Blue Crayfish

[Viperboy]

Ok i know there have been a lot of talk about em lately and i still have a couple questions cause im def considering getting one soon. My main question right now is does the tank have to be cycled to put these in? also what type of water paramaters do these guys like? what do ya feed em besides feeder fish? plants ... yes or no? and any other important info
TIA

Ray

 

[severum mama]

Yes, the tank should be cycled before adding a cray. You could add old filter media into the new tank, but I'm not sure if that would cycle it quickly enough; as I understand it crays can be kind of sensitive and need good water perams to thrive. They need at least a 5 gallon and I've been told they do better in an unheated tank. They will eat anything, including fish and plants, so no live plants and it must be a species tank. I wouldn't personally feed feeder fish. When I had mine I used to feed shrimp pellets and algae wafers and he ate like a pig. They produce a ton of waste so be prepared to gravel vac a lot.

 

[Menagerie]

You could add old filter media into the new tank, but I'm not sure if that would cycle it quickly enough

That would work if added when the crayfish is added.

They like cooler tanks--mine was kept at 68-70. Any and all fish food is appreciated from flakes to pellets to frozen. With a varied diet there is no need for feeder fish. At one point there was crazy algae growth in the tank--I scraped it off and before I could vacuum it out, the crayfish was munching down.

They are escape artists, be prepared to batten down the hatches and even that may not keep it in the tank! I tried plants, but she ate them :?

 

[Viperboy]

Ok thanks guys .... just what i was looking for. Also one more thing ... do you think it would be better to go with rocks or driftwood for the tank?

Ray

 

[Menagerie]

He won't care as long as there is a cave/hiding spot. I had both for awhile.

 

[severum mama]

Quote:
You could add old filter media into the new tank, but I'm not sure if that would cycle it quickly enough

That would work if added when the crayfish is added.

I agree that it generally works, but I thought crays were kind of sensitive, and this method has rarely given me an instant cycle. It might be better to move some filter media over to the new tank and complete the cycle with pure ammonia until you are sure it is done. JMO.

 

[QTOFFER]

My crayfish destroyed a clump of live Java moss, shredded a plastic plant, and picked a foam sponge filter to pieces. Rocks and driftwood are the only things that I can think of that are crayfish-proof!

 

[tropicfishman]

I have an old 10 gallon i'm thinking about making into a crayfish tank

 

[Viperboy]

Thats exactly what im thinking about doin with my 10gal .... im thinking of going with a rocking cave theme since my other 2tanks have a driftwood theme. The tank is cycling right now and i need to get the decor .... and i guess i will not add a heater to it and let it just be at room temp which is what i guess crayfish like. The LFS in my area actually has nice blue crayfish and in 2 diff tanks ... sometimes i go there and watch em try to catch the many feeder fish that they have in the tank ... i also tried asking the LFS store guy about them and he didnt know much about em ... but he kind of looked like a rookie ne ways.

Ray

 

[rippin17]

Wont crayfish just eat the left over food and any decaying matter on the bottom of the tank? I didnt have a blue crayfish but i bought a plain brown one that eventually turned blue. I asked about it and it had something to do with the water and i was told i shouldnt be alarmed at it. BUT my crayfish ate anything on the bottom of the tank. I even watched him snag a piece of poo coming out of my pleco and eat it.