# lobsters/crayfish. in a mostly mbuna tank?



## dgreco1602 (Dec 15, 2011)

I am setting up a 180 gallon mabuna tank and I was wondering if the freshwater lobsters/crayfish and or the mollusks like clams would work in this tank? I will be putting in olive nerite snails in the tank. The tank will have a couple of inches of gravel and a lot of rocks and driftwood which will supply many hiding places. The tank will also have live plants.


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## ILCichlid (Feb 27, 2012)

I just want to warn you of 3 things with what you posted.

1. Mbuna are diggers, so you may find that your plants get dug up.

2. Driftwood brings down a tank's PH level while Mbuna require a high ph around 8 so be prepared to have to try and get that PH up.

3. Mbuna sleep at night lying on the substrate/rocks in an almost catatonic daze. Odds are those lobsters or crayfish will kill some of your mbuna in the night.


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## Sparrk (Oct 11, 2010)

get anubias or java fern if you want plants, tied to a rock, they are tough plants, so even if your fish dug them out, it will stay there tied to the rock. And as for crayfish, they are great hunter, I used to put live feeder fish in my tank and was waking up to missing fish,(the funny thing is he would always leave the last fish in there alone, he wanted a friend loool) general rule with crayfish is, dont leave it in a tank with fish you dont want to loose :wink:


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

And then, when the crayfish/lobster molts, the mbuna will eat him. The mbuna will also kill the nerites...not immediately but in less than a year. The nerites do best with my haps and peacocks.


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## johnchor (Apr 2, 2011)

i was thinking the same thing of getting zebra crayfish from papua g.
but many folks here have warned me....

i got tire-track eel instead!


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## natejbadger (Apr 14, 2012)

I posted this response to a similar question posted the other year ... I had the same question, so hope this is helpful ...

"I have a 90 gallon cichlid tank with Haps, Mbunas and lots of lace rock for caves and hiding spots. I bought a neon red lobster 2 weeks ago (2 inches) and it was a blast to watch! Really loved it. But I came home yesterday and found only the claws and hard parts of its shell left, with the cichlids feasting on the soft remains of his tail.

Not sure what happened ... ie. he died and they ate him, or he molted and they got him, or they just decided to eat him. However, I decided not to get another one when the guy at the lfs said he was surprised it lasted 2 weeks. Ironically, his partner had said he figured it would be ok when I bought it, but did warn that there was chance the fish might start bumping him around.

I haven't seen much evidence that they bother the cichlids (too fast, even at night), but I've now seen a number of comments on the web suggesting that cichlids will often eat the crayfish.

Strangely, I have a friend with 3 in a 150 gallon cichlid tank. They have molted, had babies, etc. but the fish store guy said it may be because their cichlids are larger and less curious? Mine are young (2 inches max). Not sure ... BUT I would recommend not getting one, despite the fun and color they add."


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## RicanPapi (Nov 12, 2009)

I have a 150 gal fishtank malawi cichlids (mbuna, haps and peacoks) 2 crayfish (procambulus clarki and peninsulus for around 8 month) each crayfish already moilt 2 times and no problems at all and i have a lot of nerite snails (zebra,olive ,horned ,tiger) and they r doing well ( only the bigger ones die but i think thas is for being old ) . I try with mystery snail without luck . tomorrow im going to buy two rabbit snail and see what happens. in my setup plants doesnt work becuase my yellow labs and the crayfish eat then all. also i have 3 synodontys multipuntactus and a skunk loach (yes i know they eat snail) to keep mts under control and i hope the loach dont eat the rabbit snail.


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## RicanPapi (Nov 12, 2009)

i forgot to say that my crayfish dont attack on porpuse any of my cichlids . if they assume attack position is beacuse the cichlid is to close and is just warning them to keep distance but with the synodontys they share cave and never see them attacking my catfish


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## natejbadger (Apr 14, 2012)

Thanks for the feedback ... since the original crayfish was 'eaten' I haven't tried any more, but would like too. Sounds like some have success, and others don't.


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## Sidius (Mar 3, 2012)

I think it's totally random if you get lucky and it works. It all depends on your fish personalities. I have a 10g crayfish tank and my crays had babies.. when the babies got a little bigger I thought I would try adding one to my all male peacock/hap tank... My dominant adult Venustus swam over to check it out as soon as it was dropped in the tank and attacked like a piranha on prey before the cray even made it to the sand. I've heard stories of people being successful for over a year and then one day the cray(s) were just gone. It seems it's possible but more than likely, at some point the cray will become dinner.


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