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Encyclopedia / Crayfish & Crabs / Dwarf orange crayfish
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Variations

2 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Dwarf orange crayfish

Cambarellus patzcuarensis · CPO, Cpo, Orange dwarf crayfish, Mexican dwarf crayfish

Peaceful, but may eat shrimp babies; needs caves to moult safely.

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4 cmAdult size ✓
18–26 °CTemperature ✓
7–8pH ✓
40 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
Check your own mix →
Not recommended
  • Tinfoil barb eats animals up to about 5 cm. Dwarf orange crayfish only grows to 4 cm.
Not recommended
  • Giant gourami eats animals up to about 10 cm. Dwarf orange crayfish only grows to 4 cm.
Not recommended
  • Angelfish eats animals up to about 4 cm. Dwarf orange crayfish only grows to 4 cm.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow pH range suits both: exactly 7.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow pH range suits both: exactly 7.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

340 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓6–20 dGH
Group size ?Can live alone
Temperament ✓Peaceful
Swims at ?Bottom
Care level ✓Easy
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ✓1.5–2 years
Size in shops 2–3 cm
Growth Fast

Behavior

Peaceful, but may eat shrimp babies; needs caves to moult safely.

Food

Sinking pellets, vegetables.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Males have hard, V-shaped mating organs (gonopods) under the body at the base of the tail; females lack them and are slightly larger.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Direct developer · Easy

Direct developer: the male pins the female and passes sperm packets; she lays eggs under her tail, carries them and then the tiny hatchlings, which look like miniature adults. No larval stage.

Pairing

Start with 6-10 animals, with a mix of males and females.

Setup

A 40 L tank with plants, hides and sponge filter. Water 18-24 C.

What starts it

Cooler, steady water and good food. They breed easily.

Eggs

Females carry about 20-60 eggs under the tail for about 4-6 weeks; 3 mm young hatch.

Raising the fry

Young are miniature adults. Feed fine foods and keep with plenty of hiding places.

Common mistakes
  • Cannibalism from lack of hiding spots
  • High temperatures
  • Keeping with fish that nip
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionLake Pátzcuaro – Michoacán, Mexico
Rivers and lakesLake Pátzcuaro
HabitatShallow, vegetated lake shores
Native rangeAbout 30 km across
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The story of the dwarf orange crayfish

A tiny crayfish from Lake Pátzcuaro, Mexico. The orange aquarium form was first bred by hobbyists in the Netherlands in the late 1990s; it is peaceful with fish.

Mexican zoologist Alejandro Villalobos described this dwarf crayfish in 1943 from Lake Pátzcuaro. Wild animals are brownish, but aquarists bred the bright orange form now known as 'CPO'. Its small size and mild nature make it one of the few crayfish suitable for planted tanks.

First described by Alejandro Villalobos in 1943.

  • It grows to only about 4 cm.
  • The orange colour is a captive-bred form.
  • It is native only to Lake Pátzcuaro.

Sources

15 facts checked with sources