# Son has an orange "lobster" (crayfish)



## Jessie&Ashton (Sep 4, 2011)

I am wanting to get some more information about it though, so we can take proper care of it. Its small right now, but as I've read will get bigger. Right now we have it in a 10 gallon aquarium w/ gravel, a few decorations (which it loves to climb) a bubbler and a heater. We NEED a filter!! We are planning to move it to a 20 gallon long aquarium and will get a filter at that time. It continues to climb the "lighthouse" bubbler and onto the tubes. Do they normally like being "out of the water?" I was wondering if the aquarium should just be partially filled or if it needs to be fully filled as we have it? Do they need a heater? What temp? We have been keeping it cooler right now, as it seems more active when its cooler. We have been feeding it blood worm cubes and freeze dried shrimp. We were told the shrimp is what the pet store was feeding it and it ate them for a few days, but lost interest so we started the cubes and it seems to really like them. How much do they get fed and what else should we be feeding it. Is what we're feeding it okay? 

Jessie and my son Ashton


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

They will also eat raw white fish, thawed frozen shrimp pieces from a grocery store. They will escape an aquarium so you need to have a lid on it. I would set it up in a 20 long with a filter. Depends on how cold your house gets in the winter as to whether they need a heater.


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## Jessie&Ashton (Sep 4, 2011)

Thank you for the information. I forgot to mention, but we do have a cover. He hadn't escaped, but as soon as we noticed him climbing, we added it. I also read somewhere they like pieces of veggies?? Is that true? We have the 20 gallon aquarium, my son just needs to get it cleaned out and then we have to buy a filter for it. I had read that they like to climb into the filters, what kind would be best to buy to avoid this or how can I make sure he won't climb into it. Do they get fed daily?? He's goes right for it everytime, (we feed him 2 cubes per day, one in the morning and one at night) but I notice a lot of "extra" on the bottom of the cage, but also when he's eating it, it "floats" away from him too, so wasn't sure how much he needs to be fed. Don't want to dirty the cage unnecessarily, but of course a filter will help w/ that too.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

They don't need that much food. If your using frozen I would thaw it out in a cup of tank water and just use about 1/2. Refrigerate the rest for the next day. I'm not sure on the veggies but you could try some leafy greens like spinach, romaine lettuce. Don't use iceburg or cucumbers as they are not nutritious and can make a big mess.


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## Jessie&Ashton (Sep 4, 2011)

I am using dried cubes of bloodworms and then the little shrimp are dried too, but look just like little shrimp.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

You might try some frozen, as he would probably like it better.


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## Traumarama (Jun 15, 2011)

I actually had a question about these as well. At my LFS I've seen them housed with smaller community fish (hatchets, wags, etc.). The BF is very interested in having one, but I'm apprehensive about adding one to a community tank. Is it suggested that they be housed alone or are they generally peaceful when it comes to fish? How would they respond to bottom dwellers such as cory cats or loaches?


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## Jessie&Ashton (Sep 4, 2011)

From my reading, they are very aggressive and should be housed alone. We did have 2 guppies in the tank that my sister gave Ashton when they switched their tank to larger fish and in just a few days, the "lobster" had eaten both of them. I was kind of wishing I could add something to the aquarium that he wouldn't hurt that would help "clean" up the food he loses and then it later settles to the bottom, but I am guessing there isn't anything.


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## Traumarama (Jun 15, 2011)

Aw, lame. I was really interested in having a cool invert for my community tank.


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