Weird specimens

[Guest]

I've been browsing Foster&Smith's mail order site. These specimens are weird. Does anyone have opinions on them?

Hammers Cobalt Blue Lobster
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=1641
Claims to be a good community specimen, but I've seem some stories around here about crabs-gone-bad. I could imagine something like this taking down all my Otos or angelfish. Thoughts?

What about the shrimps listed on the inverts page?
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/scateg.cfm?siteid=20&pCatId=1075&TopCatId=1075
Good creatures to have? Would a clown loach (or two, in my case) beat the crap out of them?

Freshwater Clam: Since they get their food by sifting the water, would they not survive in a well-filtered tank? Also, how do you know when they're dead?

 

[fishmonger]

The lobster will try to catch any fish it can get a hold of. I wouldn't keep any big slow moving fish with big fins in there with it. Plus, it will attack any sick fish that is laying near the bottom. It's always a gamble. I have 2 crabs and they tore apart a sick barb I had before I could get him out. They are quick to jump on unsuspecting fish. I'm wondering myself on the clams...lol

 

[benji-star]

i know but if i could get more info on the clams that is right up my alley those seem cool if you get them keep us posted.

 

[Fruitbat]

I agree 100% with fishmonger regarding the 'lobster' (which is actually a crayfish...but who is counting). I've got some Giant River Prawns in one of my tanks that were mixed in with some 'ghost shrimp' that I bought as food for my fish. They were all less than an inch long when I bought them. Now I have one prawn that is nearly 8 inches long (not counting its claws) and it has eaten a Tiger Barb and a couple of loaches. The larger clawed shrimp and crayfish are opportunistic and will take a fish if they can get ahold of it.

As for the shrimps they have listed. All of them except the 'Singapore Flower Shrimp' stay fairly small and some are very good algae eaters. The 'Singapore Flower Shrimp' gets larger and is a fascinating filter-feeder. They are all harmless to your fish but aggressive fish might try to nibble on them.

Theoretically, keeping a freshwater clam in an aquarium would be a good thing. The amount of water they can filter is prodigious. However...you've struck one of their worst points right on the head. It is almost impossible to tell when they're dead and a number of people I know who have attempted to keep them have suffered major fish losses when a clam died and began to decompose before the person knew about it. Of course...this plays merry hades with your ammonia and nitrite levels. Another problem is that they are so efficient at filtering the water that they quickly run themselves out of food and you can't exactly toss a few extra flakes in for the clam.

Hope this helps!

-Joe

 

[DanW0007]

I agree 100% with fishmonger regarding the 'lobster' (which is actually a crayfish...but who is counting).

Is there also a species of lobster that is electric blue, similar to the florida crayfish many LFS's sell? I was told directly from a supplier of these that they had "Australian Blue Lobsters" that were actual lobsters, not crayfish. They were also much more expensive than any of the blue crayfish I've ever seen.