Electric Blue Crawfish and two Raphael Cats

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Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


spanks_4
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 9:40 pm

Electric Blue Crawfish and two Raphael Cats

by spanks_4

Will the crawfish mess with the catfish? The raphaels hide as long as their is light in the room, but about 5 minutes after lights out they come out to eat. I just don't want to loose my catfish or an expensive crawfish.


zambize
 
Posts: 401
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 9:14 pm

by zambize

I've been thinking of getting a crawfish and have been doing a lot of research on them. It sounds like your catfish could be at risk of injury. Crawfish will eat any fish small enough to fit in their mouths and may harass any other resting fish. The catfish are a bit large to eat, but they may very well get injured from the crawfish's claws when the crawfish explores them out of curiosity. Catfish are scaleless fish so they are extra sensitive to any injury, and an injury will make them more prone to infection and disease. It sounds like a dangerous mix. I would separate them. From the reading I've been doing, I have found very few fish recommended for mixing with a crayfish. Crayfish are cool all by themselves though. Some say to put small, fast fish with them, like Zebra Danios, but the crayfish will make a meal out of them at night when the danios are resting. Crayfish are surprisingly fast, too. Some say put larger, top-dwelling fish with them, but then larger fish tend to harass the crayfish because it looks yummy. I'm sure you'll find people who have kept fish with crayfish, but experts say it is best alone.

Z


Tmercier834747
 
Posts: 887
Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:33 pm

by Tmercier834747

I currently own a raphael but have no experience with crawfish. I saw one in a display tank at my LFS harassing a juvenile convict. Nothing seemed to come of it though.

Raphaels are VERY well armored fish but I don't think their deterrents (spines) would have much effect on inverts. Really it could go either way but I don't see either one being a true threat to one another. The raphael would grow to 6" though eventually and if it were ever able to fit the crawfish in its mouth I'm sure
it would attempt to do so.

I'm really not sure why they're nocturnal, if you were to handle an adult bare-handed you'd see what I mean.

Electric Blue Crawfish and two Raphael Cats

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