lower side with his smaller legs. I think this is what I initially mistook for him eating her. It did also appear that there was some other "action" going on...Does the male place sperm packets in/on the female? Until I took that picture, I never really thought about how crayfish reproduced! Does the female keep the developing larvae or is there a planktonic stage?
#4
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Posted 27 November 2007 - 04:56 PM
Thanks, the male was stroking her lower side with his smaller legs. I think this is what I initially mistook for him eating her. It did also appear that there was some other "action" going on...Does the male place sperm packets in/on the female? Until I took that picture, I never really thought about how crayfish reproduced! Does the female keep the developing larvae or is there a planktonic stage?
Sperm packets placed in/on molar tooth like structure between last pair of female's walking legs. Later rather large eggs attached to leg like structure along bottom of females tail. In mass eggs look lile a large raspery. Eggs hatch and under go a couple molts before looking like minature adultsd and ready to feed. Young of some species may make brief excursions away from mom before returning to form a mass on female like an opppossum with young. Most leave mom at this time usually at night. Indendent young, like adults are benthic.
#5
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Posted 27 November 2007 - 05:07 PM
Awesome. Thank you for the information. Perhaps I will be lucky enough to get to watch them develop in the aquarium. Is this common?
#6
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Posted 27 November 2007 - 06:04 PM
It can take up to six months for the female to lay the eggs, and if she molts before then, the spawn is ruined, because when she molts, everything is shed, including the sperm in the annulus ventralis(where the sperm is stored until fertilization). After the eggs are laid, it will probably be a couple weeks before the eggs hatch, and another week or more for the babies to leave the mother. It's best to give lots of hiding places and take the babies out as you see them, since the parents and any fish in the tank will have them for lunch.
BTW, nice picture! Most of the time, IME, they mate in hiding places at night.
BTW, nice picture! Most of the time, IME, they mate in hiding places at night.
#7
Guest_centrarchid_*
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Posted 27 November 2007 - 06:14 PM
It can take up to six months for the female to lay the eggs, and if she molts before then, the spawn is ruined, because when she molts, everything is shed, including the sperm in the annulus ventralis(where the sperm is stored until fertilization). After the eggs are laid, it will probably be a couple weeks before the eggs hatch, and another week or more for the babies to leave the mother. It's best to give lots of hiding places and take the babies out as you see them, since the parents and any fish in the tank will have them for lunch.
BTW, nice picture! Most of the time, IME, they mate in hiding places at night.
The critters you have appear to be golden grayfish. They are hard to breed as it does involve more than the act of copulation. It is key that the female be maintained with an ample quality diet, HIGH water quality, and I think a winter simulation in tems of temperature and photoperiod is needed. The critters you have are of the genus Orconectes and they are much harder to breed consistently than those of the genera Procambarus and Camberellus frequently maintained by fishe keepers to your south. Ideally the female will need to be able to seclude herself under something while extruding eggs and attaching them to her abdomen.
#8
Guest_Seedy_*
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Posted 27 November 2007 - 08:02 PM
Thank you all for the additional information 
It sounds like I was lucky to catch this act, but unfortunately I doubt it will "bear fruit" as these crays are living in a community setting and it sounds like a serious dedicated effort must be made to successfully complete these guys life cycle.
It sounds like I was lucky to catch this act, but unfortunately I doubt it will "bear fruit" as these crays are living in a community setting and it sounds like a serious dedicated effort must be made to successfully complete these guys life cycle.
#9
Guest_fishlvr_*
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Posted 27 November 2007 - 08:52 PM
Thank you all for the additional information
It sounds like I was lucky to catch this act, but unfortunately I doubt it will "bear fruit" as these crays are living in a community setting and it sounds like a serious dedicated effort must be made to successfully complete these guys life cycle.
Really all you need to do is remove the female to a tank with the same parameters(to prevent shedding), and add lots of hiding places for babies. She can't be too stressed when she has the eggs though, because she will drop them and eat them if she is.
#10
Guest_Sal_*
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Posted 13 December 2007 - 05:28 PM
Lol first time I saw that I got scared thought one was eating the other. I had blue native upstate NY crays for yrs think immunis was the name.
1 smallish feisty male and 2 larger females in a 30 gallon long tank . The male bred left and right during Spring,summer ESP after water change but even though had them over 3 yrs never had any eggs hatch .
