gars and crayfish

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alcohologist

Candiru
MFK Member
Apr 8, 2007
936
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singapore
hey guys, i want to get a crayfish for my pond [cleanup and such], currently it's got three spotteds: 10, 13, and 6-7 inches. also two senegal bichirs, around 6" each. they get along fine, pond's pretty big [organic shape] minimum 150-160 gallons. if it makes any difference, the two smaller gar almost always hang out at the surface, the smallest one more so, but the biggest one is always resting on the bottom.
i see [search tool, yes(: ] that gar can easily snap up a small cray or five [poly mentioned a 13" gar VS 3" cray], but there are some pretty big crays available to me, around 8" fully straightened out, just under 2" thick. i can move the small spotted if it's in any danger, and the bichirs, if they're in any danger from a big cray.
so, do you think it's safe for me to add the little [big] bugger?
 
I have had big crays (5-6 inches) work fine with my 18" Florida/Spotted...it's hit or miss i guess.
 
150-160 gallons isn't a big pond as far as hiding places or escape routes go. My gars and polys all feed on raw shrimp and live crayfish so, don't be surprised to find the cray missing at some point in the near future.
 
excellent to hear, the cray isnt really the animal i'm worried about. the pond i'm pretty sure is bigger than 160, but that's the strict-ish min i estimate. i'll give it a try then.
 
alcohologist;1899338; said:
excellent to hear, the cray isnt really the animal i'm worried about. the pond i'm pretty sure is bigger than 160, but that's the strict-ish min i estimate. i'll give it a try then.
Click to expand...

Like Phil said though...be ready to lose them. My encounter was back when i only had one gar and very little experience with these fish...but it did work for over a year, then i got a new tank and didnt want the cray in it.
 
Echoing others but you may find your gar (or polys) will pick off the cray especially if it gets caught out after molting...I gave up on crayfish because they never seemed to stay well enough hidden when molting and ended up as lunch for somebody.
 
haha if you're gonna feed them once in 4 months(inside joke)......:D there goes your crayfish.
 
haha. i guess the problem would be when the cray molts. hmm.
i can't think of any other critter that could clean the pond for me, though. anyone?
 
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