Catemaco Crayfish (Procambarus vasquezae)

Catemaco Crayfish Procambarus vasquezae
Name	Catemaco Crayfish
Name Lat.	Procambarus vasquezae
Synonym	Procambarus vazquezae
Family	Freshwater Crayfish
Family lat.	Cambaridae
Order	Decapoda
Order lat.	Decapoda
Origin	Mexico
Habitat	Lake Catemaco
Diet	Carrion, leaves, crayfish food
pH	6.5-8.0
Behavior	Semi-aggressive
Keeping	Individual, pair, group
Care Level	Moderate
Reproduction	Egg layer
Breeding	Moderately difficult
Life Span	2-5 years
Protection	No
Metric Units
Size	4-6 cm
Temperature	15-25 °C
Hardness	5-20 °dH
Aquarium	50 l
US Units
Size	1.6"-2.4"
Temperature	59-77 °F
Hardness	89-356 ppm
Aquarium	15 gal

Distribution and habitat

The Vasquez crayfish originate from the Laguna de Catemaco (Catemaco Lake) in the state of Veracruz in Mexico. They live mainly in the areas close to the shore, with soft, leafy bottoms, where they usually live under stones.

Maintenance

They need a well structured aquarium with roots, stones and plants, plus caves or crab tubes as hiding places. The substrate should be sand or gravel, partially covered with seaweed or oak leaves.

No ammonia, ammonium and nitrite should be detectable in the aquarium water, the nitrate value should not exceed 100 mg/l. To ensure water quality and oxygen content, a filter and heater adapted to the size of the aquarium is required, as well as lighting for the species-appropriate day-night rhythm of the animals. When choosing the filter, special care should be taken to ensure that the animals cannot be sucked in.

Diet

They feed on animal organisms, carrion and dead plant material. They prefer live food, such as daphnia, artemia and fish, which is also accepted in frozen form, as well as foliage (e.g. oak, beech, maple, birch), food tablets, granulated and flake food. Occasionally, vegetable food in the form of spirulina, kelp or scalded leafy vegetables should be offered.

Regular and varied feeding promotes health and prevents deficiency symptoms. Unaccepted food must be removed after 2-3 hours.

Behaviour and compatibility

They hardly behave aggressively within the species, but also towards other crayfish. Keeping several pairs or groups is only recommended in a much larger and richly structured tank. They can be socialized with shrimps, snails and smaller peaceful fish, but it is better to keep them in a species tank.

Basically, only compatible animals with similar demands on water quality and water temperature should be socialized.

Reproduction and breeding

Males can be identified by the pointed claws and the gonopods (mating styli) on the abdomen of the underside of the body. Males have 3 webbed legs, females 5. During mating, the male turns the female onto her back shortly after her molt and transfers a sperm package with his gonopods. The female carries the eggs (30-80 of them) on her pleopods (webbed feet) and supplies them with oxygen by movement (fanning). Dead or non-developing eggs are eaten by the female. The young hatch after about 4 weeks.

Important

It can happen that a crayfish is missing a claw. Mostly these are females that have lost a claw during mating. The missing claw slowly grows back during the following molts.

The foliage (e.g., sea almond tree or oak), when rotting, promotes the development of microorganisms that provide a valuable secondary food source.

The well-being of the animals should be monitored regularly. Temperature should be checked daily, pH, hardness and nitrate levels at least every 14 days. Regular partial water changes are recommended, even when contaminant levels have not yet reached the upper limit. Sudden changes in water quality should be avoided. Newly introduced animals must be accustomed slowly to the water in the aquarium.

Further literature can be found in your pet store.

References

Text: Barbara Pachner; Image: Franz Lowak

Source: LUKHAUP & PEKNY (2008): Süßwasserkrebse aus aller Welt, Dähne Verlag; ENGELMANN & LANGE (2011): Zootierhaltung - Tiere in menschlicher Obhut: Wirbellose, Verlag Harri Deutsch