# Mexican Dwarf Orange Crayfish, Cambarellus patzcuarensis



## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

Tell me about these please. I just bought a pair of them. I have seen a couple articles, but I am looking for firsthand experience on their care. What do they eat? Best water parameters? Ok with soft stem plants & HC? They will be the only critter in the tank. Thank you


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## fishsandwitch (Apr 20, 2008)

CPO is what they are called
hard to breed and they dont allways breed true.
expensive, at more than 50 a pair
should be fine in nuetral water, and fine with shrimps or plants or fish


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## aquagirl (Aug 15, 2007)

waterfaller1 said:


> Tell me about these please. I just bought a pair of them. I have seen a couple articles, but I am looking for firsthand experience on their care. What do they eat? Best water parameters? Ok with soft stem plants & HC? They will be the only critter in the tank. Thank you


Hi Carole,

Southerndesert just purchased a pair within the last month. He has posted some information on these guys and gals at his web site. One thing I did read on CPO was that the babies will eat each other during a molt if they are not given enough hiding places. :eek5:

Best of luck with them!


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## GillyJ (Jun 17, 2008)

crayfish are nice looking. Where do you get them?


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## thief (Jan 12, 2008)

aquagirl said:


> Hi Carole,
> 
> Southerndesert just purchased a pair within the last month. He has posted some information on these guys and gals at his web site. One thing I did read on CPO was that the babies will eat each other during a molt if they are not given enough hiding places. :eek5:
> 
> Best of luck with them!


 Cannibalism is quite normal for Most Crayfish. Marbles are peaceful though as they clone themselves. Also Cherax Sp. And there young are pretty peaceful too.

Here's a great web site for you guys:

www.bluecrayfish.com/forum/index.php


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## Natty (Apr 2, 2008)

aquagirl said:


> One thing I did read on CPO was that the babies will eat each other during a molt if they are not given enough hiding places.


 
I think this applies to most crayfish species, even the larger variety. That's why it's highly recommended to supply them with a good amount of hiding places due to this. However, they're not completely helpless during molts, they can still flick their tails during a molt to move somewhere else, I've seen it.

Dwarf species act pretty much the same as the normal ones, however, their size effects their potential if you know what I mean....

So:

1. Hiding places
2. Unlike dwarf shrimps, you cannot crowd them together, they aren't exactly communal towards each other or similar size creatures. They fight a lot.
3. I would say they require more food than dwarf shrimps. From my experience, they seem to wonder around and become slightly more aggressive if there's no immediate food at hand when they're hungry.

If you don't feed them enough they will probably go after snails and nibble a bit on your plants. Like I said though, due to their size, their potential is actually much less, that's why its not a big concern.


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## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

Lots of great answers and info everyone. I do appreciate it.


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## MOsborne05 (Jan 7, 2007)

Congrats! I have what I thought was a pair, but now I think it is two females. Either way, I've got a male coming next week for them 

I keep mine in a 10 gallon with lava rocks that provide lots of hiding places, moss and guppy grass. They seem to love climbing around in the guppy grass. I feed them shrimp pellets and crab & lobster bites, and I have found some empty ramshorn snail shells in the tank, so I believe they are snail-eaters. For the most part, they get along really well and only squabble occasionally over food. 

Good luck with them! I think they are awesome little guys 

Edited to add: This is some of the best info that I have found on them, but there isn't really alot of info on them because not too many people have them. http://www.petshrimp.com/discussions/viewforum.php?f=3&sid=ab2b2b43a7cc355e1cbdc97f43dad2dd


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## dhavoc (May 4, 2006)

i have several and they are breeding regularly now. i keep them in a 10g with alot of driftwood and plants plus ceramic pots (the cheap orange orchid type). they are climbers and pretty spunky little guys. if you want to breed them and have most of the offspring survive, you need to remove the berried females to a breeder tank or net, and remove the female as soon as she drops the hatching fry (they are food for her if she catches them). move the fry to another tank or provide alot of moss/plants and hiding places while they grow. cpo's are like any other cray and are opportunistic feeders. keep them well fed to minimize the cannibalistic urges. havent seen one munch on a plant yet (my c. shulfeldti's either) but i dont doubt they would if hungry. they do breed true for the most part, unlike the blue morph available occasionally from germany.


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## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

Very cool. I am looking forward to getting them. I wanted something interesting for this tank. Thanks for the replies.


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## southerndesert (Sep 9, 2007)

I have 6 in a 15 tall with Lava Roch and a half dozen caves. They do not bother plants or each other for that matter other than some mock fighting over the caves if one intrudes. They will be moved to a 60 gallon soon....

I have not bred them yet and Darrin your info was very welcome. I was hoping the lava rock would supply hiding spots in the large tank, but perhaps I will follow your advise to assure a higher survival rate. How long does the female carry the eggs before they hatch in your experience?

