# Freshwater lobster causing problems...



## rogue909 (Sep 14, 2012)

So I have a 55gallon freshwater that is overstocked atm. 
We had a lobster that we introduced then noticed he was being picked on by fish and eventually died, (I tried to quarantine and save him, melafix, primafix, I did what I could  )
Girlfriend liked the lobster so we decided to get another so....
Girlfriend and I went out buying then when we got home and introduced some new fish and the lobster to the tank I realized that I was overstocked (I blame the fact that it was our 1 year anniversary and the tequila when buying the fish...). I realize I am overstocked and I am currently in the process of transfering them to a 150g...please don't kill me
anywho, stock list is as follows.
6 Tiger barbs
3 Red (Rosy?) barbs.
3 Gouramis
3 bala sharks
2 angelfish
1 redtail shark
1 Banded lepper
1 pleco (he's going in a koi pond when it becomes transfer time, no point in disturbing them right now though)
2 Unidentified fish (i forget their names)
1 Lobster from hell

Most of them are small, the barbs are all under 1.5", gouramis and balas are sitting at 2.5"-3" and my two unidentified are about 3-4" one of the angels is about 3" long and the other is about 4" (all head to tail)
I realize when they get bigger its going to be a serious problem with the quantity of fish, when that happens it will be time to donate/sell them. Currently, however, the fish seem pretty content - No real aggression issues towards each other, just the lobster story..

So our old lobster was getting picked on by the fish. Before we introduced the new lobster to the tank we renovated the tank a bit...
Our 55g is 4ft long and we partitioned the bottom off with 3 1ft slate tiles to create a subterranean environment for the lobster to live in, safe from the prying fish above. Our new lobster has taken a liking to his vast area that he can patrol. Too much of a liking. He has since then began hunting our other fish through the openings.
His kill list is as followed:
2 gouramis
1 large (6") angelfish (GF did not like her angel fish "Pongo" getting killed)
I wrote off the first two gouramis, I figured he may have gotten the first one (severed tail, it was gone) and the other one I wasn't sure what had happened. Now I believe that it was our lobster. I know it was our lobster on the big angel because I walked into the room when he was attacking our little Pongo. Pongo was also quarantined and melafix'd but the lobster had already ripped up 1 of his side fins (Badly), both whiskers, tore up the dorsal and roughed up the other two. I was hoping due to the size of the angel he might recover, but despite my best efforts, pongo left us.
Now the lobster is in time out in the quarantine tank until the 150 is setup. I was hoping to not have to put him in there but I don't really have a choice at this point. We're about 2-3 weeks from finishing the 150g but I have a question. Assuming we limit the lobsters new territory in the 150g, (As in, I am not giving him another subterranean castle through the entire tank). Do you peeps think the lobster would become less likely to get ahold of fish in the aquarium? I understand that if/when we build the lobster a little cave and an unsuspecting barb goes in there then that is just the circle of life. But with the limiting of his territory are we going to help control this aggression issue?


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

He is a night time predator. It's his way of living, and I doubt you'll change that. He hunts sleeping fish, and he is mobile. He'll stay in the given territory by day, but by night, he will hunt.


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## rogue909 (Sep 14, 2012)

I was hoping for something more concrete then that. The tank is full of semi-aggressives, they will all hunt and eat each other if given the opportunity. Lobsters are naturally omnivores/scavengers, I assumed that he would be the last one in the tank to worry about when it comes to eating other fish.
I am not trying to discredit you and I appreciate the advice, but does anyone else have any experiences with these lobsters?


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## woody019 (Oct 4, 2012)

Like navigator black said he will stay under a rock most of the day and once night hits they are all over the tank I actually was up late one night doing school work and observed mine and thats what I observed along with him trying to grab all the fish laying on the bottom "sleeping" but fortunately the fish were to big and fast for him to hold onto all except for one which I only found his eyes the next day. How big is your lobster? If he is bigger or the same size as many of your fish there is a strong chance over time (him grabbing fish at night and doing harm) that your other fish will become food, their claws are very powerful there is just no way around this. Idk if your lobster is one of the expensive exotic ones from the pet store but mine were from the local creek so I just removed their claws and my problem was solved.

As for your barrier from first hand experience GOOD LUCK! lol they are escape artist there have been more then a couple days I found mine crawling across my floor. Unless your tank is set up like fort knox expect him to go where he wants to. 

