So I was at my lfs and I saw some crayfish for only $1.50. All of my fish pretty much only swim at the top level of the tank besides my pleco which is about 7.5 inches and sometimes hangs on the bottom. I've always had a fascination with inverts/critters and would like to have one and these look pretty cool (not willing to spend 25 on a blue lobster which are basically the same from what I understand). I have some good cover for him, and the tank is a decently tall (40g hex front) so I doubt it would get anywhere near my fish. What are the deal with these? What to feed them? How to feed them? Will they still get my fish? Are they a good idea? What if in the future I wanted to add a small crab/adf/rope fish/loach/dragon goby/shrimp kind of thing? Actually to expand on that. What 2,3 or 4 of these critters would be compatable with each other if any would be at all. Thanks, I appreciate the input.
crayfish?
- Thread starter matthewvl
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Menagerie
Aquarium Advice Addict
This is not intended to be harsh, but it's what I know and have heard/seen from other members. I bought numerous young blue crayfish once with the intent to raise them. They will eat anything--flake, pellets, frozen food, other crayfish, fish and basically anything they can get their claws on. I quickly learned that no matter how much room I gave my little clawed friends, they insisted on killing each other (these were only 2” at the time). Then they lived in separate rubbermaid containers with air hoses; I couldn't find homes for them fast enough.
There is a reason many recommend a species only tank for these unique critters. They will catch and eat your fish (give them time). Usually at night when the fish get closer to the bottom or the crayfish will climb up decor to get to the fish. Do not under estimate their climbing abilities (they will also escape from the tank if you are not VERY careful). The other problem is when crayfish molt; the fish may eat the crayfish. Larger fish can take down a young or molting crayfish with ease. Someone once posted a disturbing pic of an adult crayfish eating a pleco 1 1/2-2x it's size (it was gross and I'm not sure the pic is on this site anymore).
There are people who have successfully kept crayfish with fish/other crayfish. This is the minority and often they say things are going great, but do not say for how long (one month is NOT enough time to establish whether or not a crayfish will live harmoniously with other tank mates).
If you truly want to give the crayfish and your fish the best possible environments, please use separate tanks. Another reason to keep them in separate tanks--crayfish do well in cooler water than what is preferred by your tropical fish.
There is a reason many recommend a species only tank for these unique critters. They will catch and eat your fish (give them time). Usually at night when the fish get closer to the bottom or the crayfish will climb up decor to get to the fish. Do not under estimate their climbing abilities (they will also escape from the tank if you are not VERY careful). The other problem is when crayfish molt; the fish may eat the crayfish. Larger fish can take down a young or molting crayfish with ease. Someone once posted a disturbing pic of an adult crayfish eating a pleco 1 1/2-2x it's size (it was gross and I'm not sure the pic is on this site anymore).
More than likely, they will be eaten (BTW most if not all dragon gobies need a BW tank).
They will compete for whatever space is available and in a 40 hex, there's not that much floor space. Eventually one will be victorious; there also maybe a subdominant, but it will be often missing limbs.
There are people who have successfully kept crayfish with fish/other crayfish. This is the minority and often they say things are going great, but do not say for how long (one month is NOT enough time to establish whether or not a crayfish will live harmoniously with other tank mates).
If you truly want to give the crayfish and your fish the best possible environments, please use separate tanks. Another reason to keep them in separate tanks--crayfish do well in cooler water than what is preferred by your tropical fish.
thats a lot of good info. I'm glad you were blunt. I'll definitely stay away from these guys. I am a beginner and do not pretend to have enough knowledge to keep these from what it sounds like. Also space is limited and I do not have any other setups in case I need a plan B for these guys. Ill look elsewhere for bottom friends
HannahJ
Aquarium Advice Activist
You could buy them, boil them, and eat them. Mmmm, delicious. 8)
crazyred
Aquarium Advice Addict
I bought what I thought (at the time) was a shrimp and it turned out to be a small crayfish. I put him in my planted 29 whereupon he started destroying the plants. Not wanting to see all my pretty plants in shambles, I quickly moved him to my 10 gallon ACF tank. He was fine in there for a little while until he disappeared and I noticed my frog Kermit was unusually fat at the same time. All I found of the cray was the shell he left behind, so he must have molted and Kermit scarfed him down. 8O I was bummed, but I know that I ever want another one in the future, they need dedicated tanks.
