Question about stocking a 10gal (unique occupants)

[Viperboy]

Ok so i had this great idea the other day and im hopeing it works but it could be a complete and utter failure. So me and my gf were at the LFS the other day and she saw the some of the freshwater puffer and said i should get some. So they have spotted and figure 8 ones there and ive read they are brackish but can be ok in freshwater. So im thinking about setting up a 10 gal just for some figure 8 ones .... here is the twist.

Also while we were at the LFS i saw something that i wanted to get .... a blue crayfish ... and yes i know that they eat fish .... but the thing is i hear that puffers are pretty agressive themselves and if i have a couple or so in a 10 gal maybe it would be ok.

My question is this ... am i just dreaming or would this actually be ok?
TIA

Ray

 

[toddnbecka]

The puffer/s would probably eat the crayfish. Their main diet is snails, so hard shells are no obstacle to them. Also, crayfish molt, and then it's all soft meat, claws and all.

 

[BrianNY]

Actually it would work the other way around toddandbecka. The crayfish will prey on the puffer at night. It's like trying to keep a lion and a lamb in the same cage Ray.

 

[severum mama]

Agreed. My blue cray even pinched my boyfriend during a water change once. They are not only really aggressive, but also nocturnal as BrianNY mentioned- a deadly combination for most any small fish.

I wish I still had my cray.

 

[DeathWarp]

It's a nice idea; however; as stated one will be lost either way.

 

[Viperboy]

So it would be like having a battle royal but in the end the crayfish would come out on top huh? ... but what if i had more than one figure 8 puffer .... they wouldnt learn to eventually stay away from him ?

Ray

 

[Jarred Darque]

Fig 8s and GSPs ARE NOT freshwater. regardless of what teh LFS will tell you. they may not die. but they will lose almost all color and activity in freshwater they need to be kept in brackish to full salt. not fresh to brackish

As for a GSP or Fig8 agains the crayfish?

The puff will prolly win that fight have seen it many many times. Puffs kill for pleasure, not just food. but crawfish are also natural prey for them. along with snails and clams, hence the reason that their entire jaw is bone...well two pieces of bone, but alot of bone none the less.

even if the crawfish is a bit bigger than teh puff, how to kill the crustacean is instinct to the fish.

 

[lovemybarbs]

I tried a crayfish once. He grabbed frog and he was history. The frog lived, but trust me, they are mean. I've heard puffers are fairly evil fish, but I've never had one.

Dwarf frogs are a lot of fun. You should try one, but not with a puffer.

 

[tropicfishman]

I found an impressive 10 inch ( at least ) crayfish in a creek where I ride my atv, that thing was black as night and ugly as can be, vicious to, it wasn't even afraid of us, it came right us, probvally becuase we were digging a mud pit in its creek bed lol btw I take it a crayfish is the same thing as a crawdad right?

 

[lovemybarbs]

Yes. Different parts of the country call them different things actually.

 

[Andyvette]

My question is this ... am i just dreaming or would this actually be ok?
TIA

Ray

Dreaming

Ray... I would worry about your 30 gall right now. Keep that one on track. It needs all your attension

And here in TX we call them Crawdads when they are in creeks, but we have crawfish boils.... go figure.... yeehaw?

 

[Viperboy]

I am giving my 29gal all my attention right now ... this is just on the back burner and just planning mostly because of my gf ..... but the LFS did not tell me that figure 8s could survive in FW but ive read it many places that not only can they survive in FW but they can thrive. I guess it just depends on the situation maybe and ur luck ... which i dont have much of right now.

So i guess the question is which do i go with if i cant have both? ...... if i decide puffers how many figure 8s could i keep in a 10gal ... i think they get about 3" or so ....... and if i decide just to get a crayfish can i keep him in a tank smaller than 10gal.

Lovemybarbs .... my gf actually has a betta right now and is looking into a 5gal mini bow to put her betta in along with adding a ADF because she loves them to death

Ray

 

[GlitcH]

Hey Viperboy...........u could just get a tank divider and keep em both in the 10.

 

[Viperboy]

oooOOoo didnt even think about that ... but if i did the tank divider in a 10 gal how many crayfish could i keep on one side and how many figure 8s on the other side?

Ray

 

[severum mama]

I wouldn't. Those puffers really are brackish fish from what I understand, and I really don't think the cray would do well in BW... Plus, crays prefer an unheated tank, which wouldn't work for the puffers even if they could be kept in FW. Also, I really don't think a divided 10 gallon would afford either species enough room for swimming, or in the cray's case, crawling and climbing around.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

You can keep the crayfish in a 5G if you want. Add nice gravel, and something for him to climb on and hide in, and you are set. And I'd only get 1, or you will see some limbs lost.

 

[penpitt]

A 10 gallon tank is too small for either a F8 puffer or the GSP puffer. THe F8 puffer needs a minimum of 15 gallons/fish and the GSP needs a minimum of 30 gallons /fish. Both are BW fish but the F8 does best in lowend BW while the GSP needs highend BW/marine conditions.

 

[Viperboy]

Ok so 5gal for a crayfish which i was thinking ... and if i got a 10gal that wouldnt be big enough for at least one figure 8? ... they only get 3" i believe and if i did decide to get one how much salt would i add each PWC and what type?
TIA

Ray

PS .. what do you feed blue crayfish?

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Blue crayfish will eat just about anything, algae wafers, shrimp pellets, etc. Anything that sinks.

 

[GlitcH]

my regular crayfish even climbs plants to get at floating food..........I must have an excellent sense of smell cuz I get the impression that their eyesite is terrible.

But ya.........they will eat ANYTHING.