You might have more luck in the 150 gallon with him having more space but he still going to try to grab unsuspecting fish laying on the bottom.

My suggestion leave him in the 55 gallon and move your other fish to the 150 or keep your smaller fish in the 55 and move him and the larger ones to the 150 and get more larger hardier (ones that can take some damage and with "less fins") fish to put in the 150.

For the mean time your just gonna have to hope that he doesnt get anymore fish unless you have another tank thats set up to put him in. Or get a seperater that he cant get threw or over maybe a piece of plexiglass from the local hardware store?


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## rogue909 (Sep 14, 2012)

in the 55g was going to go a bunch of tetras after I transferred everything to the 150g tank. Probably safe to assume that the lobster would destroy everything in a tetra tank. hmmm...
WTS [Blue Lobster in need of Attitude Adjustment]


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## woody019 (Oct 4, 2012)

You should be good if you dont have any already sick/injured ones I had tetras and they are fast, to fast for your lobster. Im not trying to make your lobster out as an active hunter searching for fish to eat but its in his nature to take advantage of slow weak fish as they are opportunistic creatures and will eat anything you throw into the tank.

I wouldnt assume that he would destroy everything but if he gets ahold of one or two you could deffinitely assume they were slow and weak and most likely had an illness. 

Put the tetras in without the lobster and wait until you visibly see they aren't stressed then go ahead and put the lobster in and you shouldnt have any problems.


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## FishFlow (Sep 13, 2011)

Our blue lobster hunted durning the day.  Open claw, waiting for a fish to come close. Never saw him catch anything, so figured he wasn't fast enough. Soon after though, noticed most of our fish had ripped fins. Blue guy was getting them at night. Returned him to the fish store. 
Kicker was seeing him perched in the middle of the water column, *hunting*. 

Enjoy.


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## woody019 (Oct 4, 2012)

FishFlow said:


> Kicker was seeing him perched in the middle of the water column, *hunting*.


lol now that is funny! Many people including me get these things not realizing what there getting into. Mine were from the creek and didnt pay anything for them so I just twisted off the claws and no more problems were encountered and if I did leave the claws on there were way to small to do any damage as I had them with sunnys and a bullhead in my native tank. The lobster getting the fish at night injuring them is the issue in most cases I dont know how someone would get around this other than putting them in its own tank or hoping that it doesnt get any of the fish in the tank.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

I'll start by saying I have never had a lobster.I'll also say my LFS has a sign on the tank they keep lobsters in saying that they are" hunters of fish and don't gaurentee that they won't attack or kill your your fish ,you've been warned!" I'm with nav that you put a predator in your tank and finding out all about it. As for advice; nav offers some of the most experienced,insightful information (not opinion ,facts) besides our moderators you're going to get anywhere,so if you don't want to heed it keep buying overpriced ,pretty food for lobster BUTdon't be suprised with the outcome.Take it back if you care for your fish.Ask your LFS if they heard of lobsters doing this and if they say "no ,or not usaully" your best not to listen to them if you want accurate info about anything.They get your money we get your attitude for telling you the truth;your welcome!


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## fishnjeeps (Nov 11, 2011)

I've personally owned a Blue Lobster who recently died. In my experience, they will eventually catch a fish and eat it. I lost at least 3 Gourami's to my lobster. I was told that before I bought him and I was willing to take a chance. They are amazing and unique creatures for sure and I loved watching him "hunt" when I placed food for him in the tank. It's entirely up to you if you want to keep him. I've watched my old lobster "surf" by catching a larger fish in it's claw and riding across the tank when the fish swims. (this was a VERY large fish compared to the lobster and was eventually moved from that tank.)


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

Sometimes we get stuck - you get a creature because it's cool looking, but we also get a long species history. Your cat will kill songbirds no matter how you feed the thing, and your blue lobster will try to eat your fish. A lot of fish sleep on the bottom, or in other areas accessible to a stealthy crawfish, and even if he fails 500 times in getting that fish, he has time to try 501 times...
There's no "attitude adjustment" for the lobster - that role falls to the fishkeeper, who has to learn to cut his losses (or add new tanks) sometimes. We're messing with creatures that are beautifully adapted to their roles in nature, and we aren't going to turn a tiger into a hamster by putting a wheel in the cage.


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## fishnjeeps (Nov 11, 2011)

PM me if you really don't want it. I'd be able to give it a good home...


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