Crayfish/Shrimp Question.

[SoloWizard]

Hello all,

I have just a few simple questions. I never owned any crawfish or shrimp before but I am looking to get into that part of the hobby.

I have an 80 Gal. tall with guppies and platys and other community fish like that. Even 2 smaller Apple snails. The tank has a sand bottom and I am wondering if I could get a CrayFish and say a few different types of shrimp? I will stay clear of the CrayFish if they eat fish because I don't want to have to keep restocking the tank. If I can only do shrimp how many you believe will be good for a tank of that size?

The last question. Is there a certain type of shrimp that clean better than others? IE ghost over red cherry?

Thanks for the help
Solo

 

[likestofish]

dwarf crayfish are like super shrimp and dont eat fish but do need some protein like snails

 

[Pyramid_Party]

You'd have to go for a crayfish species that isnt that aggressive. Im not a cray expert, the only species I know of is some of the dwarf species. IMO cherry shrimp are pretty good shrimp cause they breed easily and they are easy to take care of.

 

[phillydog1958]

if crayfish can catch 'em they will . . . i have a blue lobster, but he's in with several larger, but easy-going fish, so he can't eat them.

 

[SoloWizard]

Thanks for the replies.

I think I am going to stick with shrimp because I can have a larger number of them.

This brings me to another question. Can I mix any kind of shrimp together or are some harmful to others?

 

[msjinkzd]

you have to worry aboout hybridization. Amano shrimp are completely peacefl and great algae eaters. They won't hybridize with any other species.


What is your source water like? pH, hardness. What temp is teh tank?

Dwarf crays like cambarellus schufeltdi or cambarellus patzcuarensis would be appropriate as well.

Is your tank planted?

 

[Danger_Chicken]

If you have guppies and platies I would want a cray that DOES eat fish to control the population. It's an interesting part of the hobby, I've had shrimp for about a year now thanks to msjinkzd. It gives a whole new prespective of aquatic life and entertianment.