Thoughts on stocking?

[Deadeye]

Would you say crayfish are hardy? I've always been told that those things are indestructible

A bit late to the party, but they are definitely incredibly hardy. Just be sure to keep up oxygen levels by having lots of surface agitation. Mine have never bothered healthy fish, it just depends on what you put it with. Mine is with krib cichlids, a severum, blood parrot, gourami, silver dollars, some loaches, and a bala shark.

 

[SmokyCartoon]

A bit late to the party, but they are definitely incredibly hardy. Just be sure to keep up oxygen levels by having lots of surface agitation. Mine have never bothered healthy fish, it just depends on what you put it with. Mine is with krib cichlids, a severum, blood parrot, gourami, silver dollars, some loaches, and a bala shark.

Does the personality of the crayfish effect what you can put with it?

 

[SmokyCartoon]

Wow, I've just read through all of this thread. All 7 pages and 259 posts! SmokyCartoon , are you any closer to making some decisions, the suspense is killing me!

I definitely know what I want, it’s just only a matter of when…

 

[Deadeye]

Does the personality of the crayfish effect what you can put with it?

They’re kind of all the same. The bigger they are, the bigger fish they can catch. They go marching around the tank searching for food, waving around their claws trying to grab something. I’ve noticed mine will go through dormant phases where I don’t see it often for a few weeks and then be back out again. Males do get bigger claws. Avoid slow fish with long fins (like goldfish) or things that can eat it (larger cichlids and mbuna).
You can look into the Mexican dwarf crayfish, they do well with smaller fish, as long as tankmates aren’t able to eat it.

 

[Something Fishy Here]

They're awesome to watch march around and try to catch fish. I put in some hamster tubes with mine, and even a lookout tower she'd climb up into. but yeah it was deifinitely the slow moving or stopped fish she would catch and eat, a spotted raphael juvie, and a dojo loach are the main 2 I remember seeing her carry around in both claws like carrying a pizza box home.

 

[SmokyCartoon]

They're awesome to watch march around and try to catch fish. I put in some hamster tubes with mine, and even a lookout tower she'd climb up into. but yeah it was deifinitely the slow moving or stopped fish she would catch and eat, a spotted raphael juvie, and a dojo loach are the main 2 I remember seeing her carry around in both claws like carrying a pizza box home.

What did you feed your crayfish

 

[Something Fishy Here]

Maybe Deadeye is a better resource since he still has one, but they're scavengers, she got whatever my fish ate, nls pellets, algae wafers, frozen brine shrimp. sinking shrimp pellets. etc

 

[Deadeye]

Mine have always scavenged off of whatever I feed. If you wanted to direct feed, I would give it fresh fish meat, shrimp, mussel, etc.. I’d also give plant matter (these guys are not safe with live plants - mine snipped off leaves for fun and that was the last I tried). Sometimes I’ll harvest hornwort (covered in hair algae) and he will be on top of it eating. I usually feed pretty heavily so there’s always enough for bottom feeders.
Given that there are less kribs than the original cloud of fry, I’m sure the crayfish had a few (either caught them or found ones killed by the other cichlids).

 

[SmokyCartoon]

 

[Something Fishy Here]

I also thought mine died the first time she molted, i wasn't expecting it and turned on the tank lights to see a crumpled crayfish husk on the sand. She was hiding in her cave until her new shell hardened. And when she "berried up" with eggs it was really cool watching her shake them and clean them. Quite a fun addition to the hobby.