Safe "Creepy Crawler" for This Planted?

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Dopey

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Dec 5, 2002
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Hi.

I would love to add a bottom dwelling creepy crawler to my tank, but can't add shrimp due to my fish (blood parrots, angels, pictus cats, clown loaches)

I was thinking about a blue lobster, but some folks say that they are like little lawn mowers when it comes to live plants.

A guy at Petco tells me that their blue lobsters are Austrailian Blue Crayfish, which only ever eat dead plant material and are 100% safe in planted tanks. The "other" blue crayfish are US color mutations and are unsafe for planted tanks and small fish.

A. Does this guy know what he is talking about?
B. If so, what are the latin names of these two species?
C. If so, how does one tell these species apart?
D. If this guy doesn't know what he's talking about, any suggestions on another good creepy crawly for a planted tank w/fish listed?

Thanks.
 
Big old mystery snails. Check out applesnail.net for info on which kinds are plant safe.
 
Originally posted by Dopey
A. Does this guy know what he is talking about?
B. If so, what are the latin names of these two species?
C. If so, how does one tell these species apart?
D. If this guy doesn't know what he's talking about, any suggestions on another good creepy crawly for a planted tank w/fish listed?
Click to expand...

A. No. Because hey, there's about 30 species of crayfish in Aussieland, and at least 2 are blue.

B. Most common aussie crayfuish (that are blue) are Cherax quadricarinatus and Cherax Tenuimanus. Quads (they're red-claw crayfish, but with a blue body) get to about a foot long. Tenu's (known as blue mannon's) can get upwards of 16in.

Most american blues are procambarus alleni, and get to about 10"

All of them will eat whatever they can grab, be it plant or fish. What plants they don't tear up they dig up.

C. When they're small, your guess is as good as mine, although blue mannon's are 100% blue, whereas the other 2 could have other color. Full grown, size gives it away.

D. Snail's have been said, but they'd need to be big.


Incedentally, I'm beginning to think I have a Quad based on what I found online, and not the US crayfish.
 
larger shrimp

I've seen 2-3" shrimp called wood or bamboo shrimp. They're brown with some darker markings on the sides. I don't think angels would hurt them, but the blood parrot might pick their legs off.

Crayfish dig, and any crustacean with claws can and will use them to kill/maim fish.
 
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