Reward available!!!

[shrimpypimp]

:rolleyes: ok so i guess im following the newbie pattern of owning lifestock i know nothing about... but seriously i can't figure out what these beauties are?!?

All i know is that they are no longer leagal to sell in the UK. Had them for about a month now (2 males from what i can gather) One is obviously about twice the size & very dominating, and have both coloured up nicley since I've taken them under my wing for a bit of TLC. The largest is around 4" long. They have even started turning quite pinky in places. I've tried to do my best in the photos in terms of doing them justice. Really curious to find out if anyone else out there is as baffled as me!!

50p and a lot of respect to the first person who can identify them correctly.

Let the games begin!


(p.s being a newbie and a girl i can't seem to attach the photos properly, so if they don't work...please please please look on the link for photos.:bs_spam: )

many thanks guys


http://www.faceparty.com/shrimpypimp


http://www.faceparty.com/member/gallery.aspx?pid=6896715&img=22487519


http://www.faceparty.com/member/gallery.aspx?pid=6896715&img=22487681

http://www.faceparty.com/member/gallery.aspx?pid=6896715&img=22487728

[Jose]

Can't see the pictures??

[shrimpypimp]

then use the link

[Jose]

still see no pictures.. I see empty windows. when I click on them I got the message that they must checked first by an administrator..

Jose

[Zapisto]

image pending approuval
:)

[shrimpypimp]

image pending approuval
:)

daaaamn my lack of thought!!! ok well iv posted one pic of oneof them in the gallery!?!?

[Jose]

I have looked at the photo's. It's about the blue lobster?
Did I see it correct and have they got some red spots on their paws?

I think I know what they are if they've got red spots on their front paws.. or how do you call that? scissors?

grtz. Jose

[shrimpypimp]

yes they do have kinda of coppery/reddish markings here and there....but they arnt lobsters. They are definatly shrimp! They deffintaly are a sort of long armed shrimp as they are most commonly called (or Macrobrachium (Palaemonidae)) but i cant for the life of me figure out which sort.

[Jose]

I really have to dissapoint you.. It can't be a shrimp...
You can see that at the claws...

The opening part of the claw is determing if it's a shrimp or a lobster..
With lobsters the opening part is on the inside of the claw, and with a shrimp the opening part of the claw is at the outside of the claw...

I've had the same lobster.. I can show you a picture.. not really a good one, and the color of the lobster is a bit different, but I'm sure it's the same kind...

http://www.kreeftengarnalen.nl/phpBB2/album_pic.php?pic_id=1768


This is a macrobrachium, look at the opening of the claw, it's on the outside
http://i9.tinypic.com/43cnm1y.jpg


This is a picture from www.wirbellose.de. I think this is the one you've got..
Cherax Quadricarinatus, The Australian Red Claw lobster
http://i9.tinypic.com/46zv4t4.jpg


I do not want to prove anything or so, but I want to help you.. Many mistakes are made you know....

Greetings....

Jose

[shrimpypimp]

it! haha oh well at least i have my answer now. thank you so much.
i feel a bit left out of the shrimp world now though :(

[fatboy]

The 2 pictures in your gallery are 100% a red claw crayfish. They look good, very colourful. :)

I'm sure that species is still legal over here, the only legal crayfish you can buy.

[Adam]

Hi Shrimpypimp and welcome.:)

I agree with both Jose's and Fatboy's identification, Cherax Quadricarinatus(red claw crayfish). You shouldn't be able to legally get any other species of crayfish in the UK thanks to our over protective laws. The males of the species are more colourful and develop the characteristic red outer claw.

My brother has had two of these guys and they are fascinating creatures.
Some pointers for you: Ensure that you have adequate filteration, no sponge filters as they will be shredded, these guys are messy feeders and produce a lot of waste. Make sure you have a tight fitting lid as they are escape artists, especially mature males that want to go in search of a mate. No plants will survive with these guys they eat anything, even plastic plants got chewed in my brother's tank. These guys are strong when mature, I used to watch my brother's cray lump peices of rock and slate around the tank. You'll have to choose tank mates carefully as pretty much everything is a potential dinner. I would provide plenty of hiding places for them as they will get more aggressive towards each other as they mature. Lastly these guys get big so I hope you have the tank space, this is why my brother had to part with his last one.

Regards.

Adam

[Jose]

Yep... even the plastic plants dissapeared... :undecided
No rock staid on the same place and the gravel was moving trough the tank whole day.... like bulldozers..

I've seen one of 30 cm big..

Our red claws moved to some one with a special crayfish tank...
The rocks were glued together and sometimes she trows in some goldfishplants so they can eat that...

If I where you I would ask the person where you bought them if you can change them for shrimps.. Lot easyer and lots of fun!!!

Succes!

