I’ve had pet crayfish for three years now, an electric blue crayfish and a white specter, to be specific. Pet crayfish are both fun to keep and easy to have as pets.
Below are 6 reasons why pet crayfish make such awesome pets.
1. They Can Live in Dirty Water
Unlike many fish that you might have as pets in a fish tank. Crayfish can live in rough conditions.
Now, I’m not suggesting you keep a nasty tank, I’m just saying that crayfish are easier pets to keep because they aren’t so sensitive to the condition of the water in the fish tank.
Penn State says on their website,
Crayfish are extremely hardy animals that can tolerate wide ranges of water temperatures and salinities. They can even survive the drying up and loss of their streams and ponds.
So, knowing this about crayfish might make them a good choice for kids wanting that first pet.
2. They are Fun to Watch
Seriously, pet crayfish are pretty fun to watch.
If you do have other fish, make sure you get the right tank mates for your crayfish, it’s fun watching them interact with and chase the other fish.
Now, if you don’t get the right tank mates for your pet crayfish, well um, one morning you might be missing a fish, or two. Yeah, sorry, but crayfish really like to eat anything they can get their claws on.
3. Pet Crayfish and Their Colors
The different colors of crayfish are amazing. Again, I’ve had a white crayfish (white specter crayfish) and a couple of electric blue crayfish.
However, there are also crayfish that are orange in color (dwarf orange crayfish,) red and white, and more.
4. They Eat Themselves
Okay, your pet crayfish won’t really eat itself exactly. However, as they grow, they will shed their exoskeleton or “molt.” And when they molt, they will then eat their exoskeleton. This, in turn, helps them take in calcium needed to strengthen their new exoskeleton.
As a note, crayfish are most vulnerable right after they molt. For this reason, it’s good to have them a “hideout,” or simply a place to hide from other fish in your fish tank.
You can either buy a hideout in a pet store or simply make one out of a piece of PVC pipe. Heck, crayfish aren’t too picky.
5. You Can Scare Your Significant Other with Them
Although this isn’t exactly recommended for everyone, you can take your pet crayfish out of the tank and place it in front of your significant other’s face while they are sleeping. Then simply wake your sleeping beauty and watch the reaction.
An independent study conducted by me found this to be fun in almost all cases.
6. Feeding is So Easy
Crayfish are omnivores. These little guys like to eat any and everything.
Having said that, you don’t have to be so picky about what you feed them. I simply feed mine algae wafers most of the time. However, you can feed them frozen peas, carrots, etc.