Are self cloning crayfish legal to keep in Australia?

[CNgo2006]

Hi guys,

I have read that self cloning crayfish babies are great live food for larger fish, I want to ask though is it alright to keep in Australia as it can quite easily take over an existing environment as it does not need a partner to self reproduce?

Cheers Chi.

[sajica]

I'm not sure what you're species you're talking about but AQIS don't allow the importation of live crustaceans into the country.

[CNgo2006]

Marmorkrebs, or marbled crayfish is what they are called but what if they are in the country already but still illegal to keep like Marimo Balls? Hence my question.

[sajica]

If they are here, I'd be interested. Read into that what you will.

[sajica]

So yes they're still technically illegal having come into the country after the allowable imports list was implemented. Under the biodiversity act they can come and take them. Since they haven't been legally imported into the country.

[Baccus]

I have seen these marbled crays on another forum, and although interesting in their cloning ability and quite pretty in markings they are accused of carrying a lethal disease that they are immune to but all other crays are not. They also out breed all other crustaceans and would then stripe an eco system bare in no time.

As tempting as they would be for a quick easy food source for some fish species, personally I would stick with shrimp or other less invasive live foods.

[northboy]

I would hope they are not here, but the importation of them is totally out of the question and should not be encouraged.

Why not breed one of our natives, in the right conditions they will breed very well and we have many, many wonderful species here. I think Red Claw are noxious in NSW?

Bob

[CNgo2006]

Noted, thanks guys will stick with legal inverts/fish just wanted to know if they were or not. Although I was reading a report on how these cloning crays could potentially solve the world's hunger problems one day.

[Baccus]

Provided they never got into any waterways and the inherient disease they carry never escaped they probably could solve a lot of food issues both for people and food stocks for farmed fish, but I think the risks far out weigh the benefits to having them in Australia.

Red claw are almost a pest every where but they are hardy, do well in dams and aren't bad to chew on if you like eating them.

[CNgo2006]

I can't find any research saying they carry disease, all I could find is Marmorkrebs seems to be closely related to the North American crayfish Procambarus fallax, and may therefore carry a highly infectious fungus that the American strain is known to harbor (Ref. http://iz.carnegiemnh.org/crayfish/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=192) Which states they may carry the fungus but yet to be proven?