Tank mates

[dolphinsrok]

Hi, I have a few yellow cichlids and assorted blue and orange and one livingston cichlid. I'm interested in getting either a freshwater crab or lobster or some cool looking non-fish type of tank mate for the cichlids. does anyone know what I can have living with the cichlids? any crabs or lobsters??

[Billythefish]

Hay and welcome to a.c, i myself wouldn't keep crabs or lobsters with small cichlids as thay can be verry aggresive.

[angelcakes]

Hay and welcome to a.c, i myself wouldn't keep crabs or lobsters with small cichlids as thay can be verry aggresive.
and they might get eaten....so i would agree with billy ps hello and welcomethumbs2:

[dolphinsrok]

Aren't the crabs friendlier? would they pose a threat to bring new diseases to the tank or would they help out with eating garbage/waste from the botton ofd the tank? How about crawfish or anything else any one can recommend? clams/shrimp/ turtles/frogs etc

[Fishguy2727]

I think there is a Malawi crab that could work, but I have never actually seen oen available.

Most crabs are brackish not actually freshwater, and almost all need land.

Many people successfully keep crayfish with cichlids. They will clean up and if kept fed and/or the cichlids are not too small there should not be any issues.

Frogs will probably be killed.

Turtles will eat the fish, produce TONS of waste, and need a basking area.

Are you aware of how large the livingstonii get (10" or so)?
What size tank is it?
What types exactly are the blue and orange ones?

[dolphinsrok]

thanks for all the info, I'll take a look at maybe getting crayfish. Well the tank is small, 35g, i understand I need a larger tank since that livingston will get huge. I'll be upgrading within less than a year. The blue and orange look similar to the electric yellows. in the store they were listed as "assorted cichlids"

[Fishguy2727]

Pics would help.