# Mexican Orange Crayfish Compatibility



## sampster5000 (Oct 30, 2010)

Hi everyone. I just ordered 3 of these "CPO's" and was wondering what anyone thinks they shouldnt go with it a tank. I havent read anything on their temperament other than being aggressive towards each other. Has anyone kept them with shrimp or snails? What about fish and what kind of fish? Thanks. 

Mainly wondering if they will kill my cherry shrimp or nerite snails...


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## 10gallonplanted (Oct 31, 2010)

Im pretty sure they wont kill your shrimp since they are too slow, from my readings. Im not so sure about the snails.


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

I have heard of them grabbing fish at night as they rest. But other than stories I am not sure.


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## asukawashere (Mar 19, 2010)

They are rather aggressive toward each other; I'll confirm that. If they're breeding, older babies will cannibalize their younger siblings, too. Give your crays plenty of hiding places to choose from - PVC pipes, rock or driftwood caves, and wads of moss are all good choices.

Males are a lot more aggressive than females (they also have bigger claws to do more damage with). My females are mostly defensive, especially when berried. They don't actively chase much when they're worried about their eggs being safe.

Anyway, I wouldn't put them in with any expensive shrimp, but cherries are probably fine since they breed like rabbits. CPOs will go after them when they molt, and thus are unmoving targets, but they're not able to catch them on a regular basis when the shrimp can dart away. Still, be prepared to lose an occasional shrimp. 

As for fish, species that are fast and stick to the top of the tank don't tend to wind up as food. I wouldn't trust them with anything particularly small, slow, or overly curious. Like with shrimp, the CPOs only tend to bother fish when they're vulnerable - I've had a few fish magically disappear overnight, for instance.


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## jhunt (May 7, 2010)

Check your local laws concerning crayfish, in Arizona it is illegal to owner transport most species.


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## ShortFin (Dec 27, 2005)

I had bad experience with them and shrimp. They way they catch shrimps are when the shrimp swim around and landed in front of them, then it'll be snatch.


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## KC1 (Sep 14, 2010)

They seemed to catch my cherries pretty good! i had to move them to a tank by their selves


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## sampster5000 (Oct 30, 2010)

Thanks for the replies. I probably wont put them with my cherries. This seems like the same case as with the electric blue crayfish. They will kill anything small or fight with conspecifics. On top of that bigger fish will kill them during their molt. I'll have to try them out and see what happens. Definitely not going with my cherries. 15 gallon packed with cherries... no thanks


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## sampster5000 (Oct 30, 2010)

Does anyone know how to tell apart males and females? I got in my 3 orange crays today. Two are a little clear with the white line down their back. The other is solid dark/bold orange with a light white line down the back but has more speckles on it.


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## janftica (Jan 11, 2010)

I keep mine with my OEBTs and have actually seen my babies sitting on the head of my CPO. I have not lost any shrimps in that tank, so can confirm that they don't eat your shrimps unless the shrimps are already on the way out and can't get out of the way!

I also keep 6 CPO's including a very large adult female in my red cherry tank and none of them eat my shrimps. My CPOs actually eat out of the same bowl as the shrimps when I put in Shirakura/Mosura pieces, they try to take the piece away from the shrimps and often lose out in the tug of war.

CPO's are only aggressive to each other, mostly the adult females....males seem to get along with each other.

Males have a pair of hockey sticks at the back and the female has a nub!


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## sampster5000 (Oct 30, 2010)

Thanks janftica! I'm a little confused with the hockey sticks vs. nub. Is this how their tail is shaped?


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## janftica (Jan 11, 2010)

Here is best pic link I can find to show you what I mean. Hockey sticks are L shaped...take a look at the pic you will see the 2 extra leggy things that look like little L We in Canada call them hockey sticks :icon_mrgr

http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2007/03/13/a-crayfish-primer/


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## sampster5000 (Oct 30, 2010)

I see it now. Guess i'll have to pick them up to find out. Thanks!


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## KrypleBerry (May 23, 2017)

sampster5000 said:


> Hi everyone. I just ordered 3 of these "CPO's" and was wondering what anyone thinks they shouldnt go with it a tank. I havent read anything on their temperament other than being aggressive towards each other. Has anyone kept them with shrimp or snails? What about fish and what kind of fish? Thanks.
> 
> Mainly wondering if they will kill my cherry shrimp or nerite snails...


Ime crayfish are active scavengers/predators/cannibals and very capable of killing shrimp, small sleeping or unaware fish, snails and even small frogs can fall prey to them. They are also territorial and prefer a cave or similar to hide in when not hunting that they will defend from conspecifics. As a kid I used to hunt crayfish in the rivers and creeks where i lived by the hundreds and got to see them in their element. Dwarf crayfish seem to behave just like their larger relatives from what ive seen.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

Wow! What a dig up from the past


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## KrypleBerry (May 23, 2017)

Darkblade48 said:


> Wow! What a dig up from the past


Noticed that after i posted. Lol it was under active topics.


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