How Do They Look Like Before They Were Cooked? Colorful and Unique Crayfish

Color and uniqueness make a big difference. Animals were created for human consumption and crayfish are one of them. But if crayfish are as lovely and colorful as the pictures below will you still consume or eat them?

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In recent years, crayfish are not only eaten but were also kept as bizarre exotic aquarium pets.

Clippy

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This is Clippy, a pet crayfish in a freshwater home aquarium. Crayfish like Clippy is easy to keep and prefer foods like shrimp pellets or various vegetables but will also eat tropical fish food, regular fish food, algae waters, and even small fish that can be captured by their claws, such as minnows and goldfish. Clippy is a Procambarus clarkii.

A crayfish should not be mistaken with a lobster. Crayfish is a freshwater crustacean that looks like a small lobster.

Cherax papuanus

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Crayfish comes in different colors – red, blue, green, yellow,  orange, brown, black, white or combinations of colors. The crayfish on the above photo is commonly called a Cherax Destructor.

Euastacus armatus

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A Murray crayfish or scientifically named Euastacus armatus of Australia that is usually found on rivers has a dominant green coloring. It can grow up to 30 cm in length and weighs up to 2 kilogram. It is the second largest freshwater crayfish in the world. If kept as a pet, it should be remembered that Murray crayfish are voracious eaters. They feed on decaying aquatic plants and dead animals. If kept in an aquarium with fish and snails, they will eat these too.

Astacoides betsileoensis

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Madagascar is truly a wonderful and fascinating island for it contains many of the most unique and rarest species of plants and animals like the Astacoides betsileoensis which are found in a small stream at Bibiango, Ranomafana National Park.

Procambarus clarkii

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The handsome-looking Procambarus clarkii which is endemic to the US can also be found in other continents. It is widely eaten worldwide. Louisiana is the crayfish capital of the US where 98% of the country’s consumptions are harvested there. This unique and colorful crayfish is known with a variety of common names like red swamp crawfish, red swamp crayfish, Louisiana crawfish or Louisiana crayfish.

Pacifastacus leniusculus

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Do not be misled with these colorful crayfish called the Signal Crayfish of the US, this one is already cooked. This red-colored aquatic creature can grow up to 15 cm long. Their color can be bluish-brown to reddish-brown.

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This is how a Signal Crayfish looks like if it’s alive. This creature has a habit of waving their claws as if they are giving signals, hence the name.

Orconectes limosus

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The Orconectes limosus which native to North America is quite unusual for living in silty streams instead in clear water where crayfish prefer to live. This crayfish species was introduced to Europe in the late 19th century.

As a pet, this crayfish is fond of eating worms, insect larvae and fresh fish.

Cherax Blue Moon (Cherax sp.)

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Blue is universally accepted as the world’s most favorite color. I love anything associated with the color blue.

Astacus leptodactylus

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This crayfish from Europe is commonly known as Danube River and is also known for a variety of names like Galician Crayfish, Turkish Crayfish and Narrow-clawed Crayfish. This crayfish with pale yellow to green thorax can grow up to 30 cm or 1 ft. It is comfortable living in still waters of lakes and canals.

Eustacus armatus

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This crayfish is informally called the Common Yabby or Cherax Destructor and is native to Australia. Like Danube Crayfish, it can also grow up to a length of 30 cm or 1 ft. Their color depends on water clarity and habitat and ranging from black, blue-black or dark brown in clear waters to light brown, green-brown or beige in turbid waters. Vibrant blue colored Common Yabbies are specifically bred and are very popular in the aquarium trade in Australia.

Marmoklebs

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Marmorkrebs or Marbled Crayfish is an intriguing species of crayfish. It is a popular aquarium pet in Germany. It is intriguing because the location of natural populations of this species is unknown and at the moment, it has no formal scientific name yet.

Astacus astacus

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The common names of this species are European Crayfish, Noble Crayfish and Broad-fingered Crayfish. It’s a traditional foodstuff in Europe and the most common species of crayfish in the continent. It can grow up to 16 cm long.

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Cherax Quadricarinatus

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The Australian Red Claw Crayfish is a tropical crustacean of Australia. It is also commonly called Queensland Red Claw or Redclaw and can be found in permanent freshwater streams, billabongs and lakes. It can also be found in the nearby Papua New Guinea.

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Like many other species of crayfish, Queensland Red Claw is popular among hobbyists.

Austropotamobius pallipes

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This olive-brown colored crayfish is endemic to the British Isles and is commonly called White-clawed Crayfish or Atlantic Stream Crayfish. It can reach a size of up to 12 cm long. It’s a lake, river and stream dweller where it hides among rocks and submerged logs.

Austropotamobius torrentium

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Commonly called the Stone Crayfish, this species of crayfish can be found in various European countries like Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia and many others.

Cambarellus patzcuarensis

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The informal name of this crayfish that is native to Mexico and can be kept as aquarium pet is Mexican Dwarf Crayfish and can grow up to 3.5 cm long excluding claws. It can be kept in an aquarium with a Great Ramshorn (snail). Mexican Dwarf Crayfish are usually brown in the wild with gray or blue stint.

Mexican Dwarf Orange Crayfish

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Mexican Dwarf Orange Crayfish is a variant of Cambarellus patzcuarensis. It’s an orange-colored mutation often held in aquariums, but this form is rarely found in the wild.

Orconectes australis

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The odd-looking Orconectes australis can be found in the US states of Tennessee and Alabama.

Orconectes obscurus

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The Alleghany Crayfish, common name of Orconectes obscurus, can be found in Ontario and in the Northeastern US. They are being collected in Mahoning River in Ohio.

Villalobosus

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Villalobosus is a subgenus of crayfish in the genus Procambarus. All species of this genus are native to Central America.

Orconectes propinquus

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Northern Clearwater Crayfish is the common name of Orconectes propinquus. It can be found in Quebec and other areas of the US. It is also a popular aquarium pet.

Procambarus alleni

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Procambarus alleni is commonly known as Blue Crayfish and is native to Florida, USA. It is widely popular in aquarium trade.

Paranephrops planifrons

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The Northern Koura of North Island in New Zealand is the common name of Paranephrops planifrons. It can also be found in Marlborough, West Coast and Nelson but also in South Island. This crayfish can grow up to 70 mm.

Tasmanian Giant Freshwater Crayfish

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This is the world’s largest freshwater invertebrate and can grow up to 5 kilogram and more than 80 cm long. Its scientific name is Astacopsis gouldi and can live up to 40 years. They are preyed upon by platypus, River Blackfish, Rakali and of course by humans. It is now a highly protected species A fine of AU$10,000 will be charged for those who catch it without permit.

Here’s a tray of deliciously cooked crayfish….

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… And here’s another equally delicious and mouthwatering tray…

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Now think twice… will you eat them … keep them as pet … or leave them in their natural habitat???

See also

Amazingly Unique and Weird Lobsters

The World’s Most Colorful Crabs

Pretty Aquatic Pets: 10 Most Beautiful Shrimps

World’s Most Colorful and Unique Squids

Unique and Colorful Octopuses and Cuttlefish

Freakiest and Weirdest Aquarium Fish

Brightly Colored and Unique Aquarium Fish

Exotic Beauties: Extremely Unique Aquatic Pets

Top 12 Most Colorful and Beautiful Aquarium Fishes

Unique Aquatic Creatures: Rare but Attractive Aquarium Pets

World’s Most Colorful and Unique Jellies

The Most Captivating and Stunning Sea Anemones

World’s Freakiest and Weirdest Crabs