Effects of Food and Shelter on Aggressive Activity in the Crayfish Orconectes rusticus (Girard)

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Abstract
In a simplified laboratory environment, aggressive activity, (threats, strikes and fights) of O. rusticus declined with increasing availability of both shelter and food. Shelter and food interacted to determine overall aggressive activity; shelter reduced aggressive activity more than did food over 42 h of treatments. Preferred food (fish pieces) reduced activity more than did less preferred food (Tetramin). Individual crayfish varied substantially in amount of aggressive activity. Threats accounted for 16% of aggressive interactions, strikes for 46% and fights for 38%; proportions were relatively constant among most treatments, and between day and night.