Cajun Dwarf Crayfish/Mini Lobster (Cambarellus shufeldtii), Tank-Bred!

This North American dwarf crayfish species is yet another excellent nano crayfish that displays unique coloration and maintains a very small size!

The Cajun Dwarf Crayfish (Cambarellus shufeldtii) is a less common species that is an excellent candidate for the nano or planted aquarium. This miniature freshwater crayfish features an outgoing personality and unique tan and black coloration, often along with green mottling. Dwarf crayfish are also known as mini lobsters, although true lobsters do not exist in freshwater. The Cajun Dwarf Crayfish is very similar to the Orange CPO Crayfish in appearance and behavior, aside from the obvious difference in color.  

Dwarf crayfish like this one are among our favorite invertebrates here at Aquatic Arts. They are much larger in size than dwarf shrimp (they can grow up to 1.6 inches long) and tend to live much longer, but are still small enough to comfortably live in a tank as small as five gallons. They are quite active and do not typically hide during the day like many larger crayfish.  They make an exciting addition to any aquarium and are a great way to get into invertebrates if you haven't joined the craze already! It is a skilled climber, so extra care must be taken to ensure that it does not escape its enclosure.

Though this crayfish is small enough not to be a threat to most other tank inhabitants, they have on occasion gone after dwarf shrimp, so we cannot guarantee safety for dwarf shrimp when keeping them in the same tank. These are normally peaceful, but all crayfish are opportunistic omnivore hunters/scavengers so there is always a small chance they could try to fin clip slow moving fish or ones with long flowing fins. We have kept them with schools of fast moving small fish like rasboras, rainbowfish, and danios with very little to no issues. Caution just needs to be advised whenever housing a crayfish with other tank mates.

*IMPORTANT* Please "Choose a Variant" above before adding this crayfish to your cart. The variants we're currently offering are:

• 1 Adult Crayish - .5 to 1 inch Young Adult
• 3 Adult Crayfsh – 3 Young Adults, Unsexed
• 1 Adult Female Crayfish - .5 to 1 inch Young Adult
• 1 Adult Male/Female Pair - .5 to 1 inch Young Adults(We guarantee a very high-quality, breeding age young adult male/female crayfish pair for this listing)
• 1 B-Grade Adult, Unsexed - .5 to 1 inch Young Adult(All of our “B-Grade” crayfish are simply specimens that are missing legs or claws.  Loss of appendages is not permanent and happens commonly with crustaceans. They are completely healthy with excellent coloration and will completely regenerate lost appendages within 1 to 2 molts (about 2 to 3 months)

What We Like About This Crayfish:

• Unique tan, black, and green coloration
• Very manageable dwarf size
• Rare and unique
• Excellent scavenger 
• Generally safe with plants

RECOMMENDED TANK PARAMETERS:

• Temperature: 60 – 82.4° F (16 - 28° C), although the low to middle end of this range is more ideal.
• pH: 6.0 – 8.0
• KH: 6 - 12 dKH
• Minimum tank size: 5 gallons

CARE INFORMATION:

• Diet: Omnivorous. High-quality sinking pellets, plants, and freeze-dried or frozen foods will be readily accepted. Cuttlebone should be added to the aquarium to supplement calcium, which will aid in exoskeleton production.
• Social behavior: Can be aggressive/territorial with its own kind. Crayfish will typically eat whatever they can catch, but since they are slow-moving, they are not often able to harm fast-moving fish.
• Origin: Tank-bred, but indigenous to states bordering the Mississippi River from Illinois to the Gulf of Mexico
• Average adult size: 1.6 inches (4 cm)
• Average purchase size: .5 - 1 inch (1.3 – 2.5 cm)
• Recommended AquaticArts tank mates: Fast-moving fish (such as Celestial Pearl Danios, Rasboras, Guppies, etc.). While dwarf shrimp can be kept successfully with these crayfish, caution should be exercised, as the crayfish have been known to catch and eat slow, sick, or particularly small shrimp.  Most cichlids can be aggressive toward crayfish and should not be kept in the same tank. Most bottom-dwelling tankmates should also be avoided.