# dwarf blue crayfish



## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Saw some at AK today. Says they are Cherax destructor, but when I looked those up, they become quite large. Aussie yabbies is what they are.

But Daniel said these are as big as they'll get, they're the same size as the orange CPO, but blue. Anybody know what they might be ? They cannot be C. destructor and be dwarfs, far as I can see from online info.

If they stay this size, they'd look amazing with CPOs in a tank. But there is a tiny bit of info online suggesting that CPOs may also come in a blue strain, which may or may not retain it's colour over time. 

Looking at them in the store tank, they look exactly like a CPO, other than the very pretty blue colour. 

If they are the same species as CPO, then keeping them together would surely be a bad idea, as likely they'd interbreed and go back to the wild colour, like shrimp, wouldn't they ?

Any info appreciated. Hate to spend the money only to have a ten inch monster cray in a year or two.


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## bettaforu (Sep 6, 2009)

Only blue dwarf species that I know about is Camberellus Shufeldti It is usually a brownish grey color and smaller than CPO by about 1/3rd. 

The ones I brought in from the US were bred specifically for the blue coloration, and the babies were blue/blue grey. I brought in 2 pairs and
ended up with about 50+ of them. They can live happily together, whereas the CPOs are territorial and need more space each.

If the cray is more than an inch long its probably not a dwarf species. 

Ive never heard of any other blue crays that stay small.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Hmmm. Guess I'm not getting any of these guys. Though someone at the BBQ, sorry I have forgotten the name just now, said C. shufeldti gets a bit bigger than CPO ?

Those I saw at AK for now, could easily be mistaken for CPO. Just a pretty blue colour.. so now I don't know what to think other than I won't be getting any because I do not want large crays of any colour.


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## bettaforu (Sep 6, 2009)

Nope C.Shufeldti are the smallest of the dwarf crays....don't get as big as CPOs. I brought the only blue ones into Ontario just over a year ago, no one had these until then. They never got more than about 3/4 inch in length.

I think the other person may be mistaking shufeldti with marble crayfish which do get bigger than CPOs and are considered one of the dwarf species...they can have a blue spotted body too, so could be that is what they are.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

I'll have to see if I can get some pics of them so you can see what they look like. But the label C. destructor, well, if it's right, these are tiny babies what will eventually grow to ten inches or more.

If it's incorrect, then I'd sure love to know what they really are.


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## bettaforu (Sep 6, 2009)

Cherax destructor aka c.destructor grows to approx. 12 inch length. It is called a Yabby, and is found in Australian waters....not something you want in a fish tank....maybe on your plate


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