Read something that interested me.

[Convict2161]

Read in AFI magazine that Crayfish can do really well and hold there own in a Malawi tank. I like this. Anyone have any experience with them?

I know a place about 40 minutes from me that have a huge selection of them as well as other invertebrates. They also talked about Malawi crabs and the Malaysian needlepoint snail.

 

[Jmedic25]

I think they will do fine the the tank with the fish. The problem may be if you dont have a tight lid. They like to crawl out. I would have them if it wasnt for that.

 

[KonvictKeeper]

I keep them in my 10g QT tank when I get bored. I go down to the creek and find one. They eat for me too.

 

[Convict2161]

Well I have a glass canopy so I'm thinking maybe I'm gonna look into this. How much more bio load do will they produce? Are they considered a "clean up crew?"

 

[HN1]

I've seen mixed results at best. You'd need to get a species that does well in the rift lake water conditions. Any crays from much different water won't last long. The crays will predate if they can. Exposed sleeping fish, sick fish, fry, snails, etc. The fish may predate at moulting time too so the cray will need a defensible cave. As far as bioload goes, they are far less than their size would seem to show.

 

[Jmedic25]

The electric blue crayfish, Will eat some stuff off the bottom but I wouldnt call it a clean up crew. The only real clean up crew in an african tank is a python.

Id love to have one of these but i would have to drill my tank..And that aint happenin
Electric Blue Crayfish - Procambarus alleni

also if you are worried about bioload, add some seachem matrix (not carbon) to your HOB. Or some old liverock to your sump. Makes a heckava good place for the good stuff to grow.

 

[Convict2161]

Thanks for the input. I don't wanna out my fish in harms way. Sounds like it may be a bad idea to add such creatures to my tank when everything is going well. I feel like after reading your posts that why add something that may cause stress when it's not needed. I'll stick with what I have.

Thanks again for your input.

 

[Homer8]

I have cray in my 38 gallon community tank and he ate my rubber lip pleco. Other then that he has been in the tank for 3 months and hasnt eaten any other fish