Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus Clarkii)

• Common Names: Red Crayfish, Louisiana Red Swamp Crayfish, Clarkii’s.
• Total body length about 3-7".
• Native from the southeastern part of the USA. The Clarkii has been introduced in many warmer parts of the world.
• The Clarkii thrives in swampy conditions and can withstand extreme temperatures and low rates of oxygen. However it is wise for you to maintain a healthy and constant environment for your crayfish.
• These fascinating crustaceans are from the order Decapoda. A decapods body is composed of a series of hard segments called somites. These somites are either fused together, or linked by a flexible joint forming the limbs. They have two sets of jaws in front of the mouth, and have several appendages near the mouth that act as feeding aids, or hands. The limbs usually start with a pair of developed arms with claws. Behind these are 4 pairs of walking legs, and as the claws are classed as legs they total 10, hence Decapoda.
• The males usually have larger claws and more coloration. If you look between the walking legs, you should see their reproductive organs (provided they are old enough). The males have a 'dot and a stripe' which is the sperm duct. The females have 2 'dot's' which appear to have a hole between them... If you do have a pair, the differences will be clear once they are about 3" in length.
  

Male

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Female

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• Crustaceans will replace lost limbs when they moult. Legs will form completely. Claws tend to be smaller the first time round, gradually increasing to their normal size over the next few moults.

Red Crayfish, Louisiana Red Swamp Crayfish Nutrition Facts

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