Blue Crayfish

Been looking at these for a while, but haven't found them for under $18 each. Until yesterday that is! Ended up going by Aquatic Critter (Nashville) in my quest for black sand. Figured I'd get some more brine shrimp for the class research and ghost shrimp as well. Lo-and-behold what did I spy in two of their tanks - 'Blue lobsters'!

Never seen this store carry crayfish. Intrigued, I walked over. Sure enough, one tank was $20 - but the other said 'small blue lobster $5.99.... My price range!

Now I have two crayfish in the 29T planted tank at work. The Bichars investigated them but wisely decided they were too big and well armed to mess with. Crayfish relaxed fast when they realized there were plants and rocks all around - and quickly found the spot where all the shrimp pellets and gel week feeders fall. Began to eat right next to the cories and Bichars.

Students are going to trip out on them next week! They're already hooked on the Bichars, and now that there's no big mid/upper swimming level fish in the tank those are very VERY active during the day.

Here's a stock pic of them:[img][/img]

wow i wish i can have some of those!, good find...

Be careful if fish go missing you know who's to blame.

lol thats true, i would just keep it in a big tank with a lot of rocks...

Have much bigger native crayfish in the Brim tank. So far no minnows have dissappeared. Many crayfish are primarily herbivores/detritivores, only going after dead/injured fish. They're more apt to BE fish food (native fish prey heavily on them) So as long as they've got plenty of shrimp pellets/algae waifers/bottom weekend gel feeders - they don't mess with healthy fish.

However I am going to add a ton of feeder guppies to that tank since it's home to predatory Bichars. So if the crayfish can catch the little feeders - more power to them.

man i'll love to watch that.. take some video if you can please!!

Think the husband threw out the charger to the video camera.... grrrrrr.... Looked everwhere for it on the 24th!

time to buy a new one!!

Nah, BestBuy hooked me up yesterday with a 'travel charger' - and then I decided to finally buy the photo card for the thing so that I can take still digitals...

I'll get pics on Monday of them. Did check on them yesterday and added some rosy minnow to the tank. Everyone was doing well and getting along fine. Both crayfish have found their own 'spots' at opposite corners.

Doing very well. They pinch the predatory Bichirs everytime the bigger fish come to investigate their shrimp pellets - Have no problem with the cories as long as the cories find their OWN pellets! These crayfish prefer the shrimp pellets over the algea pellets - unlike the native crayfish I have in another tank.

Minnows and feeder guppies dissappear regularly - and everyone's fat and happy!

Here's the best shot I could get of the sneaky blue crayfish:

[img][/img]

Nice! I really want one, but couldn't afford to lose any fish! lol