General Care Discussion :: Crayfish w/res

[jenaero]

I was at the pet store for plants and asked the fish guy about bottom feeders. He said plecos wouldn't eat poop or food, just algae. He mentioned crayfish and had me thinking it was a good idea. I figured as long as there was a hiding spot for him.

I put him in the tank about 20 min ago....he is no longer. I thought he'd stay out of their way. Ah well. Live and learn, eh?

I don't want to watch it so I'll just go down there in a half hour or so to make sure my res still have their eyes intact At least they'll get some calcium from all that shell right?

[daredevilgirl013]

Wow...they're lucky the crawfish didn't pinch them with their claws. I would have been worried about that. Why not get some sucker fish (the huge ones) those might do well, and your turtle might leave the big ones alone, plus I think they eat just about anything and they like to stick to the side of the tank and just suck away.

[ellman605]

hmmm, i wonder if my turtles will mess with the crawfish, i mean, they hardly notice the 2 fish and 2 snails...how much are those guys?

[jenaero]

The one I got was $3.50, about 5 inches long. Both the turts are 5in so I thought he'd be safe. I checked, and everyone still has all their body parts..lol. I'm just lucky that I didn't walk out of the store with that electric blue one that I wanted. Those things are $40. I can't believe there's not one little bit of him left at all. Good thing I didn't name it.

[jenaero]

Those sucker fish I think only eat algae and there is none in the tank. I wanted something to eat the poop and leftover plants. Guess I'll just have to stick with guppies.

[ellman605]

hmmm, how bout ghost shrimp, they're edible, and they clean up!

[jenaero]

The pet store guy suggested those too. I've had them before but I have a hard time not sucking them up with the python because they're pretty much invisible. Also, they steal the pellets from the turts. I may get some today anyway because the turts just can't catch them.

[ellman605]

i always watch where i'm sucking, always suck from the surface watching what goes into it, and i've sucked a fish half way down the tube before, i had to shoot him out of the python!

[daredevilgirl013]

Ok these ghost shrimp....they eat turtle waste right? But they steal pellets from the turtles?

How big are they? And about how much do they cost? I might get those instead of snails.

And do they like to crawl out of the tank too? (I've had a crab get out of a fish tank before a long time ago and sometimes he liked to crawl up on you and when you woke up you'd have a claw right next to your face...and I really don't care to wake up to something next to my face again that isn't my cat.)

[marisa]

I've read that some crayfish carry a bacteria that can contribute to shell rot.

[jenaero]

These shrimp are swimmers and won't get out of the tank. They'll eat anything they can, and that's probably why they're quick to grab anything that lands in the water. They kept my tank pretty clean when I had them. They're not very big at all. I'd say the size of a guppy maybe. Here, they're slightly more expensive than feeder fish but I can't remember how much.

Marisa, is that if they're eaten or if they co-habitate?

[marisa]

I've seen it mentioned most often regarding consuming crayfish. They carry a bacterium called beneckea chitinovora, which is a common infectious agent. The majority of discussions I've seen on the subject seem to end with the recommendation that the practice of feeding crayfish should not be encouraged. One turtlekeeper (who I think is really knowledgable) suggests that the crayfish be cooked before feeding. Crayfish are consumed readily in the wild by species such as snappers, maps and DBTs, though. And, in another forum, a member mentioned that this friends turtle got impacted from eating the shell of a crayfish and almost died.

This is just me, but even if they were only cohabitating with turtles, the fact that they can carry an infectious bacteria and eliminate waste in the same water turtles drink, wouldn't exactly make me want crayfish to be living with them. (And it would seem they're going to be ultimately eaten at some point, anyway.)

[daredevilgirl013]

Hate to keep going on about ghost shrimp, but if i get them does that mean I need to feed Michelangelo more since they eat what he eats too?

Also how many should I get for a 10 gallon tank with a 1.25 inch RES?

[jenaero]

Oh geez. I guess I'll keep an eye on them then. Are there any obvious symptoms of impaction? What should I look for? Also, does impaction cause prolapse or are the two unrelated?
Daredevil, the turts are usually faster at getting the food than the shrimp are because Michelangelo will see you coming and know it's feeding time. No need to feed him extra. Try maybe half a dozen in case he eats some.

[marisa]

With impaction/blockage, a turtle wouldn't be able to poop. And since waste wasn't being eliminated, the turtle would grow ill/lethargic and wouldn't want to eat. If the shell were sharp and didn't cause a blockage but somehow cut the turtle internally, the stool/waste would likely be bloody as well. Intestional prolapse is believed to have several possible causes, I wouldn't be surprised if somehow a blockage could contribute to the condition.

My RES has, on occasion gobbled down small pieces of the shell of a shrimp and had no ill effects. if that eases your mind at all.