What do Crayfish Eat

Crayfish are also known as crawfish or crawdads. There are more than 540 different species of crayfish found all across the world. Crayfish are crustaceans that live in freshwater. In a natural environment, they are found in running water of small streams and rivers. Even though they are aquatic, they can survive in land as well provided their gills remain wet. They look very similar to small sized lobster and are related to them. On an average, the lifespan of crayfish is in between two to three years. When you have decided to have this amazing creature as a pet, then you must have the knowledge of some basic facts including what do crayfish eat.

Basic Facts About Crayfish

The color and size of the crayfish varies form one species to another. In general, adult crayfish are deep reddish brown in color while young ones have light tan body color. Some of its species can be found in other colors like green or blue. The size of the crayfish varies from two to six inches in length. In some species, larger sizes can also be found. Their body is covered with a hard shell. Their legs, pincers and other appendages consist of sensory bristles that help them to eat, touch, feel, hear, smell, etc. They breathe through their gills.

At home, they should be kept in a fresh water fish tank where the water is well aerated and its temperature is around 65 - 77 degree Fahrenheit. They prefer hard water which is slightly alkaline in nature. If the water is soft or its pH value is low, then they can suffer from calcium deficiency that may affect their reproduction. To make their living more comfortable, you should put some rocks, small PVC pipes and plastic plants in the aquarium. They are nocturnal creature and like to hide themselves during daytime. They will use these places for hiding. Do not keep any other fish or live plants in the aquarium as they will try to eat them up. Do not overcrowd the tank with too many crayfish.

What do Crayfish Eat

Crayfish are omnivorous fish and they eat anything that they can find. They eat vegetables like frozen peas, carrots and even plants like Java Moss that probably nothing else will eat. They also eat shrimp, meat, fish, those insects which accidentally fall into the tank, sinking pellets, table scrap, etc. In their natural habitat, they get plenty of decomposed plant matter such as grass and other plants that are rotten in water. They love to eat these mainly because it is very convenient to rip the soft decayed leaves with their claws. So, if you have rotten lettuce leaves and spinach leaves in your kitchen then you can cut them into small pieces and feed it to the crayfish. It will serve as a special treat for them.

Some pet owners buy tiny fish like guppies or minnows from the market and offer them to crayfish. You can also give them provided they are kept in their own separate tank. If they share the tank with other fish, then in a day or two you may find that they have eaten up your favorite small fish in the tank. You can give them dead fish from other tanks at home as foods. The swampy environment of rivers and streams, which is where the crayfish are used to live in, have lots and lots of algae, bacteria and snails and they love to devour on them. So, your pet will eat up all the algae and bacteria that grow in the tank. The major advantage of this food habit is that it will keep the tank water in purified state and prevent its contamination.