Blue Crayfish
Procambarus alleni · family Cambaridae
Also: Electric Blue Crayfish, Florida Crayfish
Parameters
- Temperature
- 18–28 °C
- pH
- 7–8.5
- Hardness
- 8–25 °dGH
- Tank volume
- from 100 L
- Maximum size
- up to 13 cm
- Group size
- min 1, ideal 1
- Temperament
- Aggressive
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Lifespan
- 4–6 years
Pros and cons
- Unique electric-blue coloration draws attention
- Long-lived (up to 6 years)
- Solo specimen works fine — needs no company
- Breeds in freshwater
- Very aggressive — eats anything slower (snails, shrimp, sleeping fish)
- Digs up substrate and uproots plants
- Moulting — defenseless during the molt and vulnerable to tankmates
- A jumper — a tight lid is mandatory
Description
A large, bright-blue crayfish. The wild form is greyish-brown — the blue morph is selectively bred. Aggressive and territorial — keep solo, or in a very large tank.
FAQ
- Can two blue crayfish be kept together?
- Only in a 200 L+ tank with at least one hide per animal. Otherwise the dominant male will kill the other. A male and female should be paired only during the breeding season.
AuthorGoldie Editorial
Goldie editorial team
Practising aquarists with a combined 30+ years of experience · Biologists and editors, fact-checking against FishBase and Seriously Fish · Every piece is reviewed by a qualified ichthyologist before publication
Reviewed byGoldie Science Board
Scientific board — ichthyologists and veterinarians
Ichthyologists and veterinarians with university degrees · Reference FishBase, Seriously Fish and peer-reviewed literature · Sign every reviewed article with their credentials shown
Sources
- Wikipedia: Procambarus alleni · Wikipedia · 2026-05-22