Why does a Black, or Blue
tubes work?
Why does a Red tubes work?
Look at the Photo, and read
the information below.
This is called molting. and occurs six to ten times during the first
year of rapid growth, but less often during the
second year. For a few days following each molt, crayfish have soft
exoskeletons and are more vulnerable to
predators. They change color with the different phases of the moon.
The colors can include but are not limited to, gray, blue gray, brown,
green brown, orange brown.
The best way to detect the current color is actually catching or
finding live crawfish.
Once the eggs hatch the baby crayfish cling to the mother until
after the second molting of their shells ,
This usually happens in May or June and the eggs hatch after two
to twenty weeks depending on the temperature
This jointed exoskeleton provides protection and allows movement,
but limits growth. As a result, the crayfish regularly gets too big for
its skeleton, sheds it, and grows a new larger one.
Life span is about 2 years
Ecdysis in crayfish is completed in 4 basic stages:
Note the colors of the hard shell and the new Crawdad
1. The process begins when a crayfish lays down a new, soft exoskeleton
under the old one,
the same in every detail as the old, including the pigment.
The animal then withdraws certain mineral salts from the old shell
and stores them in its tissues.
1A. Look for the water PH to be 7-8, Preferably 7.2
2. At this point, the old shell is simply a tough cuticle. Key suture
areas soften, permitting the shell
to split and the claws and body to be withdrawn.
3. The crayfish now absorbs water from its surroundings, expanding
its new, still soft exoskeleton to a size larger than the original one.
Out of the old shell, the crayfish is limp and almost unable to move.
In preparation for this, the crayfish had sought out a safe, secluded
location before beginning ecdysis.
4. The mineral salts that were extracted from the old shell are now
deposited in the new cuticle.
After several days, the shell is sufficiently hard for the crayfish
to venture out of hiding and
resume its normal activities with renewed vigor.
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