Dwarf Crayfish… trying to define the line between predator and prey…

I know neocardia shrimp, being smaller and more timid that dwarf crays, would be different, and Baby Crays, would likely be eaten like a shrimp… in my medium Cichlid tank, I thinking about trying a group, to help clean up around the bigger rocks, by the waterfall, that the Cory’s haven’t been able to… there is nothing bigger than an angel, and the Tiger Silver dollar, and 3 near adult electric blue acarras… so everything is relatively docile… the Crays I’m considering are Cambarellus diminutus ‘blue… maybe a little more aggressive than the orange Mexican… but, I wouldn’t want to catch them feasting on my apisto’s… thoughts about the addition???

Seller says 1.25 inches as mature, and “Extremely peaceful, safe with almost all fish and other similarly-sized inverts. May become territorial with each other”

So sounds more like, they may become food, rather than become a predator…

I've never kept dwarf crays but I'd think adult cichlids would at least try to eat them.

We kept a small "wild" crayfish that would try to "pinch" fish that swam by. So, I bet dwarves would try that with small fish & shrimp. The 1s I've seen are a bit aggressive for their small size. Maybe just a territorial issue?

I kept two Mexican crays in a 10 g tank with nano fish and shrimp. Soon there was only one cray. Same thing happened in a 5 gallon shrimp tank with two crays. Soon there was one. I watched them battle to the death. The crays didn’t bother the shrimp or nano fish much. A few daily swipes. No injury.

So maybe 1 per tank? Or more in a larger tank? Maybe, gwand, your nano fish & shrimp were smart enough to keep away. Did you have lots of plants? I'd think that would help survivor rates.

fishorama said:

So maybe 1 per tank? Or more in a larger tank? Maybe, gwand, your nano fish & shrimp were smart enough to keep away. Did you have lots of plants? I'd think that would help survivor rates.

Click to expand...

Yes both my 10 gallon nano tank and 5 gallon shrimp tank have plenty of plants.

I would expect different sized creatures stalking each other at different levels. Eventually, the crays would moult. When they'd be temporarily defenceless, it could become a lobster dinner scenario.

But I haven't kept crayfish as an adult, and the local ones we used to catch were very different. We used to put them in the water fountain and wait for people to go to drink.

I was 9. Wouldn't do that now!