Apricot Crayfish care guide
Apricot Crayfish (Cherax boesemani) — minimum tank 100 L, temperature 22-28 °C, pH 7-8.5.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Apricot Crayfish (Cherax boesemani) is an Australasian freshwater crayfish of the family Parastacidae, listed in the Aquairi knowledge base as an intermediate-level species. West Papuan Cherax with vivid apricot-orange to red coloration. One of the most colorful aquarium crayfish.
Taxonomy
- Family: Parastacidae
- Genus: Cherax
- Scientific name: Cherax boesemani
- Common synonyms: Boesemani, Orange Cherax, Irian Jaya Crayfish
Habitat
Cherax is a large Australasian crayfish genus (Parastacidae) with species distributed across Australia, New Guinea and adjacent islands. Many species are aquacultured for food and several brightly coloured forms have entered the ornamental trade since the 2000s. The Aquairi knowledge base records this entry from: West Papua (Indonesia).
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 100 L (26.4 US gal)
- Adult size: 10-14 cm
- Temperature: 22-28 °C (72-82 °F)
- pH: 7-8.5
- GH: 10-22 °dGH
- KH: 5-14 °dKH
- Lifespan: 3-5 years
Diet
An omnivore. Diet includes plant matter, biofilm, algae, detritus and protein in the form of carrion, small invertebrates or fish remains. In the aquarium a daily portion of sinking pellet, regular blanched vegetables and occasional frozen bloodworm or shrimp meet nutritional needs and reduce intraspecific aggression.
Compatibility
Territorial and aggressive; large adults will harm tank mates and damage plants. A solo, species-only or split-by-divider setup is the only reliable arrangement. Suitable tank mates listed in the Aquairi knowledge base: Solo recommended. Should be kept away from: Fish, Shrimp, Plants.
Breeding
Reproduces in fresh water without a planktonic larval stage. After mating, the female carries the eggs glued to her pleopods for several weeks; hatched juveniles cling to the mother for additional moults before becoming independent. Stable water chemistry and abundant shelter for the brooding female are required. Cherax females typically produce moderate to large broods of comparatively large juveniles, which is one reason for the genus’ aquaculture importance.
Apricot Crayfish Breeding Guide
Overview
Cherax boesemani, the Apricot crayfish, is a parastacid from West Papua in Indonesia, occurring in the Ajamaru Lakes and Ajamaru River on the Vogelkop (Kepala Burung) Peninsula. Adult body length is 13–15 cm (5–6 in), and carapace color is variable across blues, reds and oranges; commercial selective breeding has produced named strains such as Blue Moon, Supernova, Papuan red, tricolor and Red Brick. The species was described by Lukhaup & Peckny in 2008.
Sexing
As in other Cherax, sex is confirmed by the position of the genital openings: males carry them at the base of the rear pair of walking legs and females further forward. A mature pair is needed for spawning.
Breeding Setup
A spacious, warm tank with firm hardness and many separate caves suits this medium-large Cherax. Individual hides reduce aggression and give a berried female a place to seclude herself while carrying the clutch.
Berried Female & Young
As in other parastacid crayfish, reproduction is direct: the female carries her eggs attached beneath the abdomen on the pleopods, and the hatched juveniles remain with her briefly before becoming independent, with no free-swimming larval stage.
Juvenile Care
Juveniles are omnivorous and grow on prepared and natural foods. They need ample cover to limit cannibalism, and the brood should be thinned into more space as the young grow; final coloration develops with maturity.
Breeding the Mosaic Cherax (Cherax boesemani)
Overview
Cherax boesemani (Lukhaup & Pekny, 2008) is a freshwater crayfish from the Ajamaru Lakes and Ajamaru River of the Kais River drainage on the Vogelkop (Kepala Burung) Peninsula, West Papua, Indonesia. Carapace colours range across blues, reds and oranges, and selective lines such as Blue Moon and Supernova exist; the 'Mosaic' form shows mottled orange and blue. Adults reach about 13-15 cm. The IUCN lists it as Data Deficient. It reproduces as a berried female with direct development.
Sexing
Determine sex from the genital openings on the underside: males show paired papillae at the base of the last walking legs, females openings at an earlier pair. Mature males tend to grow heavier claws, but the ventral check is the reliable method, since colour forms do not indicate sex.
Conditioning
Stable parameters and a varied omnivorous diet bring this larger Cherax into breeding condition. As documented for the genus, fertilised eggs develop inside the female for roughly four to six weeks before transferring to the outside of her body and resting on the tail.
Breeding Setup
Given the adult size and aggression, a large tank with numerous caves is needed to space the pair and shelter a berried or moulting female. The pair grapples during mating, the male deposits sperm, and the female then carries the eggs on her tail until hatching.
Berried Female & Young
Eggs and hatched juveniles are held beneath the female's abdomen, and the young emerge as miniature crayfish because development is direct. They stay with the mother before dispersing; moving the female once juveniles release reduces predation losses.
Common Challenges
Strong aggression and cannibalism of soft, freshly moulted juveniles are the main difficulties; ample cover and multiple feeding points mitigate them. The species is unsafe with fish, shrimp and plants and should be kept in a species-only tank.