Wild Color Dwarf Mexican Crayfish (Cambarellus patzcuarensis) - Tank-Bred!

This Dwarf Mexican Crayfish (Cambarellus patzcuarensis) is the wild color form of the CPO Dwarf Mexican Crayfish.  This crayfish is also commonly known as the Dwarf Mexican Freshwater Lobster, though true lobsters do not exist in freshwater.  This species originates from Mexico, but all of our specimens are tank-raised.  Like most Cambarellus species, the Dwarf Mexican Crayfish reaches maturity very quickly and breeds easily in the aquarium.  In fact, many of our specimens have bred in our tanks at our facility! Though most crayfish are often reclusive by nature, this particular crayfish is very active by comparison and spends plenty of time exploring the floor of the aquarium in search of food.  The Dwarf Mexican Crayfish is an omnivorous scavenger and will eat most any meaty or plant-based foods.  It will eat live plant matter, but due to its small size it can usually be kept with most well-established plants without doing much significant damage. It is a skilled climber, so extra care must be taken to ensure that it does not escape its enclosure. As it reaches adulthood, the Dwarf Mexican Crayfish may become relatively territorial, mostly in smaller aquariums.  It is important that ample hiding places such as rockwork, driftwood, or PVC pipes be provided.  This is even more crucial when housing multiple crayfish in the same tank.  Due to the size and waste production of this crayfish, a minimum 5-gallon, well-filtered aquarium is necessary for one adult.  A larger aquarium can house multiple adults of similar size.  This is a very hardy animal, but regular water changes are vital to its optimal health.  Most bottom-dwelling fish should not be kept with this crayfish.  It is possible to keep mid- and upper-level, fast-swimming fish with the Dwarf Mexican Crayfish Crayfish, but crayfish are opportunistic feeders and will generally eat whatever they can catch. With this particular crayfish, only immobilized or dead fish can be caught and eaten As with all of our crayfish, the coloration of the Dwarf Mexican Crayfish is EXTREMELY high quality - much higher quality than others on the market.  This crayfish may TEMPORARILY change color and hide more than usual after molting, which may occur during shipping. Many other companies offer a “blue” variant of this species, but in our experience, these “blue” variants always gradually revert back to the wild coloration as they reach adulthood. We also offer sexed female wild color Dwarf Mexican Crayfish and male/female breeding pairs!   *IMPORTANT* Please "Choose a Variant" above before adding this crayfish to your cart. The variants we're currently offering are: 1 Dwarf Mexican Crayfish - 1 to 1.5 inches (No sex specified.  Most popular option) 3 Dwarf Mexican Crayfish - 1 to 1.5 inches (No sex specified) 1 Female Dwarf Mexican Crayfish - 1 to 1.5 inches (We guarantee a very high-quality, breeding age young adult female crayfish for this listing) 1 Male/Female Pair of Dwarf Mexican Crayfish - 1 to 1.5+ inches (We guarantee a very high-quality, breeding age young adult male/female crayfish pair for this listing)   What We Like About This Crayfish: Excellent dwarf crayfish for many community aquariums Much more active than many crayfish species Extremely hardy and adaptable Excellent scavenger   RECOMMENDED TANK PARAMETERS: Temperature: 65° - 76° F (18° - 24° C) pH: 6.5 - 7.5 KH: 6 - 15 dKH Minimum tank size: 5 gallons, larger for groups   CARE GUIDELINES: Diet:  Omnivorous. High-quality sinking pellets, plants, and freeze-dried or frozen meaty 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 in close quarters. Crayfish will typically eat whatever they can catch, but since they are small and slow-moving, they are not often able to harm fast-moving fish and can sometimes be kept with dwarf shrimp. Origin:  Tank-bred, but indigenous to Mexico Average adult size:  1 - 1.5 inches (2.5 - 3.8 cm) Average purchase size:  .5 - 1 inch (1.3 - 2.5 cm) Recommended Aquatic Arts tankmates:  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.  Cichlids can be aggressive toward crayfish and should not be kept in the same tank.  Bottom-dwelling tankmates should definitely be avoided.   All Aquatic Arts brand plants and animals come with a 100% live arrival guarantee, plus free email support!