# AHH My crawfish is pregnent



## PiranhaStein (Feb 10, 2006)

So I was doing a gravel vac/ water change and I was sick and tired of the one little crawfish never leaving the ship wreck so i pulled her out and she was loaded with eggs. the entire tail underneath was full of caviar looking eggs. She has been in there for about 3 weeks or so. 29 gallon with 3 piranha's and a pleco. With a large crawfish and the small female pregnant. What do I do for the best chance of survival of the little guys. I might go out and buy a 10 gallon for her so she can raise the kids. Any advice I know not to add iron which is in plant food. 

Also if there are any plants or lighting or conditioners to have the best survival rate. Food anything else. 

Thanks guys this is unexpected but hopefully i can have a succesfull new generation. Anything that will help there survival let me know.


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## JerseyScape (Nov 18, 2005)

I just recently obtained three crayfish so I'll tell you how I maintain them. The water temp is around 78 degrees, I feed them very frequently with small portions, water conditions ph 7, kh3, gh11. If she will be the only cray in the 10 gallon then you don't need to make many hiding places. The only plant in my tank is some java moss to help in the filtering of water but others will do great as well. If you are going to put her in the new tank I would suggest filling the new one with the water from your 29 gallon. You don't want to be cycling the tank while you have a pregnant cray in there. If I were you, I would also pick up a cheap airpump with a sponge filter to keep the water circulating and somewhat filtered. One more thing about cycling, prior to my crays arriving I siphoned the pooop from my main tank and threw it in the new tank to aid in cycling since all the filters were new etc.

Good Luck


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## PiranhaStein (Feb 10, 2006)

thanks a bunch that's some good ideas and advice.


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## PiranhaStein (Feb 10, 2006)

well went to wally world(walmart) got myself a 10 gallon a 3 stage filter for up to 15 gallons, a 10-30 gallon heater and some nice blue green substrate gravel. Along with a air strip. hopefully she likes the new place, I put a cave in there for her and she went straight to it. Now i'm just wondering if I can get some guppies to put in there or will they threaten the new baby crawfish?


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## JerseyScape (Nov 18, 2005)

PiranhaStein said:


> well went to wally world(walmart) got myself a 10 gallon a 3 stage filter for up to 15 gallons, a 10-30 gallon heater and some nice blue green substrate gravel. Along with a air strip. hopefully she likes the new place, I put a cave in there for her and she went straight to it. Now i'm just wondering if I can get some guppies to put in there or will they threaten the new baby crawfish?


I keep endlers with my crays and they don't pay any mind to eachother.


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## PiranhaStein (Feb 10, 2006)

i might pick some up on wensday.


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## JerseyScape (Nov 18, 2005)

How is the crayfish doing?


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## PiranhaStein (Feb 10, 2006)

she's doing alright defiently more lively now that she has some food in her. I'll get some pics up tommorw when i check her out again. She mustuv been starved from staying in the ship for so long so i'm glad she is eating and healthy. On her underside there are a couple of white eggs which i know are not going to hatch. I'm just trying to decide if and what I should get tommorw with the lps being everything half off. 

Here is the list at the moment
-brine shrimp eggs
-cichlid bio gold (4 p's)

I would like to get some plants in there for the fry to hide in but there is no light on top of the tank and I don't want whatever I get to die.

-probably some more decor for hiding spots

at the walmart a turkey baster for the brine shrimp

- The Algea wafers also (you guys use them right) by hikari

I can't think of anything else

I also might be getting a bigger tank for my piranha's, so I can start my cichlid tank so lighting will be the next thing I tackle in my 10 gallon.

Thanks for the interest, i'm trying to do whatever I can to help her through this, "breath:" lol

SHould i be doing any water changes? I started the tank with established water from my other tank that has been cycled, but the filter is new and the water is clear. I know that I need very clear good water when the fry hatch.

I'll be doing a water test on the crayfish tank tonight and i'll post the results soon after just in case there are anything that should be delt with.

Thanks again for your advice and care,

kam


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## JerseyScape (Nov 18, 2005)

I do weekly 50% water changes no matter what I keep. My water though, is very good quality with limited chemicals from what people tell me. If I were you I would look into getting some frozen Bloodworms, the crays go nuts over them in my tank.

You can get really cheap hoods if you have the time to shop around. Here is one that I found on EBAY just browsing really quickly: http://cgi.ebay.com/PERFECTO-10-GAL...ryZ20758QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
You can also check craigslist.com and aquabid.com. For the money that you will spend on the fake plants you can probably have a really nice used hood that will grow you some java ferns or mosses. 

