# Adding to the debate... CICHLIDS with a CRAWFISH???



## juanarroyo312 (Apr 27, 2012)

So... I have had Africans for over 7 years now. I have always had the itch to add a blue or orange crawfish to the mix. I currently have 11 assorted Africans in a 60 gallon set up with 2 catfish and 6 zebra snails. Definitely in harmony right now. I added a standard crawfish 2 weeks ago, i had him in a separate tank for months. Well see what happens...

He just molted right before I put him in, so I wont have to worry about that for a while.

I have a ton of rock all over, and I added a small clay pot in there for his abode (even though he still prefers to duke it out with the Cichlids for a cave in the rock).

When I feed the Africans, I slip in an algae wafer to the crawfish, but the Cichlids still try and gangster it from him once the flakes are done (pretty interesting to watch this behavior). No one is hurt yet, they seem to respect the claws... lol.

I will keep you posted, but please feed me some experiences, tips, etc. I definately want to make this work long-term. I love to prove people wrong...


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## jd lover (Mar 11, 2011)

the craw fish will die (btw i didnt even read your post lol)


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

It is not during the day you would need to worry but at night when the fish are drifting around sleeping and resting and may come into contact with claws.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

It's true, eventually the crayfish will die, and it's also true you might even lose a cichlid or two in the process...

When you say you have "africans" I'm assuming mbuna by the looks of the yellow lab as your profile pic...

I've got a self cloning crayfish in a 30" 2 1/2 gallon tank by it's self... This is the best way to keep them...


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## Sparrk (Oct 11, 2010)

yup, I agree with thefishguy crayfish are good hunters... Even if they look slow and clumsy... They wait at night, sneak up on your fish and then "SNAP" cichlid is caught and done for! then the crayfish molt and the cichlids gets a feist!


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## Hammerstix (Feb 23, 2012)

Don't have experience w/crawfish but I've had an aquatic turtle (mapp) in w/my cichlids for about 4 years. Never had a single fish eaten. Maybe your crawfish, like my turtle, lacks predatory skill?


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## pdjs01 (Jun 18, 2011)

*** had a red claw crawfish with my Malawi cichlids for about 9 months
I have a good mixture of size fish from 10mm to 7" and she hasn't had one of them yet, they are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to quick. 
She mainly comes out at night and its easy to see her walking about towards my sleeping fish but they all move when she's close. 
I think they're a great addition, they get ALL uneaten food out the sand and whenever a sick fish does die you know where to find it, saves you having a fish rotting somewhere in the tank.
As for it dying, not true all my fish respect the claws enough not to mess about with it. 
Strange enough she shares a cave my 6" synodondis catfish with no problems at all


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## juanarroyo312 (Apr 27, 2012)

UPDATE!!!

Thanks for the feedback guys. I appreciate your directness as well...LOL.

As far as the specifics, here is the lineup in my tank...

1 Labidochromis Caeruleus
1 Pseudotropheus Acei
4 Pseudotropheus Zebra/Metriaclima Estherae
1 Melanochromis Auratus
1 Melanochromis Johanni
1 Maylandia Callainos
1 Metriaclima Lombardoi (Kenyi)
1 Iodotropheus Sprengerae (Rusty)
1 Synodontis Multipunctatus
1 Pimelodus Pictus
and Mr. Crawfish of course...

Based on my experiences, I see now that each tank is different. These creatures have their own personalities and behave differently in different environments.

So far, no incidents. I am continuing to see the Cichlids harass the crawfish for his algae wafer. I make sure to feed him daily when I feed the fish, and after they finish their grub, they wander over to him and try and gangster that wafer. He defends it fiercely, and thus far they have not been able to take it. Oddly enough, I do see him at odds with the catfish, in particular the pictus... he wants those wafers too.

I watch them as often as i can at night when the lights are out, and i definitely see him on the move, but i do see the fish very aware of his movements and pretty much stay out of his way. I am hoping to curb his hunting tendencies by feeding him regularly.

Another observation... he keeps switching caves. I purposely put in a small clay pot for him and he only used it for a few days. He has now taken up residence in one of the holes in the rock, which is much more exposed then the pot... go figure. He will move for a few days somewhere else, but he does come back to his spot.

Next update will be during the molt... we'll see what happens.


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