Crayfish Tankmates

[rudywieck52]

In college, I was a member of this forum and had an electric blue crayfish. Now, almost 10 years later, I find myself as a behavior specialist in an elementary school. A lot of the students that wind up in my office can't control their emotions and need a distraction to help them deescalate. I think a bright blue crayfish to look at could be just the thing.

Now, I have a 10g tank and a 29g tank and neither are set up. I have a desire to set up the 29g tank, but I worry that the blue would eat everything else and make the tank look too empty. Are there fish I could keep with the crayfish that would add some color and movement to the tank that wouldn't get eaten? Or am I better off having the crayfish be alone in the 10g?

 

[Deadeye]

In the 29, you can keep any fish fast enough to not get eaten, which is a lot. I have kept a few crayfish, and maybe only lost 3 or 4 fish to them, and they were already sick. I would recommend:
3 giant danios OR Australian rainbows, OR 5 Buenos Aires tetras.
1 blue or gold gourami
1 bristle nose pleco (crayfish will try to get it, it won’t succeed, quite comical)
And a pair of dwarf cichlids (like kribs or rams, they populate the tank and are really fun to watch when they breed and herd the babies around, babies would also provide food for the other fish/crayfish. When they grow, you can also sell the juveniles and make some money for more tanks).

If you get a high rock, the crayfish will stand on top of it and try to catch fish, it’s really funny to watch.

 

[The Masked Shadow]

Everything Deadeye said is true. I wouldn't risk it with the Gourami. I caught 2 Crayfish from a local creek and brought back with them a school of 10 minnows. Half of the minnows died when I was transporting them cuz I forgot to put a bubbler in. I figured out my dog broke the 17 gallon I was gonna put them in. I put them in a 12-gallon see-through tub.

One molted, and we thought he was dead. In the end, we ended up with 6 live fish, and 2 live crayfish. We took them back a few days later.

Top dwellers like Hatchetfish and fast fish like tetras could do well.

Crayfish are ever the opportunist, and when fish are sleeping, they strike. They actively hunt fish for sport. A BP would not be good, because the Crayfish would harass it and eventually kill it when the fish is sucking the glass or driftwood.

Crayfish are also very good escape artists. They will climb onto anything, and explore their habitat over and over again, like Octopus. Good stimulation could be trying to catch fast fish.

Crayfish also molt every month. It looks like it is dead, but in reality, it is making a bigger exoskeleton. Do not take that out, as they will eat the calcium-enriched former-body themselves. Add eggshells a few times a month, because they need lots of calcium to generate a new exoskeleton.

Crayfish also need plenty of hiding spots.

If I had a 29 gallon, I would do:

5 Hatchetfish
9 Neon Tetra's
1 Crayfish

Do not overstock with crayfish, because the cray will just eat the fish. Cichlids would not be good, because they would pick on the crayfish.

You can also create stimulation by moving decor around every week so the crayfish can explore.

Lastly, Crayfish NEED a bubbler or perch to breathe air. A good way to do this is by having a piece of driftwood (with no plants, because crayfish will eat plants), to have a perch above water. And, have a Biochemical Sponge Filter, as I did with mine.

I hope you find this helpful!

 

[rudywieck52]

Thanks for all the info! I'm excited to research some of the options you guys have lined up.

 

[Deadeye]

Good luck with whatever you choose. My list was just what has worked for mine in a 60. Most important is that it is too big or fast for the crayfish, but not mean enough where it would kill it (ie: larger cichlids).