White Specter Crayfish

 Quick Care Facts

• Care Level: Easy   • Temperament: Semi-aggressive   • Maximum Size: 6"
• Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons   • Water Conditions: 66-86° F, KH 3-8, pH 6.5-8.0
• Color Forms: White   • Diet: Omnivore   • Origin: Australia
• Family: Parastacidae   • Species: Crayfish   • Aquarium Type: Crayfish

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The White Specter Crayfish is a variant of the Electric Blue Crayfish, which originates from the rivers and streams of Florida and the Florida Keys where it is found living amongst the dense vegetation of the river banks and bottom. The White Specter version of these crayfish are selectively bred from Electric Blue Crayfish, and so they can successfully interbreed with their blue cousins.

These crayfish can live in almost any freshwater aquarium and are among the toughest freshwater invertebrates available within the hobby. They are very active and will actively explore the aquarium and not simply spend all of their time hiding under rocks. They are well known for keeping tanks clean and free of waste, and are especially useful in large aquariums of 30 gallons or more.

Due to their maximum potential size, they should not be kept in aquariums any smaller than 30 gallons. These crayfish can live up to 5 or 6 years old with the proper care. Despite reaching an adult size of about 6 inches, they are actually quite peaceful towards both members of their own species and most fish species as well.

They should be provided a freshwater aquarium of at least 30 gallons in size with plenty of rocks, and a substrate with a moderate grain size, sand or mixed sand and gravel substrate in which it can burrow in. White Specter Crayfish are not overly territorial towards their own kind, but they should be housed within aquariums of at least 30 gallons for a single adult specimen and will require larger aquariums for more than one specimen.

While they are generally peaceful towards fish species and other invertebrates, they will eat fish that are very small and slow enough for the crayfish to catch. Providing the White Specter Crayfish plenty of easy meals consisting of meat based sinking pellets, blanched vegetables or algae wafers will help curb their aggression towards any fish living in the aquarium, as they will go for the easier meal. White Specter Crayfish also tolerate a wide range of aquarium conditions including pH, GH, temperature and water quality and should do well in any reasonable aquarium setup.

As an omnivore, they will readily consume a wide variety of meaty and plant based foodstuffs. They will actively scavenge in the aquarium, eating any foodstuffs that they can find on the aquarium substrate including leftover meaty foods and decaying plant matter.

Their diet should consist of meaty foods that they scavenge from the substrate along with naturally occurring algae growth, and should be supplemented with a quality sinking pellet, flake food and dried algae. Provide direct feeding twice per week to begin with and then adjust feeding frequency based on the overall growth rate of the crayfish.