Other crays have thus yours might
1 smallish feisty male and 2 larger females in a 30 gallon long tank . The male bred left and right during Spring,summer ESP after water change but even though had them over 3 yrs never had any eggs hatch .
Other crays have thus yours might
#11
Guest_wegl2001_*
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Posted 14 December 2007 - 10:46 AM
Seedy,
Great picture. What camera are you using?
Great picture. What camera are you using?
#12
Guest_Seedy_*
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Posted 14 December 2007 - 03:53 PM
That shot was taken with a Nikon D40x with a 105mm VR macro lens (2.8 max aperture) ...I think I had an sb-800 speedflash on the camera for that shot too...
Taken at ISO-200, 1/60th S, and F/29
Taken at ISO-200, 1/60th S, and F/29
#14
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Posted 18 December 2007 - 04:32 PM
Thanks! I got lucky on that one. I only clicked off 1 shot thinking "eh, they aren't doing anything interesting"....I'm lucky my 1 shot came out nicely. Usually it takes 10+ shots to get the image I want.
#15
Guest_slowhand35_*
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Posted 19 January 2008 - 07:59 PM
Excellent photo Seedy,
That was truly a stroke of luck.
I never have a camera ready when things happen with my crays.
It's a little pre-mature, but if you get the young to go full term, I would be interested in getting a few from you.
Maybe we could do a trade for something in my area of SC. or ?
I have an abundance of different crays, imported freshwater shrimp, and some natives.
I go collecting alot and I'm always interested in crays from other areas.
Take care.
Bill
That was truly a stroke of luck.
I never have a camera ready when things happen with my crays.
It's a little pre-mature, but if you get the young to go full term, I would be interested in getting a few from you.
Maybe we could do a trade for something in my area of SC. or ?
I have an abundance of different crays, imported freshwater shrimp, and some natives.
I go collecting alot and I'm always interested in crays from other areas.
Take care.
Bill
#16
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Posted 19 January 2008 - 08:14 PM
Hi Bill,
Thanks for the reply, yes it was a "lucky shot". In fact I would have missed it if my wife didn't tell me to turn around and take a picture (I was working on photographing another tank at the time).
I believe Crayfish have a strong tendency to be invasive, so I would be a little concerned about trading/giving any these guys away. I'm going to keep them in my personal collection, but will share them via photos as much as possible. If someone wanted a preserved specimen, I believe I could provide that. I don't believe I can legally give you any living crayfish without an Oklahoma bait fish liscense of some kind, everything I collect from Spring Creek, has to stay in my personal collection as part of my agreement with the land owners and Stream Biologists here in Oklahoma. Sorry.
Thanks for the reply, yes it was a "lucky shot". In fact I would have missed it if my wife didn't tell me to turn around and take a picture (I was working on photographing another tank at the time).
I believe Crayfish have a strong tendency to be invasive, so I would be a little concerned about trading/giving any these guys away. I'm going to keep them in my personal collection, but will share them via photos as much as possible. If someone wanted a preserved specimen, I believe I could provide that. I don't believe I can legally give you any living crayfish without an Oklahoma bait fish liscense of some kind, everything I collect from Spring Creek, has to stay in my personal collection as part of my agreement with the land owners and Stream Biologists here in Oklahoma. Sorry.
#17
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Posted 05 April 2008 - 11:15 PM
Very nice pictures. Unfortunately its nearly impossible to stimulate a female Orconectes to extract eggs in captivity. Its the whole light/temperature cycle that we can't provide in an aquarium. Once the eggs are extracted they will develop normally like if you were to capture one from the wild. Its just getting her to release the eggs. Thats the issue.
#18
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Posted 06 April 2008 - 02:01 PM
Very nice pictures. Unfortunately its nearly impossible to stimulate a female Orconectes to extract eggs in captivity. Its the whole light/temperature cycle that we can't provide in an aquarium. Once the eggs are extracted they will develop normally like if you were to capture one from the wild. Its just getting her to release the eggs. Thats the issue.
Yeah, she never did extract any eggs after that picture. It was neat to get the picture but kinda fruitless. I wonder If I could replicate the temperatures...I've done complicated things trying to breed Plecos before...If I were to try to replicate the natural light cycles and match my tank temp to the weather (would I probably need a chiller?) do you think it is possible?
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