Please Help Identify. Is This A Shrimp, Crayfish Or Lobster?

[obroadie]

Hi Everyone,
 
This is my first post. Today I foolishly, on impulse, bought two gorgeous little things from the guppy seller at our local market here in Thailand. I would normally do some research beforehand but in over 10 year this was the first time I saw them and got excited. My two year old daughter was also persuasive in the purchase. 
 
The seller said they were shrimps and ate the same pellets we feed the guppies and a few other varieties we have. I asked for a male and a female and got a red and vibrant blue one.
 
When I got home and looked them up I found it wasn't that simple. Wiki have them as a definite lobster shape but there are also shrimp with similar claws and a blue crayfish that confused me more. The body is less than 2 inches long from head to tail but I have no way of knowing how old they are. We live in northern Thailand almost 1000klm to the nearest beach so I'm sure they are freshwater. 
 
Please see the attached photos. I hope someone can help. I'd love to be able to give them the best possible care as soon as possible.
 
Cheers
Ollie

 

[the_lock_man]

I can't advise the exact species, but it's a type of crayfish - those claws will shred the fins of any fish that you may also have in the tank. I seriously recommend that if you don't have a tank that they can live on their own in, that you take them back to the seller.

 

[raptorrex]

Hi Everyone,
 
This is my first post. Today I foolishly, on impulse, bought two gorgeous little things from the guppy seller at our local market here in Thailand. I would normally do some research beforehand but in over 10 year this was the first time I saw them and got excited. My two year old daughter was also persuasive in the purchase. 
 
The seller said they were shrimps and ate the same pellets we feed the guppies and a few other varieties we have. I asked for a male and a female and got a red and vibrant blue one.
 
When I got home and looked them up I found it wasn't that simple. Wiki have them as a definite lobster shape but there are also shrimp with similar claws and a blue crayfish that confused me more. The body is less than 2 inches long from head to tail but I have no way of knowing how old they are. We live in northern Thailand almost 1000klm to the nearest beach so I'm sure they are freshwater. 
 
Please see the attached photos. I hope someone can help. I'd love to be able to give them the best possible care as soon as possible.
 
Cheers
Ollie

IMG_1691.JPG

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IMG_1696.JPG

looks like a P Allani to me, its red because it does not ave enough soil and mud to live in.
 
It needs a 10USG tank and should really be kept on its own. mind you through the years its been kept in Malawi setups..
 
Incidentally, crayfish do not hunt fish, they are not even carnivores.

 

[fm1978]

Hi there, welcome to the forum.
 
It looks like it might be a common Cajun Crayfish, the Orange strain of the Cambarellus clarkii species.
 
If it is, it will eat most things, crushed up snails, pieces of fish, but probably prefers your algae pellets. It can grow to about 5" and could make a meal out of some of your wee fishes although it "shouldn't" hunt anything down, as said above. They're not carnivores, no, I believe they're omnivores, though. You can even take them out the tank and hand feed them, if that's your thing! Hehe!
 
That's if it is the Cajun Crayfish, right enough...

 

[obroadie]

Hi Guys,
 
Thanks so much everyone for the replies so far but please keep the opinions and the advice coming. Sounds so far though that they are crayfish. They are in a small tank on their own for now. My Betta is in another tank and the guppies and shoaling fish are in another so no worries there. I will buy them a nice big tank later this week with hiding places and figure out the best filtration and water condition etc.. now that I know they are crayfish. They seem to want to bury a lot so I'll be changing the medium too. Although as you can see from the photos the red one likes to climb the wood and sit near but still under the surface. 
 
Fishaholic, That's good news about the snails by the way because I'm always clearing them out of the other tanks. Nice flag by the way. A'hm originally fae Scotland tae!  
 
Cheers everyone and thanks again.

 

[fm1978]

Haha, nice to see another Scotsman on the forum - how on earth did you get all the way to Thailand?

 

[obroadie]

Haha, nice to see another Scotsman on the forum - how on earth did you get all the way to Thailand?

 
By way of Australia on a visa run to Thailand 12 years ago where I met my now wife and now I do visa runs to Burma. Strange world That was good advice about the snails mate. I took one from another tank, crushed it and dropped it in and before it hit the deck the blue crayfish was all over it. The red one is still on the wood near the surface catching pellets .

 

[fm1978]

Cool, well done you for getting out of here! There's nothing here anymore, so you've done the right thing!
 
Good luck with your crayfish and keep us updated on how they're doing with pics.

 

[the_lock_man]

Haha, nice to see another Scotsman on the forum - how on earth did you get all the way to Thailand?

 
I'm guessing, by plane?

 

[fm1978]

 

Haha, nice to see another Scotsman on the forum - how on earth did you get all the way to Thailand?

 
I'm guessing, by plane?
 

Ah, it's not always right to assume the obvious...he could have been a stowaway on an old fashioned steam ship and when caught, he had to work for his passage by shoveling coal deep in the bowels of the ship...then, and only then was his fare paid in full....

 

[the_lock_man]

 

 


Haha, nice to see another Scotsman on the forum - how on earth did you get all the way to Thailand?

 
I'm guessing, by plane?
 

Ah, it's not always right to assume the obvious...he could have been a stowaway on an old fashioned steam ship and when caught, he had to work for his passage by shoveling coal deep in the bowels of the ship...then, and only then was his fare paid in full....
 


 
He could have been, you are quite correct. Hence why I said "I'm guessing"

 

[fm1978]

 

 


 


Haha, nice to see another Scotsman on the forum - how on earth did you get all the way to Thailand?

 
I'm guessing, by plane?
 

Ah, it's not always right to assume the obvious...he could have been a stowaway on an old fashioned steam ship and when caught, he had to work for his passage by shoveling coal deep in the bowels of the ship...then, and only then was his fare paid in full....
 


 
He could have been, you are quite correct. Hence why I said "I'm guessing"

 


...you got me...