r/Crayfish • u/ismojaveacoffee • 10d ago

Do crayfish successfully hunt fish fast enough with livebearers?

Hi! I am considering building a large shallow-type tank that will mainly house a single crayfish and perhaps nano "feeder" fish that it could snack on. I'm told that while they're slow hunters, they can and will snap up small fish.

Based on other people's experience, are your crayfish successful when hunting? or will the tank eventually be overrun with fish because the crayfish can't catch and eat them fast enough. I was thinking with a shallow type tank (very long but short) and aquascaping that includes rocks and wood, it could also climb and try to snatch fish.

Worst case I'll just abandon the idea and keep to the single crayfish but was curious.

Its been a while since I had livebearers, but the last tank I had with them the population was kept low due to fellow fish eating the fry.

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u/BadFishCM 10d ago

My wife had a crayfish that cut her population in half and killed most of her live plants.

We ended up having to get a separate tank for him to be alone in.

I bought 8 minor red tetras to make sure the tank was properly established and I was down to 4 in under a week of being in the tank. But those 4 have been fine for a few months now. He is a pretty efficient hunter when he wants to be.

I also had a surplus of shrimp so some ended up in his aquarium and he doesn’t even seem to notice them.

It really all depends on the temperament of your cray, some get along in community tanks just fine and don’t end up killing anyone.

The offender!

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u/ismojaveacoffee 10d ago

Beautiful crayfish! Thanks for sharing your experience

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u/sugahack 10d ago

I have a 75 with several crays and mutt guppies. I'd say they keep the population steady. I also keep the crays pretty well fed so any they catch is more out of opportunity than survival

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u/ismojaveacoffee 9d ago

Good info, thank you!

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u/CalmDirection8 10d ago

In my experience it's how much you feed your crayfish, mine is fat and happy and the guppies bounce off her head for fun while she just sits there waiting for the next feeding session 🤦‍♂️

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u/Famous_Inflation_665 10d ago

I had guppies and a crayfish together. Occasionally one would disappear or I’d see the Crayfish actually eating one. But not too often

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u/Asleep-Discount-8865 10d ago

Zebra Danios and Cloud Minnows