smithw14
Aquarium Advice Regular
I have a crayfish. He has gone from about 3" to 5" in about a month during two molts. They are extremly fun to watch and feed. I, like you am fascinated by inverts, so I got it. My oscar has left it alone, but my oscar is only about 3" right now - I am sure once it gets bigger it will try to eat it. The only thing I feed my cray is worms occasionally. He scoots around during the day and moreso at night feeling between the gravel to try to find some food to eat. I did wake up one morning to find one of my angel fish being eaten by him. I'm not sure if the angel got sick and died (he was new to the tank), and then was eaten, or if the cray grabbed him. My angel fish are not very bright (I hear that most aren't) and my one remaining angelfish likes to hover close to the ground above the cray's little cave he has dug under a piece of driftwood. So I believe it is only a matter of time.
I haven't really *seen* him trying to catch the fish. He gets excited at feeding time and runs out and climbs on everything possible trying to get to the top of the tank. Its funny, he waves his antenna (which are about twice the size of his body on the surface of the water to try to get floating flakes to drop down. Not sure if he knows what he is doing but it works. Occasionally if a fish gets near him he will wave his claw around to scare the fish away.
So, yeah, its a risk it seems. I definitely don't recomend having two or any other inverts or shrimp or snails.
But like I said, they are fascinating to watch.
-William
I haven't really *seen* him trying to catch the fish. He gets excited at feeding time and runs out and climbs on everything possible trying to get to the top of the tank. Its funny, he waves his antenna (which are about twice the size of his body on the surface of the water to try to get floating flakes to drop down. Not sure if he knows what he is doing but it works. Occasionally if a fish gets near him he will wave his claw around to scare the fish away.
So, yeah, its a risk it seems. I definitely don't recomend having two or any other inverts or shrimp or snails.
But like I said, they are fascinating to watch.
-William
Speakerman
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I've had a small red cray and a massive blue cray. Here is my story.
I bought small red, and put him in my 55 gal with 2 oscars, 2 parrots, pleco, and giant gourami. He did fine, always crawling around, scouring the ground for food during the day and climbing up every possible vantage point during the night.
I was at the LPS a while back and saw a massive 8" blue lobster, thought it was the coolest thing in the world...and better yet it was free (an adoption). So I got it, took the small red out of the big tank, and put him in my little tank with all my beautiful plants and brilliant tetras and neons, ect ect ect.
The giant blue, within a week, in some form or fashion nicked, grabbed, cut, or gouged every one of my fish's tales. And my huge albino frog (3") disappeared. I finally got pissed off and put him in a buddies tank. He has a huge small mouth bass. They are now happily ever after. (or until the bass gets bigger and eats him ----- which is fine with me)
So, back to the small red cray, he was in my small planted tank and ate oh I'd say about 3 male tetras, killed all three of my little bristle cats (dunno the real name- the clean the bottom) and destroyed about 1-2 leaves on every plant I own.
Needless to say I put him back in the big tank since the big blue lobster was gone. A couple days later, he shed his shell and lost his pincers in the process. He promptly got his head ripped off my either an Oscar, Jack Dempsey, or Green Terror....
Thats my story....
Stay away from them.
I bought small red, and put him in my 55 gal with 2 oscars, 2 parrots, pleco, and giant gourami. He did fine, always crawling around, scouring the ground for food during the day and climbing up every possible vantage point during the night.
I was at the LPS a while back and saw a massive 8" blue lobster, thought it was the coolest thing in the world...and better yet it was free (an adoption). So I got it, took the small red out of the big tank, and put him in my little tank with all my beautiful plants and brilliant tetras and neons, ect ect ect.
