Cambarellus- small freshwater Dwarf Crayfish

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    Dwarf Crayfish (Cambarellus Genus)

    Cambarellus is a genus of small freshwater Dwarf Crayfish that belongs to the family Cambaridae. These crayfish are commonly known as “dwarf crayfish” due to their small size. They are native to North America and are found in streams, rivers, and lakes throughout the southern United States and Mexico.

    There are many species of Cambarellus, and they come in a variety of colors, including brown, green, blue, and red. Dwarf crayfish are hardy and adaptable creatures that can live in a wide range of environments. They are a good choice for aquarists of all skill levels looking to add some unique personality to their tank.

    Dwarf crayfish are omnivorous and will eat a variety of foods, including algae, plant matter, small invertebrates, and fish food. They are generally peaceful creatures, but they can become territorial during breeding season. Therefore, it is recommended to keep them in a species-only tank or with other peaceful fish and invertebrates.

    The lifespan of Dwarf Crayfish isn’t very long. They usually live for 1.5 to 3 years.

    Cambarellus lesliei

    Scientific classification

    Kingdom: Animalia
    Phylum: Arthropoda
    Subphylum: Crustacea
    Class: Malacostraca
    Order: Decapoda
    Suborder: Pleocyemata
    Family: Cambaridae
    Genus: Cambarellus
    Ortmann, 1905

    Type species
    Cambarus montezumae
    de Saussure, 1857

    Cambarellus is a genus of small freshwater crayfish in the family Cambaridae. The 19 species are found in Mexico (subgenus Cambarellus) and the Gulf States of the United States (subgenus Pandicambarus). Among the Mexican species, C. areolatus, C. patzcuarensis, and C. prolixus are considered seriously threatened by the IUCN, and C. alvarezi is already extinct. C. chihuahuae was also believed to be extinct until rediscovered in 2012. C. alvarezi and four undescribed, extinct Cambarellus species were restricted to desert spring systems in southwestern Nuevo León; each one shared its habitat with a Cyprinodon pupfish (these are also fully extinct or extinct in the wild).

    An orange form of C. patzcuarensis is regularly seen in the freshwater aquarium trade.

    Cambarellus patzcuarensis var. “Orange” is common in the aquarium trade, but it is rare in the wild where the species typically is dull gray-brown
    Cambarellus shufeldtii, a relatively widespread species from the United States

    Species

    The genus contains the following species:

    Subgenus Cambarellus (Cambarellus)

    †Cambarellus alvarezi (Villalobos, 1952)
    Cambarellus areolatus (Faxon, 1885)
    Cambarellus chapalanus (Faxon, 1898)
    Cambarellus chihuahuae (Hobbs, 1980)
    Cambarellus montezumae (de Saussure, 1857)
    Cambarellus occidentalis (Faxon, 1898)
    Cambarellus patzcuarensis (Villalobos, 1943)
    Cambarellus prolixus (Villalobos-Figueroa & Hobbs, 1981)
    Cambarellus zacapuensis (Pedraza-Lara & Doadrio, 2015)
    Cambarellus zempoalensis (Villalobos, 1943)

    Subgenus Pandicambarus

    Cambarellus blacki (Hobbs, 1980)
    Cambarellus diminutus (Hobbs, 1945)
    Cambarellus lesliei (Fitzpatrick & Laning, 1976)
    Cambarellus ninae (Hobbs, 1950)
    Cambarellus puer (Hobbs, 1945)
    Cambarellus rotatus (Schuster & Kendrick, 2017)
    Cambarus schmitti (Hobbs, 1942)
    Cambarellus shufeldtii (Faxon, 1884)
    Cambarellus texanus (Albaugh & Black, 1973)

    Cambarellus diminutus

    Cambarellus diminutus

    Cambarellus diminutus is a species of crayfish in the family Cambaridae. It is endemic to the United States. It is native to Mississippi and Alabama, and is listed as Data Deficient on the IUCN Red List.

    The Cambarellus diminutus, known as the Least Dwarf Crayfish, is in the subgenus Pandicambarus of the genus Cambarellus, this animal is typically 1–2 cm in size and an omnivore that typically feeds on anything but should be fed a diet of sinking pellet. The Least Dwarf Crayfish is a freshwater animal that can be found from Mississippi, Alabama, and southern Illinois and adaptable to slight changes in water condition, and capable of year-round breeding

     

     

    Caresheet: Dwarf Crayfish-Cambarellus Genus

     

    Dwarf crayfish are small cousins of big crayfish species like the blue Procambarus alleni. Unlike most other crayfish they are peaceful and suitable for some types of community tanks. They belong to the genus Cambarellus, which contains quite a few different species, all with similar requirements. The most commonly known and kept orange CPO (orange dwarf crayfish) is one of them.

    Keep reading for everything you need to know about dwarf crayfish and keeping them in your own aquarium!

    Minimum tank size: 8 gal (30 L)

    Temperament: Fairly peaceful

    Diet: Omnivore

    Temperature: Room temperature

    pH : 6.5-8

    Length : 2″/5 cm

    Name:

    Cambarellus genus of dwarf crayfish, containing:
    Cambarellus patzcuarensis Orange (CPO/orange dwarf crayfish/Mexican dwarf crayfish),

     Cambarellus shufeldtii (Cajun dwarf crayfish),

     Cambarellus montezumae, Cambarellus ninae, etc.

    Dwarf crayfish natural habitat:

    Dwarf crayfish are mainly found in Mexico and southern parts of the USA. Their primary habitat consists of lakes, small streams and slow-flowing rivers.

