# Need Crayfish Help



## cgdedow (Dec 8, 2011)

Howdy, 
Just introduced 2 3-inch crayfish into my 29 gallons planted community tank without really gathering any information about their care. They are interacting perfect with the community but they have been wreaking havoc on my plant life. They have been feeding exclusively on algae wafers and have ample rock work to hide in, but still seem to be almost maliciously wrecking plants all over. Is this normal? Any way to halt this behavior? Any thoughts on the issue or on care for these invertebrates would be awesome. Thank You.


----------



## jacketherington (Oct 7, 2011)

I had crayfish once. They constantly ripped up my plants. And after a while, fish began to disappear. I took them back after a few weeks. Good luck.


----------



## Snowflake311 (Apr 20, 2011)

What kind of crayfish are they? There are so many types and they are not all alike. 

I have 2 marble crayfish. They eat the moss I has in there but have yet to touch my sword plant I hope they leave it. We will see. Mine are pigs and will eat anything and they shove as much as they can in their mouth. They are scavengers for the most part. But small fish could become food if they are starving.


----------



## cgdedow (Dec 8, 2011)

Honestly I have no clue what kind they are. They were sold under the generic name of crayfish at the aquatics store by me. The larger crayfish just tore up a moss ball too.


----------



## TWA (Jan 30, 2012)

Crays do that stuff. I used to have one in a 10 by itself and I just tossed unwanted trimmings/fish in there. Garbage disposal, really neat though.


----------



## yellowsno (May 15, 2011)

I'm guessing u have the clarki species which do nothing but dig and uproot... So far in my experience I've had various crays and only 2 I did not have any issues with in my planted tanks are the cpos and shufledi (sorry for the miss spelling as I never could remember how to spell) but basically the 2 smallest crays out there... I notice they peck at dying leaves but don't ruin living healthy plants...I've also had marble crays and they multiply quick... They did also tear apart everything but the duckweed i had in the tank and riccia


----------



## dhavoc (May 4, 2006)

if they are P clarkii or alleni, your pretty much out of luck plant wise. i FEED mine with plant trims and they eat it like goats eating your lawn. if you want to keep the planted tanks, sorry but you have to remove the crays.


----------



## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

My roomies crays are now in tank of plastic plants after eating who knows how much in plants. Then still uproot the plastic ones. lol.


----------



## cgdedow (Dec 8, 2011)

Well that sucks to hear but thank you for the feedback. Very helpful.


----------

