Looking for a good beginer cray...

[hca75]

Those things are starting to get my intrest again...after YEARS... but After researching on the NET, as always, ALL I get is confusiing/ contradictory info.... so I want to hear from those i know... what- if any would work for me....

Or PETE put up some MORE info on those dang things!!!! in one of those auctions of yours!!!!:p

-something CHEAPish- to get my feet wet with
dont want to spend a bunch and find out I dont REALLY like em
-something i could possible stick in a tub ( 20-60 gal) or 150 gal pond
-that isnt going to try and take my finger off- not doing THAT again!!!!
-that isnt going to going on a killing rampage ( sick, weak, occasion loss OK)
-that wont destroy all my plants


as for ph and hardness and temp- Im NOT worried about all that...

From what i did read- it looks like CPOS are probably my best bet... but I got plenty of RED shrimp.... mini orage crays arent gonna be THAT different..cute YES,,, but i dont want ORANGE, maybe some more naturally colored ones????? those would be different. and I really like the look of the bigger crays .... but those seem to have the most contradictory info...

So HELP!!!!!!!

[Underwhelmed]

I would think the dwarf cajun crays (Camarellus shufeldtii) would be your best bet. I stuck 5 in a tank and they are busy making babies as we speak. They aren't as expensive as the CPO's since they aren't as colorful. I got mine from Apistofishguys last May. I would hit up Larry and see if he has any more available.

The marbled crays aren't as ferocious as they look, but they can do a number on the plants, they will even eat Java fern. Heck, they'll gnaw on filter sponges.

I had least killies with mine for a long time and had a nice colony of both in a 20 long before separating them into different tanks. Had a couple of cherry shrimp hitch hike into that tank as well and they never bothered them. I have some in a 20 gallon round tote from Walmart in the floor of my fish room right now. I wouldn't put them in tubs outside though, as if they can get out, they will and they would be destructive if they made it into a stream or creek.

In my experience, the higher the population density, the younger they will get berried. So I have some small 1"- 1.5" berried marbled crays right now, where as my first female was nearly 3.5" before she became berried for the first time.

[hca75]

THanks UNDER... Those marbled ones do look neat- but if they are going to trash a java fern, I dont want them...

Those minis you mentions, those sound very interesting... gonna do a quick looky on them...

Thanks!!! Any more suggestions still welomed!!!

[freshwaterreef]

I am still new to the crayfish...but dwarf crayfish are a great way to go. They won't eat your fish and are too small to take your finger off. I can't wait to get some. :-P

[hca75]

Well- I think those cajun dwarf crays are gonna be perfect :D.... And Theres a really good chance I can go collecting almost in my back yard to find me some.... As they are natives waaaay up here in IL!!!!! Gotta love that... Might even be able to go rescue some from a bait n tackle shop if I cant actually FIND some myself.... LOL

[freshwaterreef]

That's cool. I have been looking at Texas crayfish and there are some really stunning ones (though none in the dwarf category), but since I live in West Texas...not much chance of me finding any here. :-P