[newb4ev3r]

If the red claw is growing too big, just cook them. :D They tasted very good. :D
Red claw mostly breed for consumptive purpose in Australia and Indonesia. Like Adam said, it's become too big in no time. In 7-8 months you can have a consumptive size crayfish, weighted around 100-120 gram.

[Adam]

If the red claw is growing too big, just cook them. :D They tasted very good. :D


You can't start eating your pets, before you know it you'll be having deep fried goldfish.:shocked: :joking:

They are indeed produced on mass in the far east for food. An Australian friend of my brother used to threaten to eat his one with butter and lemon, they call them Yabbys by the way.

Adam

[shrimpypimp]

thank you for all the input guys. Been doing alot of research and i think iv got it down anyway. I cant return them as they are just 2 lost unwanted strays. Nobody couldnt handle them and they were about to be puffer fish food! so i took them in (bless em) Yup they WERE extrem;ey agressive, especiay around meal times, but before i had them they had no hiding places and in a small tank. They are still in the small tank but iv set it up now so that they each have their own little home with nooks & crannies to scurry into. They hardly bump into each other now! seem quite happy im glad to say.
As for plants, well yes i wouldnt put any in anyway. I just snip a small branch off from other plants from another tank for a wee treat.

The reason they were unwanted is because they have been eating pretty much every fish anyone else has ever had. But i thought id test it out this week. bought a tiny otco plecky. tiny thing which was really quick.
The smaller crayfish(ex shrimp) didnt seem bothered at all, but within 8 hours the larger one was munchin on it like a pasty :(


2 things confuse me now though....the sex of them. Neither of them have the red "stripe" on the claw, but i cant see any other female characteristics. what else should i be looking for?

and filtration...all they have it a gravel filter/pump which airates more than filters. I tested for nitrite & nitrate this week though and everything is in order. I do a 10%-20% water change once a week. so i must be doing something right. But where ever i go/read everyone has a different opinion on what they need.

As for their streingth adam....oooh yes they are strong! but i like it. its facinating. i finaly have roks now though they they cant POSSIBLY shift. but have left them a few oppertunities to have a play around with smaller ones & ample gravel for them to decorate as they please with.

[Adam]

Hi SP,

I'm glad to hear that you are having fun with the crays like I said they are very interesting creatures. If you decide to keep them you really will need a larger tank. A four foot would be the bare minimum, even then this might be too small.

I think that your two are probably too small to sex by colouration only. The red strip on the outer claw doesn't develop until they are quite a bit bigger, only the males develop this.

If you are feeling brave you can always flip them over and have a look underneath, this will be the most accurate way to sex them. Neither me or my brother were brave enough to do this as these guys have some formidable claws.:embarasse

See attached link for sexing crayfish.

http://www.crayfishworld.com/sexy.htm

With regrds to filteration, it sounds like you're running an undergravel. In the long run this will not work with the crays as they will disturb the gravel bed too much. Your best bet is to either run internal filters or external canisters.

I'll see if I can dig out some pictures of my brother's crays.

Regards.

Adam

[Adam]

Mods,

Now that it has been established that Shrimpypimp has a couple of crays it would be best to move this thread to the freshwater crabs and crayfish forum.

Thanks.

Adam

[shrimpypimp]

so long shrimp people!!

[newb4ev3r]

and filtration...all they have it a gravel filter/pump which airates more than filters. I tested for nitrite & nitrate this week though and everything is in order. I do a 10%-20% water change once a week. so i must be doing something right. But where ever i go/read everyone has a different opinion on what they need.

The crayfish is very-very hardy, any standard filter will do. Even though like Adam said, they will disturb the undergravel filter too much. They love fresh water though, so 20-30% water change a week is good. A lot of aeration is also good for their appetite. Farmer in Indonesia do water change everyday and use lots of aeration.

Be careful to manage any cord/cable, net, plant in your tanks as they are a very skilfull climber. My crayfish once manage to escape the pond, and wondering around in the open air. I found it in my garage and return it to my pond. No biggie, he survive. :D


If you are feeling brave you can always flip them over and have a look underneath, this will be the most accurate way to sex them. Neither me or my brother were brave enough to do this as these guys have some formidable claws.:embarasse
The key is too hold them on their head near to the body. If the claws looks threatening, use fishnet to cover it and then catch them by the head. They will powerless that way.

[shrimpypimp]

I have two girls!

no wonder they bitch fight :rolleyes:

[newb4ev3r]

Once, I introduce a female crayfish to a lonesome male crayfish in a 56L tank. I forgot to give any hide out for the female. The next morning I found the female dead, basically the male kill and eat her. Stupid male.

[shrimpypimp]

ungreatfull sod.

I think you should eat him!:cool:

[shrimpypimp]

They are happy! which makes me happy!
The larger one had a moult today. im thinking the smaller one may do it any time now as well.

yay