Juveniles are not red and are difficult to distinguish from other Procambarus … Most of them will be the red swamp crawfish that scientist refer to as procambarus clarkii. Fully grown Procarambus Clarkii can reach 3.5 – 12 cm (2.2 to 4.7 inches) in length. But a few will be the white river crawfish, technically known as procambarus zonangulus. There are reports that in the wild some individuals can measure up to 15 cm (6 inches). Most people will never notice as the steam rises from the pile of boiled crawfish on the table surrounded by friends and family. It is a fast-growing species; in adequate conditions larvae are born after 21 days of incubation (5 mm long at 2 days), growing to 2 cm one month later and up to 80 mm of length in 3 months. It is also plastic in its life cycle, able to disperse widely in the habitat and to tolerate environmental extremes. ... Nongame fish of any size, except bowfin, if taken according to the non-game methods and seasons.
Life span does not exceed 3 years but can reach 5 years in higher latitudes. Although many sites state that they reach a maximum size of 5 inches, the reality is that they can keep expanding as long as they do not face intense competition for food. Procambarus clarkii has had devastating effects on international rice production, preferentially consuming seedlings following rice field flooding and planting, as well as causing water loss and bank collapse due to its burrowing activity (Anastácio et al. It is an eurythermal species (10-22 ºC to >30 ºC) and inhabits all types of water, with a preference for hard water. Red Swamp crawfish (Procambarus clarkii) Virile (“Northern”) crayfish (Orconectes virilis) White River crawfish (Procambarus acutus) Related Content: Live Bait Regulations. Procambarus clarkii exhibits properties characteristic of an r-selected species, including early maturity at small body size, rapid growth rates, large numbers of offspring at a given parental size, and relatively short life spans. The Behavior of the Procambarus clarkii 2000, 2005; Correia and Ferreira 1995).