Crayfish Breeding Questions

[greensparrow]

I was hoping I could get a couple of questions answered. I have been searching on the web and have come up with a lot of information, but I had a couple of questions, I couldn't find the answer to. I have heard that crayfish are territorial and should not have more than one in a tank unless you have a large enough tank. Well previously I had a blue crayfish male and female in separate tanks. I decided to put the female in with the male and they seem to mate several times over a course of four hours. I then put her back into her previous tank so they wouldn’t attack each other (new to crayfish). I was told on another forum to try and put her in for longer period of time. They mated a couple more times. Now they both are still in the tank, but they are hiding in a small rock cave. I cannot see in there too well, but they both are in there and don't come out a lot unless I put some food in front of the rock cave. When I do this one of them will come out and pick up the food and go right back into the cave. Is it normal for them to be in the same cave together? Other than mating they always seem to snap at each other when coming into close contact before. When mating do they normally stay close to each other? I am trying to figure out if I need to remove her. He doesn't appear to be harming her in anyway, but wanted to make sure before I remove. I don't want to stress her out if she is holding. She did come out briefly last night and she had her tail curled up, but when I went to see if there were any eggs, she scooted back into her cave. Thanks!

 

[carpenter547]

crawdads are crawdads let them be . you want them to mate that is cool and all but, do you have room to raise the young? do you have tanks available for them either in other peoples houses or yours or lfs? do you have a fish that will eat the unhomeable young?

crawdads are armored and can regrow arms legs antenna etc. don't worry about them hurting each other too much if you see them starting to fight then seperate them. move which ever one is not carring eggs. so the egg carring one isn't overly stressed.

crawdads are the most ill tempered distructive animals i have ever come across but that varies with each one. i have heard tail of people keeping as many as 5 in a 10 gallon tank with little to no fighting. i doubt it was good for them but it was what it was.

i am going to sound like a hypocrite given my stance on breeding is go for it but that go for it presupposes your offspring enhance the breed maintain the breed or are never released to the general public or go to feeder material. but if you aren't set up to maintain possibly 30 crawdads you shouldn't be breeding them atm.

 

[greensparrow]

Well I have two tanks (125 gallon and 60 gallon). They both are currently in 125 gallon tank with 6 juvie msobo's. My 60 gallon tank has 4 yellow lab cichlids. I can easily transfer them to the 60 gallon tank and put the yellow labs in the 125 gallon tank. I am prepared for it. I also have another 130 gallon tank that is empty right now. I don't believe room will be a problem, but wanted to get information on how they act when mating.

Does the male crayfish normally stay near by when the female is holding?

Should I separate them?

They are both shacked up in the same cave.. Is this normal?

I just assumed from previously reading that they do not do well together and I want to make sure he doesn't attack her. He seems like he is protecting her kind of like a male yellow lab cichlid does with with my holding female. Again is this normal behavior? Thanks!