Can i keep a cray fish?

cichlidcichlid

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Jun 15, 2006
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I have a 29gal with african cichlids. I have alot of algae and was wondering besides gettting a pleco if instead get a cray fish, if it would eat the algae off the sides of my tank and sword plant. Or would catfish work or would the cichlids kill it. They already ate the chinese algae eater i had tried.
 
I have never heard of cray's eating alge or at least not impacting it. They are scavengers and will try to get your fish in there claws. Mine used to climb a plant then jump off pinching at fish as he floated back down quite funny to watch but he ate to many of my fish lol. They also escape I found mine in front of my front door one morning all dried up.
 
Thay do like to escape. They will find anyopening they can fit in. As long as your fish are fast swimmers there should be no problem if there are enough of them to keep the stress down.
 
Why would you want your fish fighting a crabby thing?!

Just get a bigger catfish or algae eater. That way they're both happy.
 
I would worry more about the cray than the fish. When they molt they can get picked on and killed......especially in an african cichlid tank
 
I had an electric blue crayfish a few years ago and I named him Houdini. He escaped 5 times until I was finally able to make the tank escape proof.. It was funny, every time he escaped I'd find him crawling down the hallway towards my room. I guess he just wanted to hang out :)
 
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