Creature Companion - Interzoo Special September 2019 | Page 30

Aqua
CRAYFISH
KEEPING AT HOME
By Rajiv Sharma*
T
he Crayfi sh is a crustacean of the
order Decapods. All the members
of Decapods have fi ve pairs of
legs. Th ey are invertebrates and don’t have
a backbone or spinal cord. Th e Decapods
order also includes lobsters, shrimps etc.
Crayfi sh are also known by diff erent names
such as crawfi sh, crawdads and freshwater
lobsters. All crayfi sh species are related to
three families - Astacoidea, Cambaridae
and Parastacidae. Th ese three families are
composed of more than 600 animals.
C
rayfi sh make for an interesting pet.
Th ey are very easy to care for and
have a lifespan of upto 2-3 years.
Th ey are omnivores and can eat anything
including small fi shes, decaying plants and
animals. Adding any slow moving fi sh to
the aquarium can off er an easy dinner for
the crayfi sh. It is best to keep crayfi sh in a
species only aquarium.
In the wild, crayfi sh live near the riverbeds
and hide between the rocks and plants.
Th ey always like to hide themselves from
predators. Th ey also like circulating water
bodies such as rivers and tributaries.
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Creature Companion | September 2019 • Vol. XII • Issue 9 • Noida
A Crayfi sh setup with plants.