Inverts for large cichlids

[JeffLeMay]

I have two 55 gallon tanks, one containing a 6 inch red devil, and the other with 4 jds, about 4 inches, 2 firemouths, 1 pleco. I'm planning on getting rid of 1 of the firemouths, 2 of the jacks, and the pleco because he doesn't do a very good job cleaning. I am looking to potentially put an invertebrate or two in each tank to keep things clean... any ideas on what might be a good fit? I have seen some nice blue crayfish at the local fish spot but I know they might be food after a while.

[malawi4me2]

Hmmm... I wouldn't think that your cichlids would pay much attention to a large apple snail, but, I'm not sure. I don't have any experience keeping inverts with cichlids, but, just a thought... Maybe someone else has tried this? You're probably right about the crayfish.

[Oddball]

Crayfish would be a bad idea unless you were intentionally adding them to feed your cichlids. A good choice for cleaning would be MTS (Malaysian trumpet snails). They won't rip your plants up, eat leftovers, aerate your gravel, and have shells too hard for most fish to damage.

An added bonus is no unsightly jelly masses all over your tank. MTS are live-bearing snails.

[aquaboyaquatics]

I have kept large crays with red devils before. They usually creat a mutual respect. This cray in particular was with a breeding pair of devils. He would pick of a fry or two but there was so many it did'nt matter. I have this one and other available if you are interested.

[Gothyc_samurai]

ive kept a blue crayfish in a 4 foot grow out tank wit h2 jds angels salvinis, general cichlids about a year and they were fine, the cray passed of old age.

[Filthy Sanchez]

I too have kept crayfish with cichlids and haven't really had a problem.

[bob_tom]

I had a 4 inch apple snail in with my cichlids and they didnt pay no attention to it.
I took it out to put it in with my koi cuz they prefer cold water. but didnt seem to hurt it to be in warm cichlid tank.

[Honda12]

When I put a apple snail in with my cichlids they just tore it apart. Guess it just doesn't work for me.

[Jason_S]

all cichlids are different. some will tear up crayfish and others will leave them alone. it's all trial and error when dealing with larger cichlids. :)

[Cyclop3000]

I also had a Frontosa scare the heck out of a bunch of snails. and kill them. Crayfish could work, if you get bigger ones. But here's something for you...a crab. If you can get a fairly larger specimen (say 2" body width) then your problem is solved. I had one and they are fighters...had him with a 9" Blue JD, and 3-4 other large cichlids, and he made law. Each time a fish would swim by he tried to snap their tails...scared them away. After a couple days nobody looked at him anymore, and he lived a peaceful life. Plus they are amazing animals to watch.

A word of caution: cover the tank VERY WELL. They are escape artists you would not believe, found mine on the ground of my daughter's room one morning, claws up ready to attack our toes lol. Her room is a few rooms past the tank, on the other side of the house...he had climbed the filter intake pipe and got out. Mine was tagged as a "Red Crab" at the lfs.

Good luck!

[Cyclop3000]

Oh yeah forgot to tell u that the crab WILL eat plants, so if you have a planted tank you can say bye bye to your beloved plants, he will shred them to pieces. Here are a few pics of my crab I found...first is a pic eating my plant, second two are him climbing up a piece of wood that went to the surface...escape artist I tell ya ;) This guy is as big as my hand spread out. When they grow they shed their shell and replace it with a new one, very amazing to watch.

[Filthy Sanchez]

all cichlids are different. some will tear up crayfish and others will leave them alone. it's all trial and error when dealing with larger cichlids. :)

I agree I had a crayfish with big cichlids and other big predators, and it did just fine. The second time I tried it my pacus tore it apart.

[scottv]

Damn how do you guys do it??

Last time I threw a Crayfish in with just CONVICTS!! The cons tackled and it's arms fell apart...then they ate it up.


Other time, my Flowerhorn destroyed one right away. :(

These were 6" Crayfish.

[The_Gooch]

I've had no luck with a crayfish and my Jag. Crayfish get no peace and eventually they get picked apart. I have, however, had luck with a large apple snail. Although, every once in a while the Jag will play with the snail and bounce it around the tank.

[prawnman88]

i have a male and female macrobracium rosenbergi prawns there only arround 5 inchs and they are the bosses of my big tank everyone's like uh uh not going down there black mollies / gourami's and the guppys say kool kool your hood man

[Newt]

I had one of those huge apple snails in my 75, it was the size of a baseball. My fish picked at it until it died. Now I have a mix of smaller snails (the golf ball size apples, MTS, and some red ramshorn) and the fish ignore all of them. I also have some rather large (2 inch or so) ghost shrimp that were feeders but are now part of the janitorial staff.

My Cherax crayfish (now at 8 inches with claws) has also been doing great in my tank. It doesn't seem to bother the fish at all (lives in the same cave as my eel) and the fish ignore it. Of course, it's hit or miss with crayfish, some will tear your fish apart while the fish sleep at night. I got really lucky with mine, but I still keep a close eye on it. I think feeding it a lot helps. It is eats "snail cookies" and Tetra tablets three times a week along with what it picks off the gravel.

All of that being said, the only cichlids in the tank are convicts. I don't know how larger cichlids would be with my above mix.

[prawnman88]

i have turned the lights out then i watch with a led flashlight i have and proteus my dom male goes up on the plants and says all i really want to do is help the fish when they sleep heh also i found with like my prawns aka evil long arm vietnam shrimp lots of airation and food once a day and they seem to be not so pissy :headbang2

[c84]

That crab looks awesome. What kind of crab is it?

[prawnman88]

your 2nd pic looks liek he's liek damm it he has a camera and he saw me guess ill wait till he goes to bed lol man seems liek crabs always get picked on from everyone in the ocens no wonder there pissy i whould be to if everyone was trying to eat me :hitting:

[chefdazza]

i have had good luck with crayfish and lobsters in with large cichlids apple snails too, i tries crabs once but they died, i saw an australian lobster at my lfs today and it was huge i wanted to buy him, but i knew he would escape, lobsters are escape artists

[Don4921]

i have 4 bamboo shrimp with 5 reddevils, and2 5in ciclids goodluck :thumbsup:

[DULOS]

i dont know much about crayfish, but a bit about snails.
if you put a relatively large snail in with the cichlids it should be fine so longs as its not the same size as the fihes mouth. other than that keep them well fed so that they dont go for the snails. get snails that are not prolific like golden apple snails which grow quite big and manage algea or you will have lots of babies but this shouldnt be a problem with hungry cichlids.

[slammer]

http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/872/oscray7mb.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[red oscar]

my oscars killed every snail i put in tank no matter the size i now have the tiny brown snails that most try to kill off helps to clean up the left over food the oscars drop

[Gman91]

crayfish would work. they have some pretty good defense with those claws. the only time my cray's have been eaten are right after they have molted. ( or when there dead).

[gammapsi6]

Its a risk to take. I'd try it though

[gammapsi6]

Well on second thought I dont think so