Tag Archives: crayfish

Cherax snowden “Irianto Red” and Cherax holthuisi

15. July 2019

These intensively colored crayfish originate from Papua New Guinea, where they are found on the Vogelkop Peninsula. „Irianto Red” is a colour variant of the Cherax snowden, which was only scientifically described in 2015, while Cherax holthuisi already received its scientific name in 2006; before that, C. holthuisi was known as “apricot crayfish“, while C. snowden was known in the hobby as Cherax sp. “Orange Tip” before its scientific description. Pictures of the “normal” colored C. snowden can be found here: https://www.aquariumglaser.de/fischarchiv/31-krebse-garnelen-krabben-muscheln-schnecken/cherax_sp_orange_tip_en/

Both species occur in nature in the neighbourhood, but are ecologically differently positioned, since C. holthuisi is rather living underground. Therefore the two crayfish species live – scientifically expressed – sympatrically (i.e. in the same occurrence area) but not syntopically (i.e. in the same biotope). We receive both species mostly mixed as wild catches, because they really look extraordinarily similar. The easiest way to distinguish them is by eye size, the eyes of C. holthuisi are much smaller than those of C. snowden. 

The bright orange colouring of C. snowden “Irianto Red” is – as far as we know – pure in offspring. However, when putting together breeding pairs you have to be careful not to put together mixed pairs (snowden/holthuisi), in the aquarium Cherax species can hybridize with each other. Cherax holthuisi is quite colour-variable, besides the orange ones there are also grey, whitish, yellow or bluish individuals.

For our customers: C. snowden “Irianto Red” has code 481490, C. holthuisi code 483052 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Cherax alyciae “Blue Kong”

18. March 2019

This crayfish was regarded as a particularly pretty variant of the zebra-lobster (Cherax peknyi) until recently and was called “Blue Kong” in the trade melodiously. Chris Lukhaup, Rury Eprilurahman and Thomas von Rintelen described it scientifically as Cherax alyciae in June 2018. We have just received these very attractive animals as wild catches from Indonesia.

Cherax alyciae is an almost ideal aquarium crayfish, as it is easy to keep and breed and, unlike many other crayfish, usually leaves the fish alone. However, it attacks aquatic plants and often digs them up during its expeditions through the aquarium. Therefore, only robust species are suitable here, ideally those that can be tied to stones and roots. The crayfish’s main food consists of dead leaves, of which there should always be enough in the aquarium.

For our customers. the animals have code 483028 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & phptos: Frank Schäfer

Cherax sp. Blue Moon Black Body / Black Scorpion Blue Leg

7. November 2018

The variety of colours of the crayfish on New Guinea is really amazing. In the trade it is often problematic to assign the import animals exactly to any species, because the colouring is also very variable within the species and only rarely all specimens of an import look the same.

Be that as it may: the form we were able to import now has a black-brown shell and was therefore initially referred to by us as Cherax sp. “Black Scorpion”. But Chris Lukhaup identified it as a member of the Cherax sp. “Blue Moon” species complex. The legs are blue, the tail fan has a wide orange hem, the scissor tips are not orange, which is an important characteristic.

These crayfish become 12-15 cm long and, like most New Guinea crayfish, are quite peaceful contemporaries. An essential part of the food of these animals is of plant origin. Therefore, it depends very much on the feeding, whether they more or also less destroying the aquarium´plants. To be on the safe side, precious plants should not be kept in a Cherax aquarium.

For our customers: the animals have code 481475 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Cherax sp. „Black Scorpion“

11. October 2018

Along with other species of Cherax,, which we have already introduced to you, we have received the Cherax sp. “Black Scorpion”. They are very attractive animals whose care and breeding does not differ significantly from that of the previously known Cherax forms from New Guinea.

For our customers: The animals have code 481473 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer