Blue Lobster

[pbrake]

Hi, We just bought a Blue lobster, when we got him home and put him in our tank we noticed he only has one claw. Will he survive with only one, or will he grow another one???

 

[The-Wolf]

firstly, yes with each moult he will grow a bit more claw until it is fully regrown.

secondly, these 'lobsters' are not suitable for community tanks and should be housed alone.
they are very good predators and you will end up with a large crayfish and nothing else.

I suggest either putting him in his own tank (at least 20g) or returning him

 

[mrbudgie]

I kept one in a community tank for years will clown loaches and bristlenose plecs at the bottom, the blue lobsters are to clumsy to catch most fish, and they only ever really come out the big hole they will dig at night

 

[raptorrex]

I kept one in a community tank for years will clown loaches and bristlenose plecs at the bottom, the blue lobsters are to clumsy to catch most fish, and they only ever really come out the big hole they will dig at night

indeed as do a few, however it seems to be something people are quiet about. as The-Wolf should know Crayfish are not predictors, they are scavengers who's diet consists of, mainly, dead and rotting veg. lol but anything dead will do. they do not hunt! though if they feel threatened or have been placed in a tank too young, they will treat fish as a threat, being well armed they make quite a mess, and yes they do eat the result, but food was not the reason for the attack.

with luck, careful choice of fish and accomodation. there are more than a few who keep them in a community. it is a risk. nobody would argue with that.

as for the claw, over several moults the claw will return to full size, don't worry. they need lots of hiding places, half plant pot make good caves, the wide necked wine bottles go down well too, plus you can see them!! they tend to like playing in air streams, and love finding somewhere to jump off. they are escape artists of great skill, so you need to make sure the lid is well secure and has no holes. food for a young cray should be a mix of veg and meat, i advise against Bloodworm as they are too fatty and have be known to cause bacterial infections in Crayfish, but fresh roast chicken is a fav. but prawns are always popular too. when the cray has matured, at about seven months old, it need for protein/meat starts to drop, by 12 months old meat becomes nothing more than a treat. when the cray moults leave the cast in the tank, over the next few days the cray will eat all except the claws, which i keep as a growth record. ahh almost forgot, cray need high O2 Water, the reason most Cray escape is down to low O2, if you cray sends time up close to the top of the tank, its a good guess that you need to up the O2. that's about it, but there is a link on my siggy that will fill in any gaps. all the best with your Cray.
regards Tylor

 

[cane76]

i agree with wolf they are very good predators
they are oppotunistic scavenengers that will take whatever they can

 

[tropicaltink81]

hi i have a breeding pair of blue lobsters and at the minute my female has lost one of her front claws as they tent to get rough when breeding your's will grow it back in time you will notice this when it next sheds its shell this is also a gr8 sign that ur lobster/s are healthy and growing

i am actually selling my pair dut to house move.

if you dont mind me being cheeky what size are yours and what price did you pay as im selling mine and aint got a clue as what price should sell for they are fuly grown you can message me if you dont want to post it thanks.

 

[pbrake]

hi i have a breeding pair of blue lobsters and at the minute my female has lost one of her front claws as they tent to get rough when breeding your's will grow it back in time you will notice this when it next sheds its shell this is also a gr8 sign that ur lobster/s are healthy and growing

i am actually selling my pair dut to house move.

if you dont mind me being cheeky what size are yours and what price did you pay as im selling mine and aint got a clue as what price should sell for they are fuly grown you can message me if you dont want to post it thanks.

The blue lobster is about maybe 2" we paid I think $14.00 or $15.00. We also have an appricot lobster who was about 4" when we bought him he was around $20.00.
Thanks for the comment on the claw.

 

[radioman]

i had a blue lobster/ crayfish and they are ery territorial I FED IT FEEDER FISH AND HE TRIED TO EAT THEM AT ANY CHANCE HE COULD GET.

 

[raptorrex]

i had a blue lobster/ crayfish and they are ery territorial I FED IT FEEDER FISH AND HE TRIED TO EAT THEM AT ANY CHANCE HE COULD GET.

if you only give them fish to feed on, it should be no shock that the eat them with gusto. however you should know that feeding only protein to crays is not only unnatural but unhealthy too. meat has a place in their diet, but the vast bulk should be vegetable matter. i am not putting forward my theory, i am simply relaying facts, even the smallest bit of research will tell you that. it is important on a forum like this to proffer, correct information, people can keep them any way they wish, however suggesting that this is how Crayfish act, by nature, is palpably incorrect. feeding a protein only diet will greatly reduce the lifespan of the Cray. leave it open to bacterial infection, and will, in all probability, cause premature death through failed moults. a life span of 5+ years is not unusual for a "properly" kept Cray. 1-3 being the best most manage in "hobby" aquariums.

i realise that being told the way you keep Crays is, at best, unhealthy. and because of this you paint a totally false picture of the life and habits of the Australian Redclaw. this would not be done if we were talking about a Pleco or, almost, any fish. i see no reason why it should happen with Crayfish. all i have said is common knowledge, amongst those who have done any in depth research on these critters. take a look at the book The Crayfish, by TH Huxley, though written in the 1880, it will say much the same as i do on the diet, and habits of Crayfish, and is accepted, in science now, as it was when it was written.

i have no axe to grind, personally, with anyone on this thread. but painting the Crayfish, especially the Redclaw, as a mindless and ruthless predator. is not only incorrect, but dangerous to those who may use information from this forum, to help them look after their cray. all the information is out there, all that is needed is some effort on research.

 

[The-Wolf]

having done my 'research' by working in the trade and having many customers complain about their fish disappearing after purchasing
a crayfish, and having owned one myself (albeit a different species)
I can say with conviction they are very good predators.
end of discussion.

 

[raptorrex]

having done my 'research' by working in the trade and having many customers complain about their fish disappearing after purchasing
a crayfish, and having owned one myself (albeit a different species)
I can say with conviction they are very good predators.
end of discussion.

indeed they are. however they are not by nature or diet predators. and yes if you just drop Cray into a community tank, you should expect problems. you cant blame the Crayfish for the lack of knowledge, within the hobby. the fact that shops and keepers feed a predominantly vegetarian creature a diet on mainly meat gives testament to the general lack of understanding.