Mexican Dwarf Crayfish And Goldfish

Hi! So fairly odd question, I know generally when you think “Goldfish tankmates” you don’t typically think “Crayfish”. However I am trying to make a very unique goldfish tank. The temp of the water is about 74-75 degrees ferinheight, so that allows me to keep more options with them. I want the tank make people think at first glance “oh cool some goldfish” but when they look closer realize “wait there are a lot of unique fish in here”. Currently I have got:
- 3 goldfish (centerpiece, all around tank)
- 3 Amazon leaf fish (unique fish, middle to upper region (also I like to call these amazonian leaf fish, think it sounds cooler))
- 1 synodontis catfish (unique, bottom)
- 1 Clown pleco (algae eater, bottom)
- 1 baby dinosaur bichir (only in there temporarily, just til he is big enough to go with my African cichlids and eventually to my flowerhorn)

They are in a 29 gallon, however I hope to upgrade them to a 40 gallon breeder at some point. I would like to add:
- 1-2 african leaf fish
- 1 Mexican dwarf crayfish

Will the crayfish work with the others?
Thanks

 

I have a full size cray with some pictus, a pleco, and a dino bichir. I've had no issues and seeing as dwarf crays are smaller and less aggressive I think you'll have nothing to worry about

 

I have a full size cray with some pictus, a pleco, and a dino bichir. I've had no issues and seeing as dwarf crays are smaller and less aggressive I think you'll have nothing to worry about

Thanks! I would actually like to add a couple species of dwarf crayfish. Would these crayfish in a 29 be a problem:
- 1 CPO Mexican dwarf crayfish
- 1 Cajun dwarf crayfish
- 1 Brazos dwarf crayfish

EDIT: Also I am getting them all from aquaticarts, I am getting them all
“B-Grade” because all that means is that I will get them and they will have a missing claw or something. B-Grade is cheaper and I know they will grow it back. Point is, is Aquaticarts a good website to order from?

Coptapia

 

I think I would stick to just one in a 29, but if/when you get the 40 breeder you could try all three.

 

Imo, even in a 40 gallon you're pretty much at max stock with the goldies alone. They are large messy fish, and even fancy varieties deserve enough space to mature into adults.

 

Hi! I just thought of something, would the leaf fish be a problem. They have eaten ghost shrimp before do you think they could eat a dwarf crayfish?

 

Dwarf crayfish are tiny. Not much bigger than shrimp. They will be eaten by larger goldfish no problem. And if the leaf fish are known to eat shrimp, then ya, they would eat them too. Sure the fish will be fine, but not the dwarf crayfish.

I also personally feel you already have too many fish even for the future 40 gallon. Just the 3 goldfish alone overstock a 40 gallon if they are common goldfish who can get up to a foot long. Even if they are fancies I would say the tank is full with 3.

you also have synodontis catfish that will get 8-10 inches.

You want to add an African leaf fish that can get 8-10 inches.

I don't think you should add any more fish after you upgrade. And I don't think you should get dwarf crayfish as all those large fish will eat them.

 

Are you sure about the size? I saw an orange dwarf cray the other day that was ~2-3" like a larger shrimp could be, but I would think they would be safe since they're fuller bodied compared to shrimp by far.

