# Start New Tank



## striker32 (Dec 19, 2011)

HI, I just started a new tank 20 gal. that i had to replace for age.

right now i only have my blue lobster in it, i have had him for some time.

I have a problem, he does not seem to be happy in his new tank, keeps trying to climb up the sides, never did that before. I set up the new tank for over 4 days with the filter running and the water was treated.
the lobster is eating fine. 
Did I do something wrong? *c/p* *old dude


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

You ran out of chat before i could tell you, run both filters together for a few weeks til the new one gets seeded, but still test your water in case the bacteria in the old filter has died.


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## SuckMyCichlids (Nov 5, 2011)

i would guess he's stressed because its a new tank that hasnt been cycled yet?


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## TypeYourTextHere (Apr 20, 2011)

Please tell me you kept the old filter media. If you had just put in the old filter with the new one you wouldn't have to cycle the tank again.


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## striker32 (Dec 19, 2011)

TypeYourTextHere said:


> Please tell me you kept the old filter media. If you had just put in the old filter with the new one you wouldn't have to cycle the tank again.



Yes i have the old media and placed it in the new filter yesterday, but things are still the same.
Cant run both filters, no room with the hood/light. *c/p*


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## SuckMyCichlids (Nov 5, 2011)

have you tested your water at all?


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

You need to be testing and doing water changes as needed or you will inevitably kill your fish/lobster. After several days without a bioload and/or out of water teh old filter may not have any live bacteria on it....if that's the case you are looking at cycling all over again.


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## SuckMyCichlids (Nov 5, 2011)

has your crayfish lost any color? those are definet signs of stress, also test for copper along with everything else.


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## TypeYourTextHere (Apr 20, 2011)

striker32 said:


> Yes i have the old media and placed it in the new filter yesterday, but things are still the same.
> Cant run both filters, no room with the hood/light. *c/p*


Not to beat a dead horse, but you kept it running in the old tank?


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## striker32 (Dec 19, 2011)

Summer said:


> You need to be testing and doing water changes as needed or you will inevitably kill your fish/lobster. After several days without a bioload and/or out of water teh old filter may not have any live bacteria on it....if that's the case you are looking at cycling all over again.



I have kept the old filter in the old tank with the water still in it.


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## striker32 (Dec 19, 2011)

TypeYourTextHere said:


> Not to beat a dead horse, but you kept it running in the old tank?



YES:animated_fish_swimm


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## striker32 (Dec 19, 2011)

SuckMyCichlids said:


> has your crayfish lost any color? those are definet signs of stress, also test for copper along with everything else.



NOPE He has lost no color at all, he is a bit calmer now after changing filter media from new to old.

Plus he is spending more time in his cave where it is dark.
do they come out at night at all to eat?

I think i have to get new different food for him, the pelets i have now are the same color as the new gravel, dont know if he is able to find it or not?


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## SuckMyCichlids (Nov 5, 2011)

im guessing that he/she will be more active at night but i dont know a whole lot about crayfish, do you know exactly what kind it is? if its a blue knight lobster than you'll need a bigger tank cause he'll get about 12" long while the hammers cobalt blue lobster only gets 5" and is perfect for that tank, you should vary their diet with a quality sinking pellet, flake food and dried algae.


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## striker32 (Dec 19, 2011)

SuckMyCichlids said:


> im guessing that he/she will be more active at night but i dont know a whole lot about crayfish, do you know exactly what kind it is? if its a blue knight lobster than you'll need a bigger tank cause he'll get about 12" long while the hammers cobalt blue lobster only gets 5" and is perfect for that tank, you should vary their diet with a quality sinking pellet, flake food and dried algae.



How do i tell what kind it is?
I do give him sinking pellets, flake food and algae wafers.
no matter what it is its still smalL enough for this tank.

