Everything I have ever read states that freshwater lobsters are an eventual threat to peaceful community fish. Over the passed few years I've learned that, unless you only keep guppies, neons, or feeder fish; this isn't true at all. They're actually very reclusive a lot of the time and only raise their claws when threatened. That said; I set up a tank almost exactly a year ago (following the October blizzard that had me without power for 2 weeks and killed all my fish except my electric cat- which I keep alone). Until about 2 1/2 months ago I had an electric blue, vibrant red, and snowflake white lobsters living in harmony with 5 bala sharks, an iridescent shark, a red fin shark, tiger botia, angelica catfish, a rope fish, a common pleco, and a blue phantom pleco. The only time the lobsters ever seemed even remotely agitated during their first day in the tank; and the aggression was targeted at each other rather than fish. I even had the white and red mate successfully!
Anyway; I had both the blue and white lobsters torn to shreds during molts a couple months ago; an issue I didn't have when they were younger. I'm not certain of what attacked them because I never saw it nor have I seen anything get aggressive in the tank. My guess is the rope fish because it's very comfortable and thus a very active bottom feeder. Nonetheless, to save the red I have had to observe the signs of molt and seclude it in a separate holder tank.
I'm moving everything into a 125g tank this month and really want to replace the snowflake and electric blue but rather than experiment with their lives I figure I'll ask you guys to see if anyone has any experience with a similar situation.... With 3 times the space do you think I could successfully replace these guys and not have this issue or is the problem that as the fish grow their appetites have become more voracious? I will obviously continue to monitor upcoming molt cycles with the red regardless, but I know that's not the ideal condition for them. My goal was to cross breed these guys again.
Anyway; I had both the blue and white lobsters torn to shreds during molts a couple months ago; an issue I didn't have when they were younger. I'm not certain of what attacked them because I never saw it nor have I seen anything get aggressive in the tank. My guess is the rope fish because it's very comfortable and thus a very active bottom feeder. Nonetheless, to save the red I have had to observe the signs of molt and seclude it in a separate holder tank.
I'm moving everything into a 125g tank this month and really want to replace the snowflake and electric blue but rather than experiment with their lives I figure I'll ask you guys to see if anyone has any experience with a similar situation.... With 3 times the space do you think I could successfully replace these guys and not have this issue or is the problem that as the fish grow their appetites have become more voracious? I will obviously continue to monitor upcoming molt cycles with the red regardless, but I know that's not the ideal condition for them. My goal was to cross breed these guys again.
