Immaculate Conception of Pacifastacus leniusculus?

[rasa92re]

Here's an interesting story for you MFK. The incident was very surprising to me.

About 5 weeks ago, I bought 3 crayfish. I was hoping they were different genders and would mate. I sealed my tank and somehow the 2 of the 3 escaped. I found 1 but he later got out again and never found that one again. I was left with 1 crayfish. I believe about 2 weeks ago, the last crayfish begin to develop spheres under her tail. I didn't realize they were eggs until they resembled fish eggs. I ignored the eggs since I figured they were not fertilized. Somehow, the female had kept the sperm packet, I believe, and laid eggs weeks later. They began to hatch today and I moved mother and 2 fry to my small tank with my convict fry. I am excited because I eventually got the fry I wanted. Now a small power struggle has broken out between my convict fry and the crayfish fry. Read my convict fry thread for the other half of the story ( http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/f...ttles-Down-with-Mate-2-(Pic-Heavy)&highlight= )

Here are photos from when the eggs grew in size and I could see they were living:



These are photos from today. All the fry are swimming around together. There are still another 30 crayfish eggs that have not hatched. It's hard to find the fry in some of the photos. Be warned.

 

[Fat Homer]

I would watch out, Im guessing there is a good chance the cray fry might eat a lot of your convict fry...


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[rasa92re]

Thanks for the input Fat Homer. I am anticipating deaths from both sides. I am actually hoping it'll keep my fry count manageable.

 

[Fat Homer]

^ hahahaha... i guess if you put it that way.. then that might be a good way to weed out the weakest links on both sides...

 

[rasa92re]

Hahhaha, thanks. The amount of fry my tanks are generating are, for lack of a better term, ridiculous. My cichlids' diet are all pellet mixtures and feeders now.

 

[marxxx]

The marmokrebs crayfish had a genetic mutation and females are indeed able to reproduce without a male.
They are the only known species that can reproduce this way. Other species are capable of storing sperm though, so she have been fertilized prior to you getting them (or before the others escaped).

 

[rasa92re]

I am aware that marmokrebs are the only known crayfish capable of asexual reproduction. I honestly figured she held onto the sperm for a later date since so much time had passed between the other crayfish escaping and eggs appearing.

 

[rasa92re]

The little crayfish are now 5mm long from my estimates. Some are twice the size of others. The cover area should offer the other ones enough protection to survive. Here's a photo update: