What have I gotten myself into?!

[Hobsyllwin]

About a month ago my boyfriend and I went to the LFS looking for bottom feeders. We found a pair of neat looking crayfish, with thin claws. Naturally we brought them home...

WHAT WERE WE THINKING!?

These little buggers suddenly have HUGE claws and have killed my betta (we got a new betta after the first one disappeared overnight, and he killed the second one too, or so we believe!) *growl*. The male has ripped both of the female's claws off. These things are MEAN! Fishkillers. They fight with the other smaller crayfish. They've been rehomed, hopefully the crayfish will have the company of two freshwater eels. As soon as the LFS has them in...

Here is Lucifer... (fitting name isn't it?)

 

[Rbishop]

Crayfish and fish, do not belong together.

 

[Hobsyllwin]

We found that out the hard way...the LFS said they "would go fine with the fish" ...pft...bologne ...pure bologne... They're all alone right now.

 

[pixl8r]

It looks a bit like a P. clarkii, so yes they are very aggressive, likely to eat fish, or other species of invebrates (snails, shrimp, other crayfish). Fish that are either slow swimmers, or those that sleep on the bottom are particularly vulnerable.

FYI, don't put any live plants in their tank. Your crayfish will eat and shred them.

To help keep the two crayfish from damaging each other, try creating multiple hiding caves and territories in the tank. If the tank's footprint is small, I would recommend getting a second tank, or a longer one. Crayfish are primarily bottom dwellers, that rarely swim up. They do climb however, so make sure that their tank has a tight lid, that they would not be able to lift open. They're also known to take strolls outside their tanks, and end up either cat food, dog food, or they die from dehydration.

 

[thebullit]

nice looking even tho you lost out. crayfish=no live fish

 

[Fishy_Fun]

Wow that thing looks wicked

 

[Hooked Newbie]

Sorry for the losses... the lesson is to research first so that you know more than the LFS.

 

[bluekrissyspike]

if you want, you can send em to my place. i'll make room for em.