how predatory are crayfish?

A friend of mine had a crayfish and a goldfish in the same tank. Even though the goldfish stayed in the middle/top of the tank and the crayfish at the bottom, the crayfish decapitated the goldfish. Crayfish also eat each other if they are kept in too small of an aquarium.
 
I have had two crayfish and a dwarf platy in one tank. I ended up with just a crayfish in the tank. I know that it was enviably that the platy would end up as food but I had hoped that they would be OK for awhile until I had set up the new tank. The crayfish might be OK with fast swimmers like zebra danios but it is still a possibility that they will still get picked off.

As far as removing it claw, I do agree that would be cruel. If they happen to loose a claw they do grow back but it may take a couple of molts to grow back to it's normal size.
 
Lightning Bug said:
maybe i can find one with small claws instead of those big lobster kinda things you see on some crays.
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Not sure if females keep the small claws when they get bigger.

From my experience if they are small enough that their claws are harmless they are food. If they are big enough to use their claws to hunt then you lose fish.

My latest one will get his own tank when he grows up (barely half-an-inch right now). The 2 main tanks have too many bottom dwellers to attempt it, and my goby tank...well they'll only hold out so long for melted butter.
 
I've done it for years and never had any problems. most of the time it was with cichlids tho! never a casualty
 
my cray (greg) has completely eaten a medium sized black moor. this was in the 29g he is in. one morning there was a moor, the next there just wasnt lol
 
I've had several crays over the years, and they have one thing in common;
they are evil - pure persistent evil :FIREdevil:
anything in your tank that is smaller, slower, or dumber than your crayfish

will eventually become it's dinner.
 
ya, people are telling me about how bad crays are. besides, clipping the claws kinda takes the fun out of having one. since i love my banjos too much right now to get rid of them im just gona have to skip the crayfish thing for now. thanks :)
 
......or i could find a way to put a tank divider in.
 
When I was ~4 I had my first fish tank. I don't remember what kind of fish we had, what size it was, or anything besides that we had crayfish. They would perch themselves on the highest rocks with their claws pointed towards the sky, and when a fish would accidently swim through the claws.....SNAP!

Needless to say, I don't like those little guys. I guess I am a little biased though haha.
 
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