Good Luck


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## PiranhaStein (Feb 10, 2006)

Thanks that's a good route to take. I already have frozen blood worms, and I also have frozen brine shrimp, beef heart, krill. I know the large crawfish takes whatever he can in the community tank. But I will feed my lady a blood worm cube tommorow, she's mad that I removed her cave to check her out today to see how things were going, so now she's sitting under the sponge for my filter.

I'll check out aquabid and ebay, but i'm going to the lps tommorow and tank's and stuff are at cost so I might be able to get a nice hood and light which would be awsome to have that tank planted.

Thanks again you've been a big help.


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## milalic (Aug 26, 2005)

What size tank you have her? I definitively try to get a cheap hood and some moss in there like Jersey suggested. Keep us posted on the progress and show os some pics. What type of cray is she?

Cheers,
PEdro


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## PiranhaStein (Feb 10, 2006)

I will be leaving for a week starting tommorow. I just changed 30% of the water and did a gravel vac it's pretty good. What should I put in the tank to feed them, I'm having a neighbor come by to feed my p's everyday. I purchased Bottom Feeder food the discs from hikari and she hasn't taken to it yet. She does like my fish mixture that I give to my p's so I'll have my lady drop one of those in every other day or so. I'm also going to have her add some goldfish flake powder to when I leave.

Here is a link to some pics of the daddy, mommy, and the tank.
http://www.piranha-fury.com/pfury/index.php?showtopic=115026&st=0&gopid=1396997&#entry1396997

Anything else I can do to help the situation I bought a bunch more decor for hiding places and cover the intake of the sponge, if there is anything else you can think of let me know.

Thanks for your help everyone you've been a life safer,

Kam

The babies haven't hatched yet, and I won't be around to shake them off, i'm worried she'll eat them but hopefully I will have a good amount of survivors.


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## PiranhaStein (Feb 10, 2006)

Well returning home I found over a hundred baby crays all over the 10 gallon tank. They are really active and go all over. There going after the bottom feeder discs and the potato peices i added. REally fun to watch. If anyone has any other suggests on food that would be great. I'm going to get some peas tommorow and skin em if i can cause I heard they love that stuff.

Thanks for all the comments, advice, and questions, I'll try to get some pics up if my digi can pick the little guys up.


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## milalic (Aug 26, 2005)

Congrats!
Zucchini is good...

Cheers,
Pedro


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## JerseyScape (Nov 18, 2005)

If you want them to grow fast get some Earthworm Sticks from Kensfish.com. My shrimp and crays love these things...plus it's only 4.50 for half a pound of this great food. He charges the actual cost of shipping which will arrive to your door by Priority Mail. Heck, you might as well pick up other food while you are at it.

They also love frozen bloodworms that are found in almost every petstore.



> *KENS PREMIUM EARTHWORM STICKS:*
> AN PREMIUM SINKING STICK FOR LIVE-BEARERS! RESULTS INDICATE A 4-10 TIMES SPAWNING INCREASE!
> 
> *INGREDIENTS:* WHITE FISH MEAL, FISH PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, WHEAT FLOUR, SOY FLOUR, GLUTEN, DRIED BREWER'S YEAST, FROZEN BABY BRINE SHRIMP, PLANKTON, SHRIMP, KRILL POWDER MIX, EARTHWORMS, KELP MEAL, DRIED SPIRULINA, FISH OIL, LECITHIN. THE FOLLOWING VITAMINS/MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS A, D-3, B1, B12, CHOLINE HCL, & BIOTIN METHIONINE. VEGETABLE PROTEIN. THIAMINE ( SOURCE OF VITAMIN B1). ASORBIC ACID (SOURCE OF VITAMIN C).
> ...


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## PiranhaStein (Feb 10, 2006)

Thanks for the heads up, I'll probably get some other things like supplements for my p's.

Those look like some great food.

Right now i'm using bottom feeder discs and soaked potatos. Still need to get some peas.


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## CrayfishAssociation (Jun 10, 2006)

JerseyScape said:


> If you want them to grow fast get some Earthworm Sticks from Kensfish.com. My shrimp and crays love these things...plus it's only 4.50 for half a pound of this great food. He charges the actual cost of shipping which will arrive to your door by Priority Mail. Heck, you might as well pick up other food while you are at it.
> 
> They also love frozen bloodworms that are found in almost every petstore.
> 
> ...


Great high protein in those at 45%. I would be interested to know what source of vitamin A it is. Looks like more research for me. Will let our members know about this one.

Thanks for the tip.

cheers
Paul V


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