It comes down to regional preference when people talk about crayfish, crawdad, and crawfish. It’s kind of like the creek vs. crick debate. I’ve heard it all three ways but grew up saying crayfish.
The first time my dad took me to catch crayfish I was both nervous and enchanted by them. We rode our bikes from the house where I spent most of my childhood to the creek down the street. We cared not to stir up the water under the bridge as we moved rocks around to look for them. And in one swift motion, dad grabbed them and lifted them up for me to inspect.
I remember asking him if it hurt when they pinched him, but his hands were so tough from years of pouring concrete for a living that the strange-looking creatures couldn’t even make a hole in his skin. I have been pinched and it’s uncomfortable, but not unbearable. Vasya, my daughter, has been pinched, and she stopped catching things with her hands for a long time. So we got a net.
Catching crayfish is kind of a summer tradition. The creek my dad took me to for the first time is now in his backyard and is a never-ending source of fun. After a good rain, we catch largemouth bass and bluegill. In the summer, when the water is warmer, we catch crayfish.
Crayfish, also known as crawfish or crawdads, are popular freshwater pets that can provide hours of fascination and fun for aquarists of all ages. However, their adventurous nature sometimes leads them to find a way out of their tank and go exploring. If your pet crayfish has suddenly vanished, don’t panic! Here is a step-by-step guide to hunting down an escaped crayfish before it gets into too much trouble
Understanding Crayfish Behavior
To track down a runaway crayfish, it helps to understand their behaviors and tendencies:
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Natural explorers – Crayfish are natural scavengers that constantly patrol their environments looking for food and hiding spots They will take advantage of any chance to expand their territory
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Moisture-seekers – Since crayfish have gills and breathe underwater, they urgently seek out moist areas when out of water. Check under sinks, in bathroom stalls, basement corners.
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Nocturnal – Crayfish tend to be most active at dawn, dusk, and at night. Be diligent about checking prime hiding spots after dark.
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Shelter-finders – Given their small size and vulnerability, escaped crayfish try to find shelters to hide in like small crevices, pipes, plant pots, piles of debris.
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Persistence pays – Crayfish can survive surprisingly long out of water, so keep searching extensively even if it’s been hours or days since the escape.
When and Where to Look
When embarking on a crayfish hunt, focus your initial efforts on warm, humid areas of the home where a moist-seeking crayfish will gravitate:
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Under the tank stand – Check in and around the tank stand for puddles or drips that could lure the crayfish.
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Among houseplants – Crayfish may find refuge in the moist soil of potted plants, especially in bathrooms and kitchens.
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Behind appliances – Areas behind dishwashers, washing machines, refrigerators hold moisture and appeal to wayward crayfish.
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Inside cabinets – Kitchen and bathroom cabinets often have leaks, spills and standing water that attract roaming crayfish.
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Under furniture – Check under sofas, chairs, beds, dressers, desks. Spaces under furniture hold moisture and provide cover.
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Near pipes – Kitchen and bathroom pipes and drains can provide passageways and hydration.
Once you’ve thoroughly covered warm, humid areas, expand your search to the rest of the home, leaving no hiding spot unchecked no matter how unlikely it seems. Crayfish can fit into incredibly small crevices and climb vertical surfaces.
Useful Gear for Crayfish Hunting
Gather some useful gear to help you locate and safely capture an escaped crayfish:
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Flashlight – A bright flashlight will help you see into tight spaces and corners.
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Mirror – Use a small hand mirror to peer behind appliances and pipes without moving them.
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Tweezers or tongs – Useful for gently extracting a reluctant crayfish from its hiding spot. Never grab a crayfish with your bare hands.
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Clear plastic tub – Once caught, temporarily house the crayfish in a clear tub with a little water so you can keep an eye on it.
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Moist paper towels – Provide moisture for the crayfish during transport back to its regular housing.
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Bait – Use a little fish food or blanched zucchini to lure the crayfish out.
Trapping Techniques
If visual searching fails to turn up your rogue crayfish, consider making simple traps to bait and snare it:
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Plastic bottle – Cut the top off a plastic bottle, invert it into the base, and place bait inside. Weight it down so it doesn’t tip over when the crayfish enters.
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Humid hide – Place wet paper towels or leafy greens in an open plastic container to create a moist environment the crayfish can’t resist.
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Ramp traps – Prop open cabinet doors and loosely tape plastic wrap over the opening so the crayfish can crawl in but struggles to get back out.
Check traps frequently but be patient. Leave them in place overnight if needed to catch any nocturnal activity. Just remember to provide some moisture in the traps so the crayfish doesn’t dry out while contained.
Prevent Future Escape Attempts
Once you successfully apprehend the fugitive crayfish, take precautions to keep it safely housed in the future:
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Seal the tank – Make sure the tank lid fits snugly with no gaps for climbing out. Consider taping the edges for extra security.
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Use aquarium sealant – Seal any holes or weak points in the tank walls and between pieces with aquarium-safe silicone sealant.
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Isolate aggressive crayfish – Crayfish trying to fight or mate with tankmates may frequently breach the tank. Set up a separate housed crayfish time-out tank.
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Add tank weights – To discourage tipping, securely adhere some decorative stones, pavers or bricks to the bottom portions of lightweight tanks.
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Keep tank filled – Don’t allow water levels to drop too low, providing crayfish less vertical space to breach the top.
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Limit landscape features – Avoid tall rocks, wood or plants that allow crayfish to scale the decor and escape over tank walls and rims.
Don’t Give Up!
Searching for an escaped crayfish requires diligence, patience and creativity. Be thorough in your inspection, use bait traps, and don’t get discouraged. Even if it’s been missing for days, there’s still a good chance your adventurous crayfish is hunkered down alive and well in some dark, cozy corner of your home just waiting for you to tempt it back out. Stay persistent, trust your knowledge of crayfish behaviors, and utilize useful tools and traps. You’ll locate that lost crayfish before you know it!
How crayfish Escape your fish tank and how to stop it
FAQ
Where do crayfish hide during the day?
How to keep crayfish from escaping?
Can crayfish stay out of water?
Why do crayfish escape?
How do you keep crayfish from escaping a tank?
SOLUTION: It is important to make sure that the tank is not entirely filled up with water, as this might prevent oxygen from getting to the bottom where the crayfish dwells, just make sure the water covers the Crayfish at least about 2 – 4 inches above it. — Unsuitable water could cause them to try to escape.
Do crayfish always try to escape?
Almost 7 out of every 10 crayfish keepers complain their crayfish always tries to escape. Though being adventurous is one of crayfish’s natural instincts, trying to escape can also indicate something is wrong with its tank. Crayfish tries to escape if the environment is not suitable for them.
How do I know if my crayfish has escaped?
Holes in the Aquarium: If you discover that your crayfish has escaped, immediately check the tank lid and look for holes. If the lid has holes, that might be it. It is completely possible that you crayfish climbed the tank glass while swimming and got itself on top of the lid because of the hole.
How do crayfish escape?
Crayfish are quite an artist when it comes to escaping. Among all the crustaceans, only crabs have an escape mechanism as good as crayfish do. In the wild, where crayfish live in natural reservoirs like sea and rivers, the main reason behind their tendency to escape is the attack of predators.