Blue lobster and fish

[FrogFrenzy]

Just got a blue lobster in my 55 tank. He's never actually caught a fish but he's tried. If he knows he can't catch a fish he kinda just gives up. All my fish made it through the first night unharmed. They're still unaware the lobster is a threat. Will my fish learn to avoid the lobster? Will they always be able to avoid him?

 

[Mattyfelts]

Im sure theyd learn after almost getting nipped a few times, but honestly, i have read that if you have fish that sleep on the bottom they will be killed, i dont know how correct that is but just be careful!

 

[Bichir Bro]

If fish are slow, sick, sleep on the bottom or dead they are at very very high risk from getting eaten. What other fish is he in with? Any bottom dwellers? Any slow fish?

 

[FrogFrenzy]

If fish are slow, sick, sleep on the bottom or dead they are at very very high risk from getting eaten. What other fish is he in with? Any bottom dwellers? Any slow fish?

The only slow fish or bottom dwellers would be dojo loaches, elephant nose, plecostomas, red tailed shark

 

[Bichir Bro]

Ok, your dojo and pleco are at most risk, just watch them and make sure your crawfish has lots and lots of caves. Your elephant nose may do something stupid like go right up to him and sniff him with his nose and get caught but I doubt that'll happen.

 

[Aquadan]

I have a blue lobster in with some cories, neon tetra, and danios and he's left them all alone. The cories sleep on the bottom yet that hasn't seemed to be a problem yet. There's also shrimp and snail in my tank. It's been 3 months and so far so good.

 

[Bichir Bro]

Crawfish vary in temperament. My old one never touched anyone while some try to go after anything.

 

[Davep]

I had a clarkii in my tank for around 6 months, no issues with him killing fish till about 3 weeks ago when i moved him from 20 g tank to a 50 g. All of a sudden fish were disappearing daily, and it was not just the bottom or slow swimmers either, i caught him climbing to the top of a piece of bog wood and doing a ninja style attach from above poor fish had no chance. I have since removed him from the tank. As cool as they are i will not be buying another

 

[fishyd]

I used to have an orange crayfish and didn't have any major problems. Like whats been said, just make sure he has a good sized and dark cave he can go to and that will go a long way toward minimizing potential problems.

Biggest problem I had was a couple of my cichlids would try and take his food when I dropped a wafer for him. (he latched onto the tail of my Nicaraguan that took it once and went for a ride). He would also climb some of the (fake) plants and then jump off the top and try to land on some of the fish...

 

[Antler]

I've had a blue crayfish for about 3 months now. It has a nice big dark cave to hide in and he's well fed. No trouble until 3 weeks ago. Since then I've lost 3 small danios.

 

[Luananeko]

I haven't kept blue lobsters personally, but I've read that they tend to be less aggressive if you keep them very well fed via spot feeding. If you spot feed him with a turkey baster or stick-feed like folks do for eels, he'll learn he doesn't need to bother hunting the other fish and will wait for his dinner to be plopped in front of him. Obviously this isn't 100% successful due to individual personalities, but it should help.

 

[Antler]

I haven't kept blue lobsters personally, but I've read that they tend to be less aggressive if you keep them very well fed via spot feeding. If you spot feed him with a turkey baster or stick-feed like folks do for eels, he'll learn he doesn't need to bother hunting the other fish and will wait for his dinner to be plopped in front of him. Obviously this isn't 100% successful due to individual personalities, but it should help.

Doesnt work for mine. Hell eat a chunk of meat/fish or a couple shrimp pellets, then run to the corner and hold his claws up waiting for a fish. I think he just hunts for entertainment

 

[MJSerik]

My first tank was wiped out by one of em. Be careful

 

[Antler]

Here he is, right after stashing a chunk of ham in his cave for later, his hunting spot.

 

[FishRus]

How much did you guys pay for yours? There 60 dollars at my lfs and I thought that was high?

 

[Bichir Bro]

How much did you guys pay for yours? There 60 dollars at my lfs and I thought that was high?

I got mine for $20 and I though that was expensive! $60 bucks?! I wouldn't pay that.

 

[Antler]

$6 each at my LFS, they are an inch or less though. The full grown couple they have are $20/ea

 

[FrogFrenzy]

How much did you guys pay for yours? There 60 dollars at my lfs and I thought that was high?

mine was $20 at petco

 

[FishRus]

Yeah I would never pay 60 bucks either. I always thought they were really cool but if never pay that price and I wouldn't want to put my fish in any harm. I have a 10 gallon tank that's not set up yet. Do you think I could put one in a 10 gal tank? If I find one for a reasonable price ha

 

[Bichir Bro]

Ten gallons is a little small id tend to say 30 gallons minimum but that's me. They'd like some room to walk around and full grown that doesn't leave him much room.