The presence of a home aquarium, even with the most exotic fish these days, no one is surprised. But the crayfish in the aquarium are still rare visitors, despite the relative simplicity and cheapness of keeping them at home.
Cancers in the aquarium - content
In the world there are about 100 varieties of crayfish, most of which are quite suitable for breeding a house. Decorative crayfish in the aquarium, the content of which does not require any special skills or huge means, thanks to unusual brightly colored shells and fun habits are the most interesting object for observation. To exotic inhabitants feel quite comfortable it will take a bit - a spacious aquarium and well-chosen neighbors.
To adapt to new conditions of life has passed for cancer as softly as possible, it is better to acquire a young specimen. Transport it better in a darkened container, and when settling in a home aquarium, you need to make sure that the difference in water temperatures does not exceed 3-5 degrees. An adult may well not survive the move from the store to the house or respond to a change in the situation with the disease.
What aquarium is needed for crawfish?
Ideal housing for any representative of crustaceans will be the aquaterrarium - a large spacious capacity, which has both a water area and a space for air baths. Alternatively, in a conventional aquarium it is possible to strengthen a platform on the surface of the water on which the crayfish will breathe air. But at the same time, all possible ways for escape should be blocked for them, so for any discomfort (contamination of water or overpopulation), pincers will try to change their place of residence.
Life in the cramped crayfish does not like, so the aquarium will need a spacious, with good aeration . Capacity should be selected at a rate of 15-20 liters per inhabitant, subject to regular water changes. The bottom should be covered with a layer of dense soil (in it, crayfish can build their holes) and equip with a number of shelters - decorative figurines, pipes, locks, etc. If you plan to breed crayfish in an aquarium, then such shelters need a lot. They will hide from the attacks of relatives at first swept the eggs of the female, and then young crustaceans.
Water for crayfish in the aquarium
The main trick, how to breed crayfish in an aquarium, is in properly selected conditions. Most of them prefer a cool clean water environment with high rigidity. To increase the level of rigidity, it is necessary to spread out pieces of limestone or marble along the bottom. If the crustaceans in the aquarium do not stay long (get sick and die), the level of copper and / or ammonia is likely to be increased, the sensitivity to which is significantly increased in fresh water. Cancers in the aquarium tend to arrange "kladovochki" with supplies, so it will often have to be cleaned.
Cancer care in the aquarium
Let us take a closer look at how to care for crayfish in an aquarium. Care of them consists of the following stages:
- Arrangement of the aquarium. As already mentioned above, the bottom must necessarily be covered with a layer of dense soil with many shelters. In the aquarium it is necessary to provide aeration system, the territory for air baths and a reliable cover.
- Feeding. Cancers in the aquarium, like in nature, lead a twilight lifestyle. Therefore, they must be fed once a day - in the evening, using a mixture of plant and animal feed for this purpose. Cancers during the breeding season and young canine growth can be fed more often - once every 12 hours.
- Cleaning the aquarium. Cancers tend to equip storehouses of supplies, which decompose, pollute the water. Clean the aquarium with an enviable regularity to avoid the unpleasant smell from the water and the death of its inhabitants. Together with food and plants in the aquarium can enter pathogens deadly for cancer diseases - plague and rusty-spotted disease. For disinfection in water it is recommended to add leaves of oak, almonds or beech.
How to feed crayfish in an aquarium?
Feeding cancers in the aquarium can be produced as natural food, so ready forage:
- Protein food in the aquarium should be received no more often than once every 7-10 days. These can be pieces of low-fat meat, shrimp, fish, as well as sinking granules. It is noticed that an overabundance of protein turns already aggressive beings into real fighters, which, under conditions of a closed environment, can lead to their complete self-destruction.
- Vegetable food is required in the diet of most crustaceans. They will like to taste pieces of scalded before zucchini, cabbage, nettles and carrots. Without such feeding, the crayfish will destroy all the vegetation in the aquarium, undermining its roots and gnawing the leaves.
