How Much Does A Crayfish Cost?

The cost of a crayfish can wildly vary depending on the store, quality and many other factors. Beginners, like me, can easily get confused seeing different price tags at different stores. I’ve done some research and here’s what I found about crayfish cost.

The average cost of a crayfish can range from $6.95 to $149.95. The cost varies according to species, age, sex, and grade of the crayfish.

As you can see, the cost can vary largely depending on many factors, mainly the species of the crayfish. In the rest of the article, I’ll breakdown the cost according to each of these factors so that you have a clear understanding of the crayfish price.

Cost Breakdown According To Species

Here’s a table showing the average price range of different crayfish species. Normally, the rare species have higher price tag than the common ones.

Crayfish Species	Average Price Range
Orange CPO Crayfish (Popular Choice)	$9.95 – $29.95
Electric Blue Crayfish (Popular Choice)	$12.95 – $49.95
White Specter Crayfish (Albino Crayfish)	$10.95 – $49.95
Brazos Dwarf Crayfish	$8.95 – $27.95
Blue Brazos Dwarf Crayfish	$9.95 – $39.95
Neon Red Crayfish	$10.95 – $44.95
Self-Cloning Marmorkreb Crayfish	$7.95 – $29.95
Ghost Crayfish	$29.95 – $89.95
Cajun Dwarf Crayfish (Least Expensive)	$6.95 – $24.95
Zebra Crayfish	$29.95 – $84.95
Blue Cajun Dwarf Crayfish	$10.95 – $42.95
Thunderbolt Crayfish (Extremely Rare & Expensive)	$24.95 – $149.95
Supernova/Blue Moon Crayfish	$24.95 – $79.95
Blue Pearl Crayfish	$24.95
Emerald Fire Crayfish	$24.95 – $79.95
Alabama Dwarf Crayfish	$9.95 – $29.95
Orange Ghost/Firecracker Crayfish	$22.95 – $65.95
Red Chili/Red Brick Crayfish	$22.95 – $59.95
Scarlet Crayfish	$13.95 – $39.95
Chrismass Tree Crayfish	$19.95
Snakeskin Blue Moon Crayfish	$22.95 – $59.95
Apricot Crayfish	$24.95 – $79.95
Yellow Sun Blue Moon Crayfish	$22.95 – $59.95
Indigo Blue/Black Scorpion Crayfish	$19.95 – $99.95
Blue Claw Zebra Crayfish	$34.95 – $99.95
Tricolor Blue Moon Crayfish	$22.95 – $59.95
Sapphire Crayfish	$32.95 – $99.95
Waccamaw Crayfish	$24.95 – $69.95
White Tubercled Crayfish	$34.95 – $102.95
Wild Color Dwarf Mexican Crayfish	$9.95 – $25.95
Taiwanese Long Claw Prawn	$23.95 – $29.95

Factors That Control The Crayfish Cost

In the above table, I have mentioned a price range in most of the cases. That’s because, the price can also vary depending on the sex, size, pair, and grade of the crayfish.

I have mentioned the average price range of electric blue crayfish around $12.95 – $49.95. Now, I’ll breakdown the factors that affect this price range so that you’ll get a better understanding of the crayfish cost.

Female Crayfish Tend To Be Pricier Than Males

Females are generally a bit pricier than the males. That’s obvious, the females can breed and give birth to more crayfish babies! In case of the electric blue crayfish, here’s the price difference between male and female:

Male Electric Blue Crayfish: $27.95

Female Electric Blue Crayfish: $29.95

As you can see, the price difference is not massive. However, you should expect to pay a little bit more for the female ones.

Pair Will Cost Your More

This one is obvious. If you want to get a pair of the crayfish, you’ll obviously need to pay more. By getting a pair, you can try to breed the crayfish in the future.

However, you’ll need to have a proper setup for breeding crayfish. Also, keeping multiple crayfish together requires extra care & attention (as crayfishes tend to be very aggressive and territorial)

1 pair Electric Blue Crayfish price: $49.95

Juvenile Crayfish Are Much Cheaper Than Adults

The juvenile crayfishes tend to be a lot cheaper than the adult ones. In about 3-6 months time, the juveniles can reach adulthood. The time frame will vary depending on the species of the crayfish.

When getting juvenile crayfish, keep in mind that the coloration will not be as vibrant as the adult ones. So, you shouldn’t expect very bright color just after getting your hands on the crayfish.

If you are on a tight budget, getting the juvenile size will certainly be a smart choice!

Juvenile crayfishes tend to be around 1 inches when shipped. On the other hand, the adults tend to be 2 to 3 inches.

Juvenile Size Electric Blue Crayfish price: $17.95

Higher Grade = More Cost

The grade can largely affect the cost of the crayfish. There are basically two grades you have to think about. One is the normal or high grade, and the other is the B grade.

B grade crayfish means they are either missing legs or claws. So, when you first get them, they won’t be physically completely fit. But there’s no need to worry.

It is common in crustaceans to lose claws or legs. They can re-generate the lost legs/claws within about 2-3 months!

Also, missing legs/claws doesn’t mean that B grade crayfishes are sick. They are absolutely healthy with good coloration!

B Grade Electric Blue Crayfish Price: $21.95

(Juvenile) B Grade Electric Blue Crayfish Price: $12.95

How Much Does A Whole Crayfish Setup Cost?

I hope by now you have a clear understanding of how much does a crayfish cost. But knowing only the cost of a crayfish won’t be enough if you want to start keeping crayfish.

You’ll also need to take into account the cost of setting up a full-fledged crayfish habitat. I’ll breakdown the cost according to each of the item you’ll need for the setup.

One thing, this will only be an estimation of the price and it can vary wildly depending on what you’ll get around your fish stores. You can pay either a lot or very little for an item. Also, some items (hiding places) can be created DIY. So, you won’t have to spend much or anything!

Also, the prices below are estimated only for a single crayfish habitat. If you want to house multiple crayfishes, the cost will go higher (primarily because of a larger tank).

I hope you get the point.

Here’s my estimated price for the setup of a single crayfish habitat:

Item	Price (Estimation)
10 gallon tank	$32
Hang On Back Filtration System	$24
Substrate (Aquarium Gravel/Sand)	$20
Hiding Places (Free If You Can DIY)	$20
Aquarium Water Test Kit	$23
Water Conditioner	$14
Food	$10
Total Cost	$143

If you are on a budget, you can easily knock off the hiding places cost. Just gather around some rocks from a nearby river or stream. Use the rocks to create hiding places, cave like structure.

If you want to use rocks collected from the nature, be sure to treat it first before throwing in the tank. Here’s how to make rocks safe for crayfish:

• First, clean the rocks under running water. You can scrub the rocks too while cleaning. It will ensure most of the dirt gets cleaned off from the surface.
• After the rocks are showered under running water, it is time to treat them with a hydrogen peroxide solution. The hydrogen peroxide solution will get rid of most of the bacteria/germ residing on the rocks.
• This is an extra step that I follow for being extra careful. I boil the rocks for about 2-3 hours. This just guarantees the rocks are safe from any type of germ.

After following these procedures, the rocks will be 100% safe for crayfish. You can also use driftwood/bogwood for creating hiding spaces.

Another cheap option can be smaller cuts of PVC pipes. These pipes work fantastic as hiding spaces/caves for the crayfishes. Just throw in a couple of them and your crayfishes will be fine!

When it comes to making hiding spaces for crayfish, imagination is your only limit!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most expensive pet crayfish?

According to my research, I’ve found Thunderbolt Crayfish (Cherax pulcher) is the most expensive and rare pet crayfish. Each of them can cost up to $150 or more!