Huge Blue Lobster

Hello. New to the forum. I have a blue lobster and she is 1.5 years old. She just molted and is now 11 inches long from claw to open tail. This is crazy. I never imagined she would grow to this big. She is in a 30 gallon tank but after this last molt I think she is stressed and needs more room. Does anyone else have a blue lobster get this big? She is my absolute favorite "pet" I could watch her for hours but she has lost her spunk and isn't very active since the last molt.

 

HI DawnT and welcome to Fishlore!

I've never heard of an Electric Blue Lobster (Crayfish) getting to 11", that's remarkable.

Max I've personally seen is 6.5" which I thought was huge. I would ABSOLUTELY recommend a 55 gallon upgrade.

 

Welcome to Fishlore
She sounds very impressive, have you some other pics of her? I assume it's her in your avatar

 

I can't seem to upload any pics. It says they are to big. She is crazy big. Before her last molt 1.5 weeks ago she was 9.5 but her tail wasn't out when I measured. She just keeps growing and growing. We joke that we are now raising a dinosaur in the tank. I am in the works of getting a 55 gallon for her. I'm just not sure where to put it. I also have an electric blue and a neon red that I just got a week ago. They are so tiny compared to her but they are the size she was when I brought her home. I wish I could post pictures somehow. I took pics to the store I got her from and they can't believe it.

 

Hi, you can resize pics here picresize.com

 

If it helps, the log she is coming out of in my profile picture, the top of the opening is 4 inches high off the ground rocks. And you can see how high she stands to it. She is massive!!! I just love her!

 

This was before her last molt a little over a week ago. Her tail wasn't all the way open. I hope this picture works.

 

Wow she certainly is a beast, a pretty one at that

 

Gorgeous!!! So jealous!! Hahaha!

 

And these are my 2 new babies. Only about 3 inches.

 

Ok so here in Pennsylvania it gets pretty cold and my tank wasn't reading above 70. I got concerned that my lobsters were not very active so I bought heaters today and did gradual increases to 76 degrees. My lobsters seem very happy and active. My problem now is you all seen the picture of my huge big baby. She is 11 inches claw to tail. She is now trying to rip the heater off of the wall like she does my buried air stone and is clipping at the cords. I'm terrified that her huge claws will snip the cord and electrocute the whole tank. AND she is climbing the cord to try and get out. Now what do I do?? She is worse than a cranky, teething toddler!!!!!

 

I don't think you need a heater for them, I don't have any experience with them in aquarium keeping but from common knowledge about crayfish (what they actually are) they enjoy cool water. I have even been fishing and seen them chilling in the shallows when the water temp was in the 40s. I believe they prefer temps from about 55 to 70F though

 

I have always kept her tank at 70-72 but we hit a cold spell. I just got 2 new babies from the pet store and their tank was 82 degrees which I think is to warm. Also breeding temps are between 74 and 78 degrees.