You might be surprised to know about the ivory-white colored white crayfish, whereas there are crayfish of several eye-catchy colors in the world. Such magnificent white appearance blooms so brightly against any dark-colored substrate that hobbyists are crazy to have these albino crayfish in their aquariums.
But, their availability is so inadequate that the crayfish hobbyists often ask- how rare are albino crayfish?
It’s almost impossible to find an albino crayfish, whereas you can find a blue crayfish in 1 in 50,000. Being a white variant of blue crayfish makes the availability rare. There are possibilities of finding an albino crayfish once in 5,000,000 times.
In this article, we’ll discuss the reason for the rarity of albino crayfish, its overview, and other details. So, let’s go through this article without any further ado.
Overview Of Albino Crayfish
| Scientific Name | Procambarus alleni |
| Common Name | White Crayfish, Vanilla Crayfish, Vanilla Lobster, White Clawed Crayfish, etc. |
| Size | 4-5 inches (10-12.7 cm) |
| Diet | Omnivores |
| Temperament | Aggressive and territorial |
| Minimum Tank Size | 20 gallons |
| Optimal Temperature | 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit (19-24 degrees Celcius) |
| Required pH | 6.5-7.5 |
| Optimal TDS | 100-300 mg/L |
| Optimal KH | 4-6 dKH |
| Optimal GH | 4-10 GH |
| Lifespan | Up to 5 years |
| Cost | $10.95-$49.95 |
Why Is Albino Crayfish Rare?
You might wonder why these unique colored crayfish are rare. Due to a lack of pigmentation, these albino crayfish do not have any coloration in their shell. This genetic condition of pigmentation lackings is termed leucism.
As a result, Albino crayfish look pure white due to this genetic defect. It makes these crayfish find once in a million.
The origin of albino crayfish is in the southeastern United States. To be specific, these ultra-rare crayfish are found in various locations of Florida, Marion county, the south side of Levy, etc. In addition, there are records of finding albino crayfish on the east of St. John’s River.
Also, it is surely a wonder that these albino crayfish are a white variant of electrical blue crayfish. So, the experts and breeders selectively breed the electric blue crayfish to get their white variant. Hence, there aren’t many albino crayfish in the wild or market.
Do White Crayfish and Albino Crayfish The Same?
The answer is yes! Another common name for albino crayfish is White Specter crayfish. These rare crayfish are purely white or creamy colored.
Are White-Clawed Crayfish Or Albino Crayfish Protected?
These rare albino crayfish are almost extinct now. To save these threatened crayfish, there is a rule of protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It’ll be an offense to sell or eat this rare species. You can only keep albino crayfish for scientific purposes.
Final Words
I hope this article helped you get an insight into the inadequacy of albino crayfish. These rare crayfish need proper conservation to save their extinction.
