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Tangerine Lobster
Cherax holthuisi
Animalia›Arthropoda›Malacostraca›Decapoda›Parastacidae
📍 Eastern Australia
The Tangerine Lobster is a vibrant freshwater crayfish from Australia, prized for its brilliant orange coloration and active personality. This species is moderately hardy and makes an engaging addition to larger aquariums, though it requires secure hiding spaces and careful tankmate selection due to its opportunistic predatory nature.
Care Guide
Diet
Feed sinking pellets 3-4 times weekly, supplemented with blanched vegetables and occasional protein sources like bloodworms or small shrimp. Provide calcium-rich foods (cuttlebone, calcium supplements) to support healthy molting cycles. Reduce feeding during molting periods.
Behavior
Nocturnal and territorial, the Tangerine Lobster spends daylight hours hidden in caves, driftwood, or PVC pipes. It is an escape artist requiring a secure, tight-fitting lid. During molting, it becomes vulnerable and may hide for extended periods. This species will readily consume slow fish, shrimp, snails, and soft plants; it is best kept alone or with robust, fast-moving tankmates in very large setups.
Breeding
Breeding in captivity is difficult and rarely successful in home aquariums. Females produce eggs but require ideal conditions and isolation to protect developing juveniles. Most hobbyists do not attempt breeding due to space and care requirements.
Tank Mates
Large, armored pleco may coexist if tank is spacious (50+ gal); both are nocturnal and territorial
Hardy plant; crayfish will uproot and consume softer vegetation
Tough moss; may be uprooted but less palatable than other plants
Large cichlid; potential conflict over territory and food in smaller tanks
Fast, large fish; may avoid crayfish but requires 55+ gallon tank to minimize aggression
Common Diseases
Shell Rot (Bacterial Infection)
Soft spots, discoloration, or pitting on the exoskeleton; lethargy; loss of appetite
Improve water quality (frequent water changes, reduce ammonia/nitrite), provide clean hiding spaces, and consider antibacterial treatments if severe; ensure adequate calcium intake
Molting Dysfunction
Inability to shed exoskeleton; stuck in old shell; lethargy; death if not resolved
Maintain stable water parameters, provide calcium supplements, ensure low stress, and avoid handling during molting; increase water hardness slightly if deficient
Parasitic Infections (Branchiobdella, Copepods)
White or brown worm-like parasites on gills or body; reduced activity; difficulty breathing
Perform frequent water changes, quarantine affected crayfish, and treat with appropriate antiparasitic medications; avoid copper-based treatments as crayfish are highly sensitive
Copper Toxicity
Lethargy, loss of appetite, discoloration, neurological dysfunction, death
Immediately perform large water changes; never use copper-based medications or treatments; use only crayfish-safe treatments; check aquarium decorations and equipment for copper sources
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Quick Facts
- diet
- Omnivore; feeds on sinking pellets, blanched vegetables (zucchini, spinach), protein sources (bloodworms, shrimp), and calcium-rich foods to support molting
- lifespan
- 3-5 years
- max size
- 12 cm (4.7 in)
- tank size
- 30 gallons minimum
- temperament
- semi-aggressive
Water it likes
- ph
- 6.5-8.0
- ammonia
- 0 ppm
- nitrate
- <20 ppm
- hardness
- 6-12 dGH
- temperature
- 68–77°F (20–25°C)