Crayfish

[beesnees]

just got a crayfish of one of my friends. He's a funny character loves to move plants around my tank, and climb around great to watch. anyway i was told he fed it raw potatos and carrots wasn't quite sure how true this was so currently feeding him on blood worm. wot else could i feed him on to keep him so happy. thanx in advance

 

[raptorrex]

just got a crayfish of one of my friends. He's a funny character loves to move plants around my tank, and climb around great to watch. anyway i was told he fed it raw potatos and carrots wasn't quite sure how true this was so currently feeding him on blood worm. wot else could i feed him on to keep him so happy. thanx in advance

they are scavengers, as such will eat almost anything. mine eats what i feed all my fish. Fresh peas, cucumber, Fresh chicken (cooked), ground pellets, bloodworm and fish flake.

lol make sure your tank is secure, these things, love to climb and explore, and are good at the old Colditz routine. make sure it has plenty of hides or caves. finally keep the water well oxygenated, they also tend to love standing over airstones, letting the air blow through their legs.
be warned these things are very addictive, but are a real joy to keep. LMK if i can be of any help!

 

[beesnees]

thanx. is there any fish that i should avoind putting in the same tank, he is currently room mates with a 8''clown knife 4'' plec 3'' red tailed shark two 3'' angles.

 

[raptorrex]

thanx. is there any fish that i should avoind putting in the same tank, he is currently room mates with a 8''clown knife 4'' plec 3'' red tailed shark two 3'' angles.

avoid young fish. and very small bottom feeders. it will take any fish that are ill too. but observarion of your crays interaction with other fish is the best measure.

 

[beesnees]

cheers, will keep an ey on him and see how things go

 

[raptorrex]

cheers, will keep an ey on him and see how things go

some of Violets friends.

 

[moray]

the fish you have in with your cray are putting the cray at risk as they get bigger - crays really are best kept by themselves. The cory and plec are potential food for the cray, bottom dwellers are easy meat for them, they are quite capable of taking fish nearly the same size as themselves if the feeling takes them. and the angels and knife fish are potential cray killers when they get to a decent size, especially when the cray is shedding.

They are lovely pets and really interesting, though like I said before, imo should be kept on their own.

 

[raptorrex]

the fish you have in with your cray are putting the cray at risk as they get bigger - crays really are best kept by themselves. The cory and plec are potential food for the cray, bottom dwellers are easy meat for them, they are quite capable of taking fish nearly the same size as themselves if the feeling takes them. and the angels and knife fish are potential cray killers when they get to a decent size, especially when the cray is shedding.

They are lovely pets and really interesting, though like I said before, imo should be kept on their own.

well not sure which fish can be a risk to the Cray, and i have never seen a knife fish? yes it would appear that the cory and plecs are at risk, but in reality, only the sick are ever in trouble. i is often forgotten that some people do some research, before they try something. given a mature tank, with a peaceful history add a fairly mature Cray, keeping them together is not a risk. though not often mentioned on fish forums, most Cray are kept in some form of community. indeed many Cray are breed in multi species, ponds. the personality of both the tank and the Cray need to be taken into account. as for the risk at moult, give the Cray hides and caves, and that is not a problem. though i would be interested in hearing your experiences with your Crays! there is no substitute for the advice given by keepers.

 

[moray]

Clown knifes get 24" plus and can be very aggresive. Even angels have been known to nip a young cray that is shedding to death (you'll be suprised what they can get their heads into).


My cray (Cherax quadricarinatus) died recently after having him for about 4 years, I made the mistake when I first go him of putting him with fish, after several fish disapeared and then the cray was caught swimming up and grabbing a fish he was removed to his own 3ft tank. This is not the last time I saw crays actively hunting and killing fish, as I have seen it several times in fish shops.

Cherax quads (which are the only legal cray fish you can buy in the UK) are also very distructive to plants and rearrange the tank as they like it, eating any edible plants and genrally uprooting and destroying any others, mine used to rearrange its bogwood routinely (some bits were twice the length of it). Though some people have kept crays in community tanks, they usually aren't cherax quads (so it would be helpful to know what sort of cray you have?). There have been a lot of people who put their cray in their community tank and have lived to regret it. These animals aren't peaceful herbivores, they are scavengers and opportunists that will kill and destroy. If you have beloved fish, then keeping most crays in with them is asking for trouble. Is it worth the risk of losing favorite fish and having a beautifully matured planted tank destroyed, if so then the risk is worth taking, because they are great pets. If not give them their own tank and enjoy these beautiful creatures without risk.

