Freshwater lobster

**icefreeze57** · 06-21-2012, 12:09 AM

I was my lfs today and they had little lobsters around three inches, I want one so badly. They had one in orange blue navy and white. There was little fish swimming around and they weren't touched at all. the guy said they were bottom feeders and ate algae wafers and stuff. Anyone have an experience with them?

**Goes to 11!** · 06-21-2012, 12:15 AM

None here but I would call them and get the Latin name so you can Google it and know exactly what you are dealing with, LFS info is demonstratively not enough to go on.

**daimen123** · 06-21-2012, 01:30 AM

I wouldn't risk it most freshwater lobster or crayfish or yabbies as we call them in Australia are fish eaters. They wont catch the fish in the day but every fish has to sleep sometime. Most are also nocturnal hunters. I suggest a species only with feeder fish if you want fish with them.

**bsmith48** · 06-21-2012, 01:53 AM

i would imagine hes going to demolish your fish

**pjaldave** · 06-21-2012, 07:24 AM

if you really want one, have a dedicated tank for a lobster, don't mix it in with your other fish.

**Amadaca** · 07-30-2012, 08:54 AM

A common set-up when we were kids was to have a yabbie (FW cray/lobster) tank...problem was, it made the middle and upper area of a tank barren and boring. To keep things more active, we kept mosquito fish. Cheap, active schoolers. Once in a while, you would catch sight of a yabbie devouring one, but it was rare. You never ran low on stock because the yabbies struggled to get them. It was always an amusing sight to see a yabbie throw its claws skyward as if to say, "aha!" when a fish strayed too near.

Dont put them with any fish you value. Fish too big will bully or simply eat them, and fish too small may themselves become prey. Remember, they are as territorial as any Cichlid youll ever see, so keep in mind they need more room than you may think. Confrontations can be fatal, so make the right number of caves and boundaries.

Biggest issue with them is their astonishing escape acts. Do NOT under-estimate them in this regard, its an easy mistake. Ive seen them climb an airhose and escape through a hole smaller than themselves. Theyre cunning and driven, once they get it in their head they need to migrate. They often wait until nightfall too, and if they have to wait until morning to be found (especially on carpet), theyre as good as dead.