Blue Kong Red Claw crayfish - Cherax Alyciae

Blue Kong Red Claw crayfish - Cherax alyciae

The Blue Kong Red Claw crayfish (Cherax alyciae) originates from the waters of New Guinea and impresses with its deep blue body color and striking red claws. With a size of up to 25 cm, it is an impressive addition to medium to large aquaria. Its peaceful behavior and colorfulness make it a popular inhabitant for community tanks.

We offer you the following options when selecting our crayfish:

• Choice of sex: Choose between a male or a female, depending on what you need for your aquarium.
• Pair: One male and one female, ideal for observing natural behavior or starting a breeding.
• Breeding group: Consists of one male and two females, ideal for more effective breeding and interesting social dynamics in the aquarium.

Keeping and care

An aquarium of 100 liters or more is recommended for keeping the Blue Kong Red Claw crayfish. The crayfish is a bottom dweller that prefers sand or fine-grained gravel as substrate, as it likes to dig. Robust hiding places, such as stones and caves, provide retreats, especially during moulting.

Water values and temperature

The ideal water conditions are a temperature of 19 to 25 °C and a pH value between 6.8 and 8.5. The water hardness should be between 8 and 15 °dGH. Regular water changes promote its health and stable growth.

Socialization

Cherax alyciae can be kept with peaceful fish and shrimps as long as they are not bottom dwellers. Due to its peaceful nature, it can be kept in mixed tanks without any problems. However, snails can occasionally be considered as food.

Breeding

Breeding the Blue Kong Red Claw crayfish is possible under the right conditions. After mating, the female carries up to 300 eggs under her abdomen. The young hatch after about 6 to 8 weeks and require an environment with plenty of hiding places to minimize the risk of cannibalism.

Diet

This crayfish is omnivorous and accepts a varied mixture of plant and animal foods. In addition to foliage and vegetables such as spinach and carrots, it also accepts frozen food and special crayfish food tablets. A balanced diet promotes intense coloration and healthy development.