 

[raptorrex]

Clown knifes get 24" plus and can be very aggresive. Even angels have been known to nip a young cray that is shedding to death (you'll be suprised what they can get their heads into).


My cray (Cherax quadricarinatus) died recently after having him for about 4 years, I made the mistake when I first go him of putting him with fish, after several fish disapeared and then the cray was caught swimming up and grabbing a fish he was removed to his own 3ft tank. This is not the last time I saw crays actively hunting and killing fish, as I have seen it several times in fish shops.

Cherax quads (which are the only legal cray fish you can buy in the UK) are also very distructive to plants and rearrange the tank as they like it, eating any edible plants and genrally uprooting and destroying any others, mine used to rearrange its bogwood routinely (some bits were twice the length of it). Though some people have kept crays in community tanks, they usually aren't cherax quads (so it would be helpful to know what sort of cray you have?). There have been a lot of people who put their cray in their community tank and have lived to regret it. These animals aren't peaceful herbivores, they are scavengers and opportunists that will kill and destroy. If you have beloved fish, then keeping most crays in with them is asking for trouble. Is it worth the risk of losing favorite fish and having a beautifully matured planted tank destroyed, if so then the risk is worth taking, because they are great pets. If not give them their own tank and enjoy these beautiful creatures without risk.

well the pictures tell the breed of my Cray, the vast majority of community Crays are Redclaw! being as they are the only accepted Tropical Cray. and though i know of some Redclaw i wouldn't let near a tank, many are fine. lol my Cray, loves to more every thing around, with the exception of the heaviest items. i fully accept your comments, as valid. however they can be very good additions to any community.

 

[moray]

I think we might have to agree to disagree boboboy. imo putting a crayfish (especially some of the larger species) in some community tanks is folly, but people have to make up their own minds in the end and though some get away with it, it is often only for a while (and if the worst then does happen it's just too late).

The other reason for not putting a therax quad in a tropical community tank is that the water is really too hot for it, and they prefer it cooler, at room temp. living a longer and healthier life.

Good luck with you cray beesnees, you might want to do a bit more research on them (as the clown knife will almost certainly be a problem). As for feeding, a main diet of vegetable matter peas, carrots, cabbage, etc and a small amount of prawn (must be previously frozen - so parasites can't exchange between them), mussel or fish can be fed to them every now and then. Though meat can be used it can be fatty and destroy the water quality - (especially as most crays will hoard food, bury it and it goes rotton).
If you do use meat a small amount of raw meat is often greatly enjoyed make sure it's lean, shrimp pellets are also full of uselful nutrients for them, make sure you don't over feed.

 

[raptorrex]

I think we might have to agree to disagree boboboy. imo putting a crayfish (especially some of the larger species) in some community tanks is folly, but people have to make up their own minds in the end and though some get away with it, it is often only for a while (and if the worst then does happen it's just too late).

The other reason for not putting a therax quad in a tropical community tank is that the water is really too hot for it, and they prefer it cooler, at room temp. living a longer and healthier life.

Good luck with you cray beesnees, you might want to do a bit more research on them (as the clown knife will almost certainly be a problem). As for feeding, a main diet of vegetable matter peas, carrots, cabbage, etc and a small amount of prawn (must be previously frozen - so parasites can't exchange between them), mussel or fish can be fed to them every now and then. Though meat can be used it can be fatty and destroy the water quality - (especially as most crays will hoard food, bury it and it goes rotton).
If you do use meat a small amount of raw meat is often greatly enjoyed make sure it's lean, shrimp pellets are also full of uselful nutrients for them, make sure you don't over feed.

you still got me there I dont have a knife fish in my tank!!! could you point out the fish, you think is a knifefish in the pictures i have posted. but whatever there is not one in my tank.

 

[beesnees]

the clown knife fish i hink hes relating to is the one that used to be in my tank, rehomed to my new 200 gallon tank

 

[raptorrex]

the clown knife fish i hink hes relating to is the one that used to be in my tank, rehomed to my new 200 gallon tank

lol i know what a knifefish is i just want to know, where it is! well in my tank anyway. coz i havent got one!!!!!!!!!!!! just wondering which fish had been mistaken for it.