Q & A

Here you will find answers to questions submitted via the "Ask Aquaworld" web form by viewers of the Aquaworld Aquarium web site. If you have a question you would like us to answer, go to the Ask Aquaworld web form.

Sexing Crayfish

Dear Aquaworld,

How do you determine if your craw fish is a male or female?

Angus
Covina, California, USA

Dear Angus,

Generally male crawfish have larger claws and a narrower abdomen (tail), but to be sure you will have to pick up the crawfish and turn it over and look for the modified swimmerets (look like small legs) by the last legs . The female will carry the eggs and fry under her abdomen.

See these web pages for more info:

http://www.biosci.ohiou.edu/introbioslab/bios173/images/
lab7/crayfish_dimorphism.htm

http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/foss/fossweb/teachers/materials/
plantanimal/crayfish.html

http://crayfish.byu.edu/crayfish_biology.htm

Good Luck!

Tony Griffitts