Blue Crawfish

[AmenFashion]

I've been really interested in getting a Blue Crawfish, but I'm not sure how they are towards other fish. I've read mixed articles about them, so I just wanted to hear what some of you know about them, or have any personal experience.

I have a 40gal with 2 Blue Gourami, 2 Golden Gourami, and 2 Cory's at the bottom.
Do these seem like living conditions for a Blue Crawfish? Would the other fish in any danger?

Thanks so much.

 

[elephantnose]

I've also been interested. But I've been told they can't go with live plants. Cray fish will only go after dead or dying fish. All the rest are too fast.

 

[FrogFrenzy]

It really depends on the individual crawfish. Some might kill a fish any chance they get, and some would never touch a fish all it's life. Any fish that's a mid-top swimmer will be fine. It's the fish on the bottom that you have to worry about. If you get a crawfish everything should be ok except the Cory's. There's a chance the crawfish won't even bother them but there's a chance he could kill them. If you have your heart set on a blue crawfish but also want bottom dwellers, you could get a dwarf Mexican orange crawfish. They only get around 2 inches and aren't big enough to kill anything. Hope this helped!

 

[FrogFrenzy]

Crawfish also like lots of caves and hiding places. They will tear up live plants so I don't get one if you have live plants.

 

[AmenFashion]

It really depends on the individual crawfish. Some might kill a fish any chance they get, and some would never touch a fish all it's life. Any fish that's a mid-top swimmer will be fine. It's the fish on the bottom that you have to worry about. If you get a crawfish everything should be ok except the Cory's. There's a chance the crawfish won't even bother them but there's a chance he could kill them. If you have your heart set on a blue crawfish but also want bottom dwellers, you could get a dwarf Mexican orange crawfish. They only get around 2 inches and aren't big enough to kill anything. Hope this helped!

Yeah I was worried about my Cory's.
They're really fast, so it depends on how fast the crawfish would "attack" I guess. I don't plan on doing live plants, so that won't be an issue. I do think I should invest in a larger "cave" though, as the one I have now doesn't seem appropriate for a crawfish.
The Mexican orange looks great! I'm going to look a little into those as an option as well.

 

[henningc]

Make sure to get an Alleni. They stay smaller and are less aggressive than Clarkii. I have marbles and they don't mess with the corys. Can't tell you what other crayfish would do. I do know any crayfish other than dwarfs will rip your live plants to shreads.

 

[AmenFashion]

What do you guys think of me buying a baby blue crayfish?
Is there more care involved? Or can I just put them in the tank.
They'd only be an inch or so; would the other fish bother him?

Just trying to figure out some options.

 

[Fraser]

This is my cray, no idea what species unfortunately. I can tell you that she killed and ate 2 Cory's, a guppy a zebra danio and a harlequin Rasbora before I could get a tank just for her.
She wasn't particularly large when she started hunting the fish, only about 2.5 inches. She maxed out at around 6 inches, and was very aggressive towards anything (shrimp, snails, fish you name it)..
Really neat animal though!

 

[Fraser]

Just as an add on: my cray totally shredded EVERY live plant I had in my tank, she also ate perfectly healthy fish. If you're set on one I'd go with plastic decor and no tank mates, just to be on the safe side.

 

[Jev12]

There are actually dwarf blue crayfish that are plant and fish/shrimp/snail safe they are just a blue color variation of the Mexican orang dwarf crayfish...if you were looking for plant safe ones