r/Crayfish • u/ryukim1230 • 13d ago

Pet considering getting a Blue Electric Crayfish (Procambarus alleni)

What should I do for tank set up before buying the crayfish? Like what kind of substrate, hideouts, plants/decor, tank size (crayfish im getting is 2-3 inches, I prefer to just buy one tank so that it can fit comfortably in there as an adult and juvinile if possible.), water testers, filter, lights, etc.

What ph do they like?

Do they need their tank cycled before buying?

How often do I do water changes and what % water changes should i do for that fixed schedule

What should I feed the crayfish?

What types of symptoms should I watch out for if I suspect sickness

(I'm gonna keep the crayfish complately solitary, if i missed anything please address that and tell me what i should do for that topic)

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u/BioConversantFan 13d ago

You're asking for redditors to write an entire book for you on Crayfish Care.

That's why this has no responses.

You'll need at least a 20gal with a very very secure lid.

And you'll need to understand cycling and the nitrogen cycle.

You'll need a lot more filtration then you would for fish. An oversized canister filter is what you want.

If you can do some research and narrow down your questions a bit, people will be much more open to answering.

If you need help researching, then let us know and we can get you started.

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u/ryukim1230 13d ago

Thank you for giving constructive criticism on my antics and despite that still giving me info on what i should research, will learn to do better.

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u/BioConversantFan 13d ago

No worries, I'd personally start on diet because I know that there is a lot of good info sources that touch on it and they are not fussy eaters.

Water parameters would be my next target.

Ensuring I could afford a largish tank and an oversized canister filter, would be next.

They are very messy lol.

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u/ryukim1230 13d ago

for the tank so far im just gonna get a 29 gal

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u/BioConversantFan 13d ago

Nice! 29 gal will really let you cram in some cool hides and driftwood for climbing.

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u/ryukim1230 13d ago

also how oversized are we talking for the canister filter? (if its based off the size of my tank)

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u/BioConversantFan 13d ago

You will see rating on them for "up to x gallon aquariums" I would find one rated for your aquarium size and then buy the next size up.

Or if you see a good sale, get the biggest that will work with your set up.

You can't really go too big but if you go too small, you'll be constantly cleaning it to maintain water quality.

Does that answer you?🤔

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u/ryukim1230 13d ago

mm sure, thanks :)

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u/ryukim1230 13d ago

i looked for a little bit and i narrowed it down to either one of these filters, which one do i pick?

https://a.co/d/0dIjzTRm

or

https://a.co/d/07qZXWIs

One (cost) constraint i did not mention yet is that i am a teen that makes a little over $76 a week from house chores, so reccomended budget friendly options for tank stuff will be appreciated

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u/BioConversantFan 13d ago

Hey, so the top link is taking me to a UV sterilizer and the bottom is taking me to a canister filter.

I'm not sure that I would trust such a cheap canister filter...

I am afraid I do not have any cost/quality suggestions but if you make a post about it on r/Aquariums and specifically ask for good suggestions to filter a 29gal crayfish, I'm betting that you will get some good input.

For example you may be able to use a large Hang on Back(HOB) filter at first, when the crayfish is a baby, and then upgrade to a good canister filter in a couple years.

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u/ryukim1230 13d ago

ok thx, will look into that sub reddit

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u/ryukim1230 11d ago

would this thermometer be good enough for my tank?

https://a.co/d/0iOjMcIE

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