Blue Lobster Impulse Buy + Switching Substrate

[strychix]

Today I got a Hammers Cobalt Blue Lobster as an impulse buy. I also got a honey gourami and a couple more skirt tetras but I know those will be okay. My aquarium is a 55g with a schoal of skirt tetras and a schoal of danios along with a clown pleco, and so the only really new items are the gourami and the crayfish. The gourami will likely be a fine addition.

But I've never owned a crayfish before nor done much research. I imagine they are aggressive but at the same time the tank is large enough and has some hidey holes that I think it will be okay.

The crayfish and the others are in separate quarantines tanks since I didn't think that a smaller tank would be okay, at least until I learned more. My boyfriend really wanted it, and if all else fails I can keep it in a separate aquarium for him.

Also, my 55 has glass beads as substrate (bad, I know, but really pretty!! haha) and I have sand that I will be washing out tomorrow. Is it possible to take the fish out, take the glass beads out, then just add the sand and let it settle then return the fish? I really would prefer not to completely drain the tank just to switch substrates.



Thanks.

 

[azmodan]

I've never owned a crayfish long term myself but others with more experience will come along soon. Things I did learn in the few that I owned:

1. They are fantastic escape artists. Two that I had climbed up the filter intake tube and crawled their way to freedom (and died).

2. They will catch and eat fish that rest at night on the bottom of the tank.

3. They like to burrow and move around things in the tank like gravel.

4. They love to uproot plants.

 

[BLUElobster99]

I think a 55 is lage enough for the pleco and he cray but if they don't settle their territories they could cause harm to each other

The lobster will get 6inches and at that point your going to need a deeper at tank or he will eat EVERYTHING

 

[NYgiantsRP]

You might have problems in the long run. All of the fish(except the Pleco) are top/mid level swimmers and pretty fast swimmers so that is a good thing. They should be able to stay away from the crayfish for now, but as it grows it might start picking off your fish. But hey, that's what fin about the hobby so test it out and just keep a daily count on your fish haha.

 

[BLUElobster99]

It's really trial and error


If he hunts your fish take him out

My blue crayfish never harmed my community fish until I added a pleco
But the tank was half the size of yours

 

[strychix]

Thanks. He was only $16 and he's about 2-1/2 inches now? So he really wasn't too expensive and neither was any of the current other residents of the aquarium. If he gets too big/I get more expensive fish he can harm, he'll get his own tank... Or eaten! HAHAHA.

My BF loves to get fish that hide and are bottom dwellers apparently, the clown pleco is his too.