tank mates for marble crayfish?

[jpierce3]

I have a very limited knowledge of inverts and there definitely doesn't seem to be a whole lot of info on the Marble crayfish (self replicating). I have a large one by itself and a whole lot of little ones so far.

I was kind of curious as to a few things if anyone has some experience with them. I have read some places that they are more veggies. Some places more omnivorous. Some say with fish some say without.

So what is the best diet for these? And can they be kept safely with other fish? If a veggie will they destroy plants or just go for decaying plant matter?

My son would like to have one in his tank with Mosquito fish (Gambusia holbrooki) and some Aspidoras albater. Of course, his tank is also planted.

 

[Bubbles2112]

Wow-sorry to have missed this posting. Marmorkrebs will eat all your plants in the tank. Think of them as lawnmowers that will also eat meaty things--feeding these crays is not a problem--they will eat almost anything that is offered and some things that are not offered . However, what to do with the babies when they start reproducing is a problem. I raise marmorkrebs mostly as feeders for some of my fish and feed them mostly Hikari Sinking Carnivore Pellets. If you are to keep these crays you should probably have a plan on what to do with the babies. Freezing is recommended and then use the dead ones as fertilizer for outside garden plants as it does wonders for the roses! Any release into the environment is a huge no-no so flushing live baby crays is not good plan.

As for what to house with the crays--anything is good but you have to consider if the cray will end up as a meal which is more likely than the cray eating the fish. Cichlids are most likely to make it a meal. Crays in general are opportunistic feeders so if they can catch a fish they will eat it. Since your son wants to keep the cray with some Mosquito fish, it would be a very good match! Although if the tank becomes to crowded from baby fish they cray may become better at catching and eating baby fish--just wanted to let you know so there won't be a surprise and a distressed child in the middle of the night!

 

[jpierce3]

Yeah, I did a little test and gave the adult a nice big piece of lettuce and she devoured it faster than she goes after Tilapia. Otherwise, I have been using the Carnivore pellets as a main staple.

I believe I will be keeping them out of my kid's nice planted tank. So far the Mosquito fish have been eating their own babies quite readily. In fact, I've had to use a hatchery to make sure that we get a few to survive.

I have been using them to feed the cichlids and polypterus. I do want to grow a half dozen or so to adult size and keep them in a 55g or so. Maybe with some sort of schooling fish and a livebearer. I am trying to set up some aquaponics systems in my home and have read they actually are good for aquaponics because they create their own colony. Just wonder if they are good to eat ? Cool, thanks for the info. Maybe I can even sell a few off. Kind of worried though that someone I sell to will release them somehow.

 

[jpierce3]

Actually, I do have couple more questions. What is the time line on their reproductive cycle? And what is your normal growth rate for the young?

When we got her she already had moving babies and I have been just growing the first batch. That was about 6 weeks ago or so (She has molted since then). Some guess work and what-not on my part and I don't think they have been growing as well as they should. About 25% of them are just over an inch long. About 50% are about 3/4" and the rest are about 1/2".