Dwarf Orange Crayfish With Shrimp?

Hello all! I stopped by my LFS the other day and they had some dwarf orange crayfish. I've always thought these were very cute and have been interested in getting one but wasn't sure what they would be compatible with. I asked the staff and they said they cannot be kept with other shrimp. My dream of course was to add the crayfish to my one tank that has cherry shrimp so it could become their king, but I'm not looking for a tyrant. My other tanks have catfish or bettas and I was advised these would be bad ideas too, since the crayfish would snap at bottom dwellers and my plakat might get hurt trying to attack it. I have an extra 5gal and thought perhaps I could set it up just for crayfish and I started googling what they are compatible with. Well of course the very first thing that comes up is that they're ""perfect"" tank mates for shrimp. Well what is the truth?? Can my dream of a shrimp kingdom with a dashing orange ruler come true or would a crayfish be the end of an empire?? If it's a bad idea, what would be the ideal way to stock with a dwarf orange crayfish?

 

I was talking to another member here a few months ago who keeps this same cray in a tank with shrimp quite happily, on saying that you will get mixed answers on this one as they only grow to 1.6" if its the one i'm thinking of, you could setup the 5gal and put some of your cull shrimp in with him and see how they go, if all's well after a few weeks have your little kingdom or put him in and see if your empire falls apart. If it were me i'd put him in the 5gal

 

So I had one of these litte orange guys and he was great. Tons of personality. I didnt keep him with cherry shrimp. But I did put him in my 55 gallon community for a little bit and my Amano shrimp survived. I have read and chatted with others who do keep them with shrimp. Its going to depend on the individual. Baskets would occasionally eat guppy fry, snails and I finally caught him riding my Bettas tail. Twice. Darn him he wouldnt let go till I got involved so he had to be demoted back to his 10g. But it was a bummer, watching him explore that big tank was so fun. He has def been one of the faves. But like I said, depends on the crawfish. From what I had learned the shrimp are too fasr anyways. As long as you are ok with maybe losing a shrimp or 2, and ok with maybe just him in the 5 gallon then do it. They are fun.

 

Go for it I've had minimal issues over the last year.

 

It was you I was speaking H Farnsworth was it

 

Probably

It was you I was speaking H Farnsworth was it

They won't go after the shrimp if you feed them. I've switched my tank to a natural cycle with minimal food input and mysteriously shrimp have been vanishing.