blue crawfish questions...

[BIANCA]

I recently bought a blue crawfish for my freshwater tank. I was looking around for more information about them and i found a lot of people were saying that their crawfish often ate their fish. In my tank i have many smaller, more peaceful fish (tetras, tigerbarbs, hatchetfish, silver dollars, loaches, etc) So I am very concerned about my fish now. Ive invested too much time and $$ into my fish to have some little crawfish turn then into his midnight snack.

He is only about 1 1/2" right now. Should i be concerened about him eating the fish yet? Or is he not big enough?

I was thinking that i could just get like a 6 gallon eclipse system and put him in there with a female and that would be it.

What do you guys think? Does anyone have any experience with crawfish?

 

[targaboy78]

Hi BIANCA,
You wrote;

Should i be concerened about him eating the fish yet?

I was at my LFS on Wednesday night and they had Blue Crawfish in several tanks. In one of the tanks, they had about 40 or 50 Cherry Barbs and I was fascinated watching the crawfish. He kept marching (kinda like Frankenstein with his arms out) towards the school and when he got close they all darted to the other side of the tank, he then turned around and started heading their way and when he got close enough they all darted back. It was quite comical.

I asked the guy if you could keep him in a community tank.
He replied it should be OK, if your fish are quick.
When I asked him to clarify, he responded;

If he can catch them, he will eat them.

I decided that I didn't need one.

Let me stress that other than that 10 minutes at the LFS, I have NOT had any personal experience with Blue Crawfish, so this is purely a unqualified opinion but I think your Tiger Barbs should be OK because they hang out in the mid to top levels of the tank. Your loaches are down low enough to be a concern. I think if you have any fish that rest on the bottom for a nap, they are very likely going to end up a snack.

Just my thoughts.

 

[loganj]

crayfish

We keep some crayfish in our feeder tanks as a cleanup crew. They don't bother the fish as far as I know, but the comets are pretty quick. These are not blue crayfish...just plain old creek crawdads. I think a 6 gal Eclipse with a pair of blues would be a great display. If you do it, we'd love to see pics .
Logan J

 

[jollyone11]

blue crawfish ? I had a blue lobster. If it is the samething and i think it it .Then
tarrga is right if it can catch it (the fish ) its dead . lost a cory that way lol.
but it would never get the guppies