Crayfish about to molt or sick?

I have a blue crayfish. We've had him about 16 months. About a month ago we made a 4 hour move to a new home. He was transported in the aquarium that we left about a gallon of water in for him. For about 3 months now he's been acting strange. And I thought he was going to molt at any time. He is now in a 10 gallon tank with 4 fish (1 purple tetra, 2 barbs, and a silver tetra.) he's been digging in the gravel a lot and keeps his tail tucked under. This morning I noticed a white ball looking thing on his side by his tail. Is he close to molting? I feel bad because my kids keep asking what's wrong with him and tapping the tank to make him move.

 

I would tell the kids to stop tapping the tank because it will make him nervous. Other than that I have no advice as I have never kept one. I love to look at them in the pet store and would love to have one but then again I am too old. Hope he is okay. I will keep my fingers crossed. Alison

 

Strange new info. My crayfish apparently has a bunch of eggs. I'm guessing he is actually a she. I'm trying to get a pic to post.

I told the kids (2&4) that they scare him when they do that, now the oldest is standing by the tank apologizing for scaring Blu.

Can an I post pics from an iPad?

 

I post pics from my iPhone all the time, so I think it should work with an iPad

 

This is Blu. How long til I know if the eggs will hatch?

 

 

I can't say how long it'll take for them to hatch unfortunately... But I must say your crayfish is very pretty

 

Thank you. She started out tiny, but now she's not so tiny. She was a replacement after my first crayfish decided to escape and dies in my kitchen floor. I moved her to a location by herself because the fish kept crowding her.

 

When I first got her Sept 2012

 

D'aww, how cute!

 

Will the iodine be ok for my other fish when I put it in the tank for my cray? I have 2 rosy barbs, a purple tetra, and a white skirt tetra in there with her.

 

Blu was depressed and stressed in her new holding tank, she dropped most of her eggs and ate them. So I cleaned everything in the main fish tank and put her back in there. She is a lot more comfortable and active in there. We got her a new hiding spot as she outgrew the original one. We thought she liked it, but she isn't happy that she can't move it very well. So this morning she turned it over.

 

Hello Kara N Harley,

A 10 gallon for a blue cray is a little on the small side. They need moving space, I'll recommend a 30 gallon minimum for cray's. The Iodine you asked about in Post #11, it will be fine to add with your other fish. Just don't over dose or add it on a too regular basis. I've added 10ml for 60 litres (16gallon) with each second water change I did.

 

Thank you. When we originally got the tank, it was meant for our son to keep a few tetras, not for a cray. But my husband found a wild one that was injured and had a gash on his side so he brought it home. We successfully saved that cray until he escaped the tank while we were out to dinner and he died. Being pregnant and very emotional I cried for 2 days over Mr Pinchy dying so my husband got me the blue one. We will be upgrading tanks soon and keeping the 10 gal for if we end up with babies, fish or Crays. Honestly the 10 gal is bigger than what they had her in at the store he got her from.

 

Just a question as I don't know much about crayfish, but wouldn't the eggs be unfertile if she is by herself? Also there is a guy that posts his cray under Seymores antics and he gave him a golfball as a joke but the crayfish loves it. Maybe give yours a toy that she can move and play with. If you haven't already look up that post, it is hilarious. Alison

 

Some red claws are pathogenic (asexual) I had to do a lot of researching to find out. Yes I have read Seymor's Antics by crayfish king. We haven't given her a ball to play with, but she loves moving her fake plants, and lately she has discovered the joy of throwing her rocks. She also enjoys climbing on her root cave and jumping off trying to land on the fish. It's funny to watch. Yesterday she spent the day chasing the fish away from her spinach, she's not big on sharing her leafy greens.