This also includes the relatively new orange dwarf crayfish, which is rapidly becoming one of the more popular species of crayfish to keep. Watch Queue Queue Why? Watch Queue Queue. Dwarf crayfish such as the dwarf orange crayfish aren't too fussy about water quality and you should usually be able to keep them without having to modify the water too much. Mexican Dwarf Orange Crayfish, Cambarellus patzcuarensis. This makes them a great option for beginners who don't have the experience to keep … I have 4 healthy tanks at the moment, ranging from 10 to 75 gallons. Dwarf Mexican Crayfish Molting The same as a shrimp, Dwarf Mexican crayfish need to shed their exoskeleton in order to grow in size and also regrow any lost limbs. Dwarf mexican crayfish (Cambarellus patzcuarensis) or patzcuaro is one of the few crayfish you can keep in a community tank. Hello Everyone, I'm new to the forum, but not new to fishkeeping. This video is unavailable. Dwarf crayfish are native to Mexico and the southern United states. This beautiful and relatively peaceful 1.5 inch crayfish comes from Lago de Patzcuaro, a volcanic crater lake in Michoacán, Mexico, in the west-central mountain region. The term Mexican dwarf crayfish is used to encompass several species (Cambarellus) of small, peaceful crayfish. An adult crayfish only needs to shed its skin up to five times a year whereas a juvenile crayfish will shed its exoskeleton every 7 to 10 days. They cut tank plants, dig all around the tank bottom and kill fishes. Gerald Pottern . by. Because all crayfish are “silent killers”, “cutters” and diggers. Wild Cambarellus patzcuarensis are mostly tan, brown, and rusty colored.. I'd really appreciate some advice regarding my mexican dwarf orange crayfish though, as I cannot figure out what the issue is!