The giant blue, within a week, in some form or fashion nicked, grabbed, cut, or gouged every one of my fish's tales. And my huge albino frog (3") disappeared. I finally got pissed off and put him in a buddies tank. He has a huge small mouth bass. They are now happily ever after. (or until the bass gets bigger and eats him ----- which is fine with me)
So, back to the small red cray, he was in my small planted tank and ate oh I'd say about 3 male tetras, killed all three of my little bristle cats (dunno the real name- the clean the bottom) and destroyed about 1-2 leaves on every plant I own.
Needless to say I put him back in the big tank since the big blue lobster was gone. A couple days later, he shed his shell and lost his pincers in the process. He promptly got his head ripped off my either an Oscar, Jack Dempsey, or Green Terror....
Thats my story....
Stay away from them.
QTOFFER
Aquarium Advice Addict
Crayfish are alot of fun to watch. One would live happily in a cheap 10 gal. If you are committed to changing the water every couple of days, even a 7 or 5 gal would work. They're pretty hardy if you keep the water clean and well circulated. I'd say that they're a good beginner invert, so long as you keep them alone, one to a tank.
A few warnings: 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O
Crayfish are opportunistic scavengers. They're always hungry. They have lots of time to kill. Their tankmates eventually have to sleep. Inevitably, a crayfish will catch, kill, and eat every fish in the same tank!
Crays are territorial and cannibalistic. When a cray molts (sheds it's shell to grow), it is very vulnerable to attack by other crays in the tank. During this short time, they can even be killed by fish and frogs, as someone pointed out.
They prefer cooler temps, so a heater is not necessary. Keeping them with tropical fish revs up their metabolism and significantly shortens their lifespan.
Crays are great climbers and escape artists. They can live for hours outside the tank so long as their gills stay wet. They like to crawl under large, heavy objects like refrigerators and dressers. In other words, have a secure lid!
They like to dig in the substrate and shred things...like your prized aquatic plants.
A few warnings: 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O
Crayfish are opportunistic scavengers. They're always hungry. They have lots of time to kill. Their tankmates eventually have to sleep. Inevitably, a crayfish will catch, kill, and eat every fish in the same tank!
Crays are territorial and cannibalistic. When a cray molts (sheds it's shell to grow), it is very vulnerable to attack by other crays in the tank. During this short time, they can even be killed by fish and frogs, as someone pointed out.
They prefer cooler temps, so a heater is not necessary. Keeping them with tropical fish revs up their metabolism and significantly shortens their lifespan.
Crays are great climbers and escape artists. They can live for hours outside the tank so long as their gills stay wet. They like to crawl under large, heavy objects like refrigerators and dressers. In other words, have a secure lid!
They like to dig in the substrate and shred things...like your prized aquatic plants.
Bhunsucker
Aquarium Advice Freak
crazyred
Aquarium Advice Addict
8O 8O 8O Can anyone say CRAWDAD BOIL?!?!?!?!!? Grab some lemons and some tobasco! Wheee doggies.
Bhunsucker
Aquarium Advice Freak
We practice catch and release 
We took them all back to the creek that we could get a hold of.
We took them all back to the creek that we could get a hold of.Tostada
Aquarium Advice Freak
I think the OP was mostly just looking for interesting inverts that can get along with his fish.
Does anybody have any suggestions of anything besides snails that can actually play nice with the fish?
For example, I've heard shrimp are just fine along with fish, especially Bamboo Shrimp ... but I don't have any personal experience with any inverts except snails.
Does anybody have any suggestions of anything besides snails that can actually play nice with the fish?
For example, I've heard shrimp are just fine along with fish, especially Bamboo Shrimp ... but I don't have any personal experience with any inverts except snails.
smithw14
Aquarium Advice Regular
Speakerman said:
HA HA HA HA HA .... or... you could just do a little research to avoide a massive fruk up like my man speak.
JustOneMore20
Algae Fighter
We have a yearly Crawfish Boil festival thing here. Music, beer and crawfish. Fun times.
crazyred
Aquarium Advice Addict
LOL I hear ya there. I love crawdad tails!
Similar threads