Cheers, Bill


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## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

Hi Bill,
I was going to make my way over and give you a congrats at your site today. Good luck with them. Any pics? Did you get yours from Heather?


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## MOsborne05 (Jan 7, 2007)

A guy on another forum used straws for his blue cray babies. Basically, he just grabbed a handful of straws and tied them together in the middle, that way both of the ends were open. It was a quick easy way to provide lots of hiding spots for the babies, and the adults aren't able to get to them. I thought it was a pretty good idea, and I might try it if I get a batch of babies. Here is the link http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/breeding/42633-jericho-jerricas-journey-19.html


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## southerndesert (Sep 9, 2007)

waterfaller1 said:


> Hi Bill,
> I was going to make my way over and give you a congrats at your site today. Good luck with them. Any pics? Did you get yours from Heather?


Thank you Carole! I got a pair from Heather and 4 from Jason (shrimp-n-it)

They are some of the coolest inverts ever! Though more peaceful than most Crays I have had experience with.












Cheers, Bill


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## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

Haha..killer pic! I have dealt with Heather several times, her invert food is a favorite with my shrimp. They prefer it over just about anything. I have also dealt with Jason, I got my blue pearls from him.
It's a small invert world...


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## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

here's my little set up



















aragonite sand box and hiding place~I want to cover it with fissidens


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## deleted_user_16 (Jan 20, 2008)

aw dang, shoulda told me earlier, i had some fissidens, sold it already


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## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

They're here!:icon_bigg

first glimpse


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

So where are the pics, then? 

Carole, where did you get that clay cave?


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## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

I will get some more pics later..these guys are exploring all over the place..heheh..so cool.
I ordered one cave, and received four Laura! I will get the link later and pm it to you.


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## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

Here is another cool cave I have..from a different artist
goby cave


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## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

boy










girl









wish I was a great photographer..lol


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## NeonShrimp (Mar 9, 2006)

Great thread Carole, please post an update


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## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

Thank you so much,Richard{am I right..oops}
I need to take some new ones. The female has started hanging out in the cave this last week. I took out a bunch of the stems, and added a couple tiny crypts and some guppy grass. It doesn't look as 'busy'. I named them after tanks from World War II..they remind me of tanks for some reason. They Are Sherman, and Atomic Annie.:icon_mrgr


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## theemon (May 22, 2008)

i wouldnt mind getting a pair myself, i breed blue crayfish(P. alleni) and if you need any general info about crays im here, ive never had the dwarf orange ones, but id like some


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## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

theemon said:


> i wouldnt mind getting a pair myself, i breed blue crayfish(P. alleni) and if you need any general info about crays im here, ive never had the dwarf orange ones, but id like some


I would love some info.


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## rich_one (Dec 2, 2007)

I am SO fascinated with this cray... one day... one day... lol...


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## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

Wow..three years ago. I am getting one this week...wish me luck.:smile:


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## ucdchan (Mar 12, 2009)

Actually they're pretty easy to breed and they DO breed true all the time.
And price has came down to around $20 a pair: CPO Crayfish

As for water, I would recommend PH of around 7.5 and temperature at 70 degrees. They are shrimp and plant friendly for the most part, but they will not say no to easy meals if there are injured shrimps nearby :hihi:. Their claws are pretty small so it's pretty rare that they can catch a healthy shrimp.



fishsandwitch said:


> CPO is what they are called
> hard to breed and they dont allways breed true.
> expensive, at more than 50 a pair
> should be fine in nuetral water, and fine with shrimps or plants or fish


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## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

I purchased my last one for cheap, the price has come down. But she was not very orange at all. I have given up keeping shrimp or fw inverts,other than nerite snails. I just don't seem to be able to keep them long term.:icon_frow


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

Nearly a year later, I'm looking for one now....how long do these guys live in captivity?


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## CherokeeNative (Dec 3, 2012)

4 months later. I had two I ordered from *EDIT*...one died right away and the other is hanging in there but isn't "right." He lays on his back sometimes and I think he is dead but then the next thing I know, he is up on a tall lava rock -both of his pincers are damaged - one is just a pointer and the other doesnt open and close.

I just received 3 more from *EDIT* and they are much healthier and raring to go. I have them currently in a HOB breeder box separated in individual sections while they acclimate - one molted during shipment so I want to wait to put them in the tank until I am sure the one has had time to "harden." 

I intend to take the not "right" one and put him in the HOB breeder box until he molts and hopefully his pincers will come in new. So, I am waiting on him to come out and do one of his "lay on his back" things so I can catch him and then drop in the new three.

I am curious what water perimeters these guys need. Are there supplements that need to be added to the water to help their molting and exskeleton? I feed them HBH Crab and Lobster bits that is made especially for crustations. Anyone have any additional information they would like to throw my way would be fabulous.


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## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

I never had luck. I hope yours do well for you.


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