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  1. #1
    Moderator badflash's Avatar
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    Marble Crayfish- Marmorkrebs

    These are an interesting breed, sort of a frankenfish. No one knows where they came from, but the conventional wisdom is that they came from an accidental hybridization between two different species of north American crayfish.

    Marmorkrebs are the only known species of crayfish that are all female. Each female is identical to the mother and she produces fertile eggs without mating.

    Here is what they look like:


    They are non-aggressive for crayfish. Mom does not eat her young and the babies do not cannibalize each other. They are cold hearty and can live under ice. When a female berries, she can have upwards to 300 babies and can do so about every 3 months. Mine seem to live about 2 years. They start reproduction at around 4 months.

    They don't get big, maybe 4" but are probably more than big enough to eat. Match that with being able to pack them together without a lot of trouble and these may be a winning combo. I'm thinking a screened bottom to keep the fish and crays apart would work well to co-crop them.
    The best fertilizer is the farmer's shadow

  2. #2
    Moderator JCO's Avatar
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    Re: Marble Crayfish- Marmorkrebs

    Woa...now that's a post worth considering...do you really think there is enought meat in the tail for them to be worth while to produce for resale as food?

    Also, that's a great picture....

    I figured your good work and the CrayLady deserved a spot of their own.
    JCO
    Irish eyes are always smiling but
    • "In the eyes of the world, you are only as good as your last success"
    so never forget
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  3. #3
    Moderator jackalope's Avatar
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    Re: Marble Crayfish- Marmorkrebs

    Cold water, 300 berries every 3 months, non-aggressive, no males to separate, sounds like fish food to me ....... I might have to do a deal for some of these .
    I use the Linux Operating System ...... Free as in beer!
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  4. #4
    Moderator badflash's Avatar
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    Re: Marble Crayfish- Marmorkrebs

    A 6 month old 'kreb has as much meat as a normal red swamp cray you find at markets. Never eaten one, so I don't know how they taste, but I imagine they taste fine. I'm still experimenting with what triggers a berry. I'm thinking it is a temperature swing once she's fattened up. There also seems to be a chemical queue that prevents the others from having a berry at the same time. I'm going to try putting one cray to a 10 gallon tank and see if that kicks up production.
    The best fertilizer is the farmer's shadow

  5. #5
    Moderator JCO's Avatar
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    Re: Marble Crayfish- Marmorkrebs

    I'm real interested in seeing what you come up with in you investigation of triggering a berry. Keep me uptodate on your progress. I just might be interested in some little ones later on this year.
    JCO
    Irish eyes are always smiling but
    • "In the eyes of the world, you are only as good as your last success"
    so never forget
    • "MAN IS ONLY LIMITED BY HIS IMAGINATION"

  6. #6
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    Re: Marble Crayfish- Marmorkrebs

    I have 3 I got from a guy on ebay, they are about the right size now to start berrying...
    I have them each in 10 gal tubs one to a tub, I have a f&d tub over each one that I use only to start lettuce seed, I have left some to get to around 5 inches tall and they look healthy, but I guess the varietys I am planting don't need much in the way of nutrients??? the lettuce is green, a bit spindly due to the filtered light but otherwise quite healthy. I just finally got around to transplanting the larger lettuces into a new riverbed tray system but there is still alot there in that tub that I will want to move around so that I can plant some new seed.
    I have one tub that seems to be loosing water and will have to check into that.
    Since the tubs are dark and I have a bunch of shelf lava rock in there I am not sure if any have had babies yet, I will have to look and see sooner or later.
    I was just planning on using them as fish food, but will have to see how large they really grow to, could be a consideration on raising them for food, I love crawdaddys...
    Take care and stay safe

    Sheryl and Jake SD

  7. #7
    Moderator badflash's Avatar
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    Re: Marble Crayfish- Marmorkrebs

    I noticed my largest 'kreb was being reclusive and trying to escape. Then I noticed her glare glands were in full display. The glare glands are on the tail and produce the glue that holds the eggs to the swimmerlets. The display is a light colored fan pattern. Once you see it in person, you know what it is.

    This is a poor picture of a P, clarkii blue with the glare glands starting to show:


    I isolated my wandering female in her own 20 gallon tank, and sure enough, next day she had a tail full of eggs.
    The best fertilizer is the farmer's shadow

  8. #8
    Moderator wolfracer's Avatar
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    Re: Marble Crayfish- Marmorkrebs

    looks like a good source of fish chow. Nice pics. Where can I find some of these?

  9. #9
    Moderator badflash's Avatar
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    Re: Marble Crayfish- Marmorkrebs

    Have you looked in our classified adds section?
    The best fertilizer is the farmer's shadow

  10. #10
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    Re: Marble Crayfish- Marmorkrebs

    I've had some for about 35 days now, came with eggs. I can't wait for them to hatch, i have warmed the water and watched and watched. Maybe i am too excited.

    I have two in a 30 gallon tank, i have another tank ready for the young ones. I plan on eating them, or selling them to a fish market, and frozen fish bait. But more on eating them myself. Gimme some of that good old gumbo, go ahead and make it a jumbo-lia !

    I cant wait. How long till i can eat some ?

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