- Ready-made canola food is produced by Dennerle, Tetra, MOSURA, Genchem in the form of non-watering granules or chopsticks. Such feeds contain all the nutrients necessary for cancer, while they do not have a sharp odor and do not pollute the aquarium.
With whom do crayfish live in an aquarium?
Although it is tempting to put cancer in the aquarium to your favorite fish, it's best not to do it. The outcome of such a neighborhood will not be the best - either the crayfish in the aquarium will destroy the fish population, or die themselves. So, large decorative fish often on the first night remain without fins, and small just disappear. From the neighborhood with predatory fish suffer the crayfish themselves - because of their slowness they are banal sitting half-starving. Therefore, crayfish at home in aquariums can co-exist only with their own kind, and even if there is sufficient free space.
Cancers in the aquarium - varieties
To give any room an exotic look, to become its peculiar zest, decorative cancers are possible in the aquarium, the contents of which will not cause difficulties for any aquarist, even the inexperienced. Choosing a kind of pet, you should start from its size - the more cancer, the more spacious it will need an aquarium. If the problem of living space for the pet is not worth it, you can be guided only by the color preferences, choosing a variety by the color of the shell.
Marble Cancer in the Aquarium
In the initial stage of dragging crustaceans, small crayfish for an aquarium, for example, marble, are ideal. This initially river inhabitant feels great as a pet if he provides a spacious aquarium (20-30 liters per individual) and regular feeding. Under good conditions, each individual starts to reproduce himself (partogenesis), the first signs of which are the desire for solitude. During this period, it is better to plant the cancer in a small separate aquarium, and after hatching the crustaceans to return back, leaving the young ones alone.
Dwarfish cancer in the aquarium
Deep nature and livability with other aquatic inhabitants is famous for the Louisiana dwarfish cancer, in the aquarium its content requires water with a temperature of 19-21 ° C and scattered lighting. The life span of this species of crustaceans is not great - from one and a half to two and a half years. To reproduce the offspring of females in the aquarium should be twice as many males. The mating season begins immediately after molting and is accompanied by an interesting ritual of courtship. Dwarf cancers in the aquarium are mostly vegetarians, they should be fed once every 18-24 hours with plant food.
Red Florida cancer content in the aquarium
Red cancer in the aquarium is good because it can be kept in the company with fish. Particularly successful is the neighborhood with barbs, cichlids and gurus. The lifespan of Florida cancers in captivity can be up to three years, provided that suitable conditions are created for it: water at a temperature of 23-27 ° C, sufficient aeration and adequate nutrition. Feed such a pet can be pieces of fish, meat, various vegetables and boiled water porridges (pearl, buckwheat, rice). Such a cancer can live alone, or in small groups, where for each male there must be two females.
Mexican crawfish in the aquarium
Lake and river inhabitants, Mexican ornamental crayfish in the aquarium keep the contents quite calmly. These are peace-loving creatures of a small (up to 5 cm) size, whose lifespan does not exceed three years. They are quite possible to settle together with fish (except for carnivores) and other representatives of crustaceans. Feeding Mexican crayfish follows mixed food (animal and vegetable). For a comfortable life in captivity they need little: regular water changes, feeding and diffused lighting.
Cuban Cancer in the Aquarium
Blue cancers in nature prefer to splash in the sun-warmed waters of the Cuban coast. How to care for crayfish in an aquarium? For living at home they will need a spacious (80-100 liters for 4-5 individuals) aquarium with clean slightly salted water (you can use ordinary table salt). Cuban crayfish grow in the aquarium very quickly and are ready to breed in a year. In food unpretentious - with a willingly eat by-products, ice-cream meat and fish, ready-made food and vegetables.
California Cancer in the Aquarium
California (Florida) snow cancer is a product of the work of American breeders. In their work they achieved an unusual white and blue coloration of the brown shell in the natural conditions of cancer. Having an artificial origin, snow California juice in the aquarium requires the most common: a spacious aquarium with oxygenated water of high rigidity, regular feeding of mixed food and the possibility of hiding in some kind of shelter. The lifespan of Californian crayfish does not exceed three years.