# How to make sure my handicapped dwarf cray gets fed!



## Atom (Apr 21, 2010)

I recently got a mexican dwarf crayfish. He was the last one at the store and was missing 2 legs on one side. He seems to be coping well, but I'm worried he will be out competed for food. He lives with 2 amanos and they are aggressive feeders. 

Any tips on how to feed him and or what? Perhaps something larger so the amanos can't dine and dash?

I tried feeding him my shrimp pellets. He doesn't seem interested.


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## Tarobot (Jun 27, 2010)

bigger piece of algae wafer


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## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

Oh, poor little guy. Actually, I don't know what these guys eat. Patrick might know. Maybe you can send him a PM.


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## grizadams_7mm (Aug 29, 2011)

I'm not a pro with dwarf crays, but I do have 3 Marbled crays. The missing legs should grow back as part of the molting cycle. My crays do like larger algae wafers, really meant for large plecos. They also like the Cichlid pellets, when the shrimp are done your cray should just hop right in. I wouldn't think missing legs would hinder it, missing claws maybe but not really a leg.


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## Keri (Aug 2, 2010)

I always make sure to put at least 3 chunks of food in my shrimp tank so the two amanos each get one and everybody else shares the rest. Your cray might like the algae discs or bottom bites? His legs will grow back at the next molt


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## Atom (Apr 21, 2010)

Amanos always seem to be greedy feeders. I'm afraid if I put in large pieces they may gorge themselves. I tried spot feeding the cray today by squirting a pellet directly in front of him. I think he ate most of it. The amanos were definitely waiting for him to let go of it even though they already ate theirs. Greedy buggers.

I hope his legs do grow back soon. He walks fine, but he doesn't seem to want to climb the rocks. I wonder if it's because of his missing legs.


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## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

Do you have a way to post pics? I love following this story of your lop-legged cray.

By the way, I took everything out of my Ebi and replaced the substrate and rescaped it completely. I only had 3 female endlers in there, and I've moved them into my endler tank. Now I'm pondering what to put into it.


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## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

He will get its legs back soon enough.


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## Atom (Apr 21, 2010)

Morainy said:


> Do you have a way to post pics? I love following this story of your lop-legged cray.
> 
> By the way, I took everything out of my Ebi and replaced the substrate and rescaped it completely. I only had 3 female endlers in there, and I've moved them into my endler tank. Now I'm pondering what to put into it.


Morainy,

I'll update his growth progress in this thread. I've named him Tiny Tim 

http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/tank-journals-16/4-gallon-nano-limpy-legged-crayfish-sanctuary-20991/

I think you should start a new Ebi journal! Interested to see what it looks like now. Did you end up getting anymore crays for yourself? I got the last from AW, but they are getting more this week and Canadian Aquatics has some.


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## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

Where did you get your 4 gallon nano tank from? It's very nice.


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## Atom (Apr 21, 2010)

Morainy said:


> Where did you get your 4 gallon nano tank from? It's very nice.


It's from JL Aquatics


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## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

Oh, thanks! I have never visited their store except online. Must do that one day.


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## SSS Fan (Mar 14, 2011)

How's your cray doing?

I have an OEBT who had all of it's legs and even it's front feeding claws were ripped off by my Cajun crays. It was would just lay around so I separated it and it just recently shed and all of it's limbs have grown back.


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## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

SSS Fan said:


> It was would just lay around .


lmao...I'm so sorry, but that is a funny statement as I can't imagine he could do anything else other then wiggle around. So your saying it had ALL of it's legs removed? That had to suck for him. Amazed, surprised & glad to hear it managed to survive long enough to grow his limbs back.

And yes Atom, any updates on your cray?

Maureen, here is a thread on those nano tanks: http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/sales-spotted-group-buy-19/eheim-aquastyle-nano-tanks-20022/


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## SSS Fan (Mar 14, 2011)

Diztrbd1 said:


> lmao...I'm so sorry, but that is a funny statement as I can't imagine he could do anything else other then wiggle around. So your saying it had ALL of it's legs removed? That had to suck for him. Amazed, surprised & glad to hear it managed to survive long enough to grow his limbs back.


Whoops, sorry for the horrible grammar.

Yeah, it had no legs or claws to pick at food. It would propel itself once in a while but that's about it. It couldn't collect food so I added shrimplet food in the hope it would eat enough suspended food to keep it alive. It's now back to normal in one molt so I am glad I rescued it before the crays finished it off.


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## Atom (Apr 21, 2010)

Wow...I can't imagine a cray flopping around with no legs. That must have been a rough week/month? Hmm...how often do they molt anyway?

My cray is doing great! He has already molted and all the legs have grown back. They are slightly shorter on one side, but I'm sure they will even out after the next molt. It's incredible how fast quickly the legs grew back. I have no idea where the new legs came from all of a sudden! Are they grown underneath or inside the body somewhere. I'm baffled! He is climbing like most crays. Caught him at the top of the vallisneria today. Guess the legs work!

Feeding him is still a little hard. I need to pick up some large sinking pellets soon. The shrimp and fish always snatch his share if I don't sink it directly in front of him. 

Btw, how often should I feed him? Can they survive on a large pellet for a week?


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## trevorhoang (Oct 13, 2010)

I have a tank with 40 to 50 baby crays and they battle for food and territory . I have a few with missing limbs and I feed them well. Theyvall seem to be doing great .


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## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

Hey, Atom. I have some large, sinking pellets for crayfish. I can give you a little baggie for your guy.



Atom said:


> Wow...I can't imagine a cray flopping around with no legs. That must have been a rough week/month? Hmm...how often do they molt anyway?
> 
> My cray is doing great! He has already molted and all the legs have grown back. They are slightly shorter on one side, but I'm sure they will even out after the next molt. It's incredible how fast quickly the legs grew back. I have no idea where the new legs came from all of a sudden! Are they grown underneath or inside the body somewhere. I'm baffled! He is climbing like most crays. Caught him at the top of the vallisneria today. Guess the legs work!
> 
> ...


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