I'm thinking on adding a BLOOD RED PARROT FISH WITH HIM :fish9:
WILL THEY HARM EACHOTHER AT ALL?*c/p*


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## SuckMyCichlids (Nov 5, 2011)

im not sure exactly how you'd tell but i would cruise the internet looking for pics that best represent what yours looks like. 

please dont put a blood red parrot in a 20g with a crayfish.... the parrot can get upwards of 8" long


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## striker32 (Dec 19, 2011)

SuckMyCichlids said:


> im not sure exactly how you'd tell but i would cruise the internet looking for pics that best represent what yours looks like.
> 
> please dont put a blood red parrot in a 20g with a crayfish.... the parrot can get upwards of 8" long



Ok I did not know parrots get that big, 

My avatar pic is what my blue lobster looks like to the t :fish10:


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## SuckMyCichlids (Nov 5, 2011)

if thats the case than good news! lol, he's a hammers cobalt blue lobster and he'll get about 5" long and he'll be fine in that tank, if you wanna put other fish in there with him just make sure that they're not tiny or too slow cause he'll nip at them and probably make lunch out of em, how big is he now? do you have sand or a medium-fine substrate and plants in the tank? they like to burrow and what not


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## striker32 (Dec 19, 2011)

SuckMyCichlids said:


> if thats the case than good news! lol, he's a hammers cobalt blue lobster and he'll get about 5" long and he'll be fine in that tank, if you wanna put other fish in there with him just make sure that they're not tiny or too slow cause he'll nip at them and probably make lunch out of em, how big is he now? do you have sand or a medium-fine substrate and plants in the tank? they like to burrow and what not



I'd say hes about 3" now, I have a medium- substrate tan in color, NO PLANTS, have a mountain house where he stays in it, he digs the gravel all around it and goes in from the bottom

i'm worried that he cant find his pallets because they are the same color as the gravel:fish9:


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## SuckMyCichlids (Nov 5, 2011)

maybe he's just choosing to ignore the pellets? try putting acouple right in front of him and see if he goes for them, if he doesnt even look at it i'd see if i could find another good pellet foor for him


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## striker32 (Dec 19, 2011)

SuckMyCichlids said:


> maybe he's just choosing to ignore the pellets? try putting acouple right in front of him and see if he goes for them, if he doesnt even look at it i'd see if i could find another good pellet foor for him


NO He is eating the pellets when i drop them in front of him.*pc


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## SuckMyCichlids (Nov 5, 2011)

then i wouldnt be too worried about it, they are scavengers so he'll find em all eventually lol


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## striker32 (Dec 19, 2011)

for some reason now the tank is very cloudy,

I have found that when i drop a alge waffer in that he goes for it and nibbles a bit, then i see the rest of it laying on the bottom all crumbled up not being eaten, WHAT GIVES? I THOUGHT THEY LIKE THEM?:fish9:

IT BETTER CLEAR UP BECAUSE THERES NO WAY I'M STARTING THIS TANK OVER AGAIN *old dude


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

striker32 said:


> for some reason now the tank is very cloudy,
> 
> I have found that when i drop a alge waffer in that he goes for it and nibbles a bit, then i see the rest of it laying on the bottom all crumbled up not being eaten, WHAT GIVES? I THOUGHT THEY LIKE THEM?:fish9:
> 
> IT BETTER CLEAR UP BECAUSE THERES NO WAY I'M STARTING THIS TANK OVER AGAIN *old dude


An algae wafer is a failry large piece if food. I would suggest just breaking it in half or less, and feeding that. Excess food in your tank can cause cloudiness because the food starts to decay. Stop feeding altogether until it clears. Some will say to kill your lights, but that will make no difference.


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## SuckMyCichlids (Nov 5, 2011)

All leftover food will cloud your water as well as aid in the build up of ammonia so i wouldnt drop a whole one in there. I only put in about a quarter of an algea wafer in at a time when i put one in my tank, what you should do is put a wafer in there and see how much of it he'll eat within 2 hours then take it out, next time break off about the amount he ate and you should be fine.


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