You bought a crayfish of special color, maybe blue, and you are happy about it. But surprisingly, the supposed blue crayfish of yours now turned to different color, and you are amazed, confused and disappointed. If you are here, it means the above have happened to you and you are looking for answers. Well, this article is for you. To answer you question, ‘can or do crayfish change Colors?.
Crayfish will often change in color in successive molts to match the colors of the present environment which it is in. A gradual change to a blue color is not uncommon for red/brown crayfish etc in an aquarium setting.
If you are shocked to see your cray change to another color, other than the color you bought it with, well you have nothing to worry about, as it’s just normal.
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It’s probably just as healthy as before.
If you have witnessed this before, you might be wondering if it’s actually a crayfish you bought or a kind of chameleon, (lol) well you are not wrong, crayfish do behave like a chameleon sometimes by changing to the present color around them when they molt.
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For instance, If they have blue stones in their tanks, there is every possibility that any of them might change to that color when they molt, or let’s say you always ON! a green colored light or any other colored lights in the room you have crayfish tank, there is every chance that some of the Crayfish will try to change their colors to fit the color of that light, vice versa.
Apart from trying to imitiate the immediate environment, also during mating season, they will molt in anticipation of the prospective intercourse and do color changes. This is known as the “mating phase of the cray’s color patterns”.
The Orconectes rusticus will change from a dull tan to a dark grey with vivid red, white, and black stripes on its claws.
Cambarides coccus, the Peacock Cray, turns from a dark brown color to a motley of yellow, green, red, and blue spots before it sets out to find a mate.
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The next molt after mating season will put them back into their first color phase.
After changing their colors to match the immediate environment or mating, some might change back to their normal or former colors, while some might not change back to the old colors, so don’t be disappointed, especially if you love the old color.
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Do Crayfish Turn Blue?
Like I have mentioned above, they could turn to any colors that is around them when they molt.
Apart from that, another thing that could make a cray to turn blue is When diet is very low in carotenoids (forms of vitamin A), the crayfish might not have the ability or capability to develop reds and yellows in their shell, the shell will then take on a bluish cast.
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A complication can involve loss of appendages during molting process
What Color do Crayfish turn to in the Winter?
Crayfish normally change colors, especially in the winter. This is common for crayfish in the wild.
Sometimes, in the winter, they may appear to be a deep moss green, with touches of brown or a muted orange color.
