Looking for info about freshwater crayfish.

Blackbeard · 01-20-2008, 02:44 PM

I haven't been able to find much info on getting/keeping crawdads, but I'm very much interested in starting a tank with a few.

Specifically,
Are they community-friendly?
How big will they get/ how much water would they need?
Are there any species anyone would recommend that are particularly colorful or interesting? (but hardy enough for someone who's never had a crawdad).

They're not native to Az. and I know our game & fish dept. does NOT like them in the streams. Will this pose a problem with me trying to order them? (might be a weird question, as I don't plan on putting them in a creek or anything)...

Thank you all for the help!

-Megan

Blue Cray · 01-20-2008, 03:45 PM

No they are not community fish they will eat anyfish they can catch, destroy and eat any plants you have.

Most need a 10gallon tank minimum to them selves. The will kill eachother if given the chance also.

The reach sizes of 4" to 12" in length.

Electric blue crayfish are interesting but tiger lobsters are waaay cooler and grow alot bigger though.

fishbone · 01-20-2008, 05:10 PM

10g is kinda cramped imho. Knowing how active crayfish/crabs/etc can be, I wouldn't personally go with anything smaller than a 20 gallon long. They are also dirty eaters, so it helps to have a large volume of water.

Blackbeard · 01-20-2008, 05:12 PM

So, would I only have the tank for a crawdad and nothing else? I don't want any plants, fish or other crawdads in the tank, right?
Thank you both for your help with this!

flamingo · 01-20-2008, 05:54 PM

It help to know the exact species you want to keep

Blackbeard · 01-20-2008, 06:26 PM

Yeah... I'm still getting information... Not even sure if I'm going to jump into it. Any ideas or links to references/research? I'm running into research road-bumps.

Thanks, all!

fishbone · 01-20-2008, 06:43 PM

My LFS has blue crayfish sometimes, they are about 4-5 inches across. I would personally set up the aquarium with gravel substrate and plenty of fake plants and rocks, to mimick their natural habitat which, afaik iirc, is rivers.
Check out the www.petshrimp.com forums as well, there are crayfish keepers there.

01-20-2008, 02:44 PM	#1
Blackbeard Argh, maties!!! P-) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Arizona Age: 29 Posts: 71 User Feedback: (0)	Looking for info about freshwater crayfish. I haven't been able to find much info on getting/keeping crawdads, but I'm very much interested in starting a tank with a few. Specifically, Are they community-friendly? How big will they get/ how much water would they need? Are there any species anyone would recommend that are particularly colorful or interesting? (but hardy enough for someone who's never had a crawdad). They're not native to Az. and I know our game & fish dept. does NOT like them in the streams. Will this pose a problem with me trying to order them? (might be a weird question, as I don't plan on putting them in a creek or anything)... Thank you all for the help! -Megan __________________ 10 Gal. 5 Neon Tetras "The Bone Busters" -3 Neons -2 Black Neons "Sid & Nancy" 1 Platy "The Hell's Angels" - Mickey Mouse "Chamilla" 2 Yo Yo Botias "The Southside Posse" - "Cheech and Chong" 1 Chinese Algae Eater "Davey Jones" 2.5 Gal. 1 Crowntail Betta "Nani" (Hawaiian for beautiful) Gold Inca Snail "Gary"

01-20-2008, 03:45 PM	#2
Blue Cray Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Age: 17 Posts: 298 User Feedback: (0)	No they are not community fish they will eat anyfish they can catch, destroy and eat any plants you have. Most need a 10gallon tank minimum to them selves. The will kill eachother if given the chance also. The reach sizes of 4" to 12" in length. Electric blue crayfish are interesting but tiger lobsters are waaay cooler and grow alot bigger though. __________________ 55g Planted -clown loach -golden zebra danios -glo lite tetras -male krib -striped raphael catfish -angels -bronze cories -gold gourami -SAE -brochis catfish -knight goby -Boeseman's Rainbowfish -Flying Foxes 22g Planted -endlers -zebra loach

01-20-2008, 05:10 PM	#3
fishbone Newbie Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Nebraska Posts: 400 User Feedback: (0)	10g is kinda cramped imho. Knowing how active crayfish/crabs/etc can be, I wouldn't personally go with anything smaller than a 20 gallon long. They are also dirty eaters, so it helps to have a large volume of water. __________________ My YouTube aquaria videos

01-20-2008, 05:12 PM	#4
Blackbeard Argh, maties!!! P-) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Arizona Age: 29 Posts: 71 User Feedback: (0)	So, would I only have the tank for a crawdad and nothing else? I don't want any plants, fish or other crawdads in the tank, right? Thank you both for your help with this! __________________ 10 Gal. 5 Neon Tetras "The Bone Busters" -3 Neons -2 Black Neons "Sid & Nancy" 1 Platy "The Hell's Angels" - Mickey Mouse "Chamilla" 2 Yo Yo Botias "The Southside Posse" - "Cheech and Chong" 1 Chinese Algae Eater "Davey Jones" 2.5 Gal. 1 Crowntail Betta "Nani" (Hawaiian for beautiful) Gold Inca Snail "Gary"

01-20-2008, 05:54 PM	#5
flamingo One Word: Croutons. Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Wisconsin Age: 16 Posts: 1,895 User Feedback: (2)	It help to know the exact species you want to keep __________________ If you put "u" instead of typing out the actual, shocking, three letter word... i'm not going to read your ramblings. I'm so behind it's not even funny.

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01-20-2008, 06:26 PM	#6
Blackbeard Argh, maties!!! P-) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Arizona Age: 29 Posts: 71 User Feedback: (0)	Yeah... I'm still getting information... Not even sure if I'm going to jump into it. Any ideas or links to references/research? I'm running into research road-bumps. Thanks, all! __________________ 10 Gal. 5 Neon Tetras "The Bone Busters" -3 Neons -2 Black Neons "Sid & Nancy" 1 Platy "The Hell's Angels" - Mickey Mouse "Chamilla" 2 Yo Yo Botias "The Southside Posse" - "Cheech and Chong" 1 Chinese Algae Eater "Davey Jones" 2.5 Gal. 1 Crowntail Betta "Nani" (Hawaiian for beautiful) Gold Inca Snail "Gary"

01-20-2008, 06:43 PM	#7
fishbone Newbie Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Nebraska Posts: 400 User Feedback: (0)	My LFS has blue crayfish sometimes, they are about 4-5 inches across. I would personally set up the aquarium with gravel substrate and plenty of fake plants and rocks, to mimick their natural habitat which, afaik iirc, is rivers. Check out the www.petshrimp.com forums as well, there are crayfish keepers there. __________________ My YouTube aquaria videos

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