    Dwarf cray fish appearance:

    Dwarf crayfish are freshwater crustaceans that look somewhat like a tiny version of lobsters. Most wild varieties have a brown-greyish color with darker stripes that allows them to blend in with the environment. A slight hint of blue or orange is also sometimes seen, but is usually limited to the pincers. Females will sometimes carry eggs between their back legs.

    Several varieties of Cambarellus have been selectively bred for color. Cambarellus patzcuarensis ‘Orange’ (orange dwarf crayfish), for example, features bright orange coloration. Cambarellus texanus ‘Blue’, on the other hand, is appreciated for its splotchy but bright blue carapace.

    If you find a strange, empty crayfish-shaped shell in your aquarium there is no need to worry. Your dwarf crayfish hasn’t died, it has molted!

    Dwarf crayfish requirements:

    Dwarf crayfish are relatively undemanding when it comes to tank size and water values. Couples/trios of almost all of them do fine in a tank of at least around 15.5″/40cm. Trios of the smallest types, like Cambarellus shufeldtii (Cajun dwarf crayfish), can even be kept in 12″/30cm aquariums as long as there are multiple hiding places for every one of them.

    Heavy filtration isn’t necessary, but at least a small filter is required to allow the tank to cycle and remove particles. Never introduce dwarf crayfish into an uncycled aquarium! They don’t react well to nitrites and ammonia. For more information on how to cycle an aquarium, check out this article.

    Dwarf crayfish love to hide, so lots of hiding spots are definitely necessary to prevent stress and territorial battles. Plants, wood and piles of rocks are all great options and they will especially love a shrimp flat. Hides are extra important when a crayfish has just molted, as it will be very vulnerable for the first few hours.

    Dwarf crayfish tankmates:

    When it comes tank mates, dwarf crayfish don’t limit your options like their bigger cousins do. They are quite peaceful and not really known to kill fish at all. This makes them safe to keep with pretty much any community species that aren’t large enough to have an appetite for small crustaceans.

    Small snails, baby shrimp and bamboo shrimp may be damaged by dwarf crayfish, but apart from that they’re usually harmless and will fit into most community tanks that don’t contain larger, hungry fish.

    Due to their size, dwarf crayfish make a great option for nano aquariums. Tanks between 5-10 gallons don’t give you many options when it comes to stocking, as most fish simply grow too large. If you still want plenty of activity in your small aquarium, the genus Cambarellus makes the perfect choice.

    Dwarf crayfish diet:

    These crayfish are omnivores and will eat pretty much anything. I feed mine Hikari Crab Cuisine as a staple, along with all kinds of other foods.

    Frozen blood worms/black mosquito larvae, pieces of algae pellet, peas, and even homemade gel foods will all be appreciated. Their varied diet makes dwarf crays a great addition to your aquarium cleaning crew.

    In order to provide your dwarf crayfish with a constant source of snacking you can consider adding any kind of leaf litter. Not only are these dried leaves beneficial to your water quality: crayfish will also eat them when they start breaking down. You can read more about Indian almond leaves here. All kinds of leaf litter will work, though.

    Dwarf crayfish behavior:

    If you’re interested in keeping shrimp but think they’re a bit too boring for you, you might want to consider one of the many dwarf crayfish species. They show much more personality towards each other and even towards you. They can often be observed carefully approaching each other and suddenly making a huge jump backwards when one of them gets too close.

    When you approach the aquarium, you’ll often see them running towards you, pincers raised, ready to defend their territory – seemingly forgetting how small they are. Quite adorable!

    Breeding dwarf crayfish:

    Breeding dwarf crayfish is not too difficult and actually quite similar to breeding dwarf shrimp. After the mating process, eggs will develop under the female’s back legs (swimmerettes). You’ll see her carefully tending to these throughout the ‘pregnancy’, waving water over them and occasionally even cleaning them.

    If the eggs are dark colored, they are fertilized and will hatch into tiny copies of the parents in around 3-4 weeks. The fry will stay with the mother for a short while (up to a few days), still hiding between the swimmerettes. After this they slowly venture out into the world.

    The fry will eat leftover food, rotting plant bits and, occasionally, each other. Be sure to provide extra hiding places for a high survival rate. Don’t worry if you don’t see any of them for the first few weeks. I often suspected all my baby crays had died until suddenly a few surviving juveniles emerged from their hides!

    Breeding Cambarellus is relatively easy, and they can reproduce quickly under the right conditions. Cambarellus crayfish are sexually dimorphic, with males having larger claws and a more elongated body than females. To breed Cambarellus, it is recommended to keep them in a species-only tank or with other peaceful fish and invertebrates.

    Cambarellus crayfish are egg-layers, and the female will carry the eggs under her tail until they hatch. The eggs will hatch in about 2-4 weeks, and the young will stay with the mother for a few more days until they are ready to venture out on their own.

    It is essential to provide the Cambarellus with a suitable environment for breeding. They prefer slightly alkaline water with a pH of 7.0-8.0 and a temperature between 68-75°F. Provide plenty of hiding places for the females to feel safe while carrying the eggs.

    In conclusion, Cambarellus breeding is relatively easy, and they can reproduce quickly under the right conditions. Providing a suitable environment and plenty of hiding places for the females to feel safe while carrying the eggs is essential for successful breeding.

    Buying dwarf crayfish:

    When buying dwarf crayfish, look for healthy specimens with bright colors that appear active. Missing legs can regrow with the next molt and are not a huge problem. You can buy orange dwarf crayfish (CPO) online here!


    I’d definitely recommend dwarf crayfish to anyone who’s looking for a new, fun aquarium challenge. They don’t require large tanks or very specific care and won’t destroy plants, which makes them a great choice for beginners and more experienced aquarists alike.

     

     

    References

    wikipedia.org
    aquariadise.com

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