# What in the world to crayfish eat?!



## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

I've been trying to feed my crawdad Jacques. The problem I'm having is I don't have the time to watch to see if he eats, and I'm mainly looking for leftovers at the end of the day, at which time (lately) I've been distressed to see whatever I try and feed him rotting on the bottom of the tank.

I've tried frozen bloodworms, shrimp&loach snacks, even overfeeding on flake food. I put 6 (now 3 due to disease) black stripe tetras in there to see if he'll go fishing as well.

He started out active and even tried fishing once or twice. Lately he's been sluggish and reclusive. Might be the fact I was dosing ich meds up until 5 days ago, might be the fact that he doesn't seem to be eating. Might be the ich meds are making him hate life, which is making him not eat, which is making him unhappy.

Either way, help plz!


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## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

they're eat just about anything, including smaller fish they can get a hold on

he should be all over blood worms though


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

I wouldn't use most meds near a crayfish. Were they invert safe meds?


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## ecl (Dec 29, 2010)

Mines been eating just some sinking disk, but hasn't touched them since adding fish. He does go after the fish routinely but never gets them since he's kinda slow.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

snail said:


> I wouldn't use most meds near a crayfish. Were they invert safe meds?


I dosed with only meds that said invert-safe (API Pimafix the first time for the wrong disease, then Rid-Ich). I think I might have just over-medicated him. Either way, I'm pretty sure he hates life right now because all he does is hide. However in the last few days he has emerged from his favorite tank corner and poked around a bit. The wisteria in the tank is taking off so soon he'll have a ton of cover (right now there's one piece of driftwood in the tank and he hides behind it).

I'll try with blood worms again, and I'll keep you guys posted. Thanks a ton!


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## M1ster Stanl3y (Dec 10, 2010)

Any luck with the blood worms?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Put him in your QT and try feeding him there.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Fingers and toes......

Try feeder guppies or something small,that he can snatch.Even try some ghost shrimp.I think in the wild they eat on worms,bugs and small fish.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

He actually died several weeks ago. Wasn't eating anything and one day I just found him on the bottom of the tank on his side and he wasn't moving. Gave him a burial at sea and moved some of my RCS into the tank.

He will be missed.


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

thats a shame. Do you know what was wrong with him? Do you think it was the meds or some thing else?


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## M1ster Stanl3y (Dec 10, 2010)

Nooooo... I was looking to use u for advice...my fiance just got me one for valentines day... I've got blood worms, flakes and algae waffers already. Didn't know what else I needed to feed him.


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

M1ster Stanl3y said:


> Nooooo... I was looking to use u for advice...my fiance just got me one for valentines day... I've got blood worms, flakes and algae waffers already. Didn't know what else I needed to feed him.


Usually they are not hard to feed and will eat everything, including tank mates if they get the chance. The one above seemed to have some problems going on which is why it wasn't eating well.


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## M1ster Stanl3y (Dec 10, 2010)

Algae waffers seem to make him happy...ill get sinking pellets wednesday


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Yeah, I think it was the meds that did him in. I also got him on donation from a guy who had two in the tank and this one had had the stuffing beat out of him by the other. He was missing a claw, an antenna, and might have suffered further. Maybe being wounded and the meds combined were what got him. Not sure. All I know is, I'm very sad about the loss because he was definitely the centerpiece of that tank and was way cool.

I even put in six tetras I got on sale for him to try and snag. Now they are the centerpieces.


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

sounds like he might have been in rough shape when you got him. Just wondered about the meds because I'm always a bit wary of meds that say invert safe. Will you get another one?


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## Mac Myers (Oct 12, 2010)

It's been my experience that there are no invert safe meds.


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## M1ster Stanl3y (Dec 10, 2010)

it is def an exciting character...i love watching him steal food back to his "liar"...i wonder how hard they are to breed


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

The guy I got my battle victim from was trying to breed them, and ended up almost killing one.

I would love another, but right now I've got a small army of RCS and need to expand into the crayfish tank.


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## M1ster Stanl3y (Dec 10, 2010)

is there a tank size suggested for blue crayfish(lobsters)? Sadly the fish store my Fiance got him/her from doesnt know if its Australian or not...My LFS dont really know their stuff here. Can I do one Blue crayfish and 2 red claw crabs in a 55g with out much worry for their lives ?


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

M1ster Stanl3y said:


> is there a tank size suggested for blue crayfish(lobsters)? Sadly the fish store my Fiance got him/her from doesnt know if its Australian or not...My LFS dont really know their stuff here. Can I do one Blue crayfish and 2 red claw crabs in a 55g with out much worry for their lives ?


I bet the crabs will become food for the crayfish. Any crustaceans like crabs and crays make horrible tank mates with anything they share the bottom with.


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## M1ster Stanl3y (Dec 10, 2010)

ut oh... well they seem happy in my sump at the moment...thankfully it wasnt 100% set up. so i have them in 3 partitions ATM. in about a month i will have my 55 set up and start its cycle so we will see how well i can keep my fish and inverts from harming each other. They all do seem to like the algae waffer tho.


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## Mac Myers (Oct 12, 2010)

All crays that I've kept (with the exception of _Cambarellus shufeldtii_) have been very aggressive and territorial. Typically Species only and then it still depends on the temperament of the individual animals. *old dude


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## Kibblemania1414 (Feb 13, 2011)

my friend fed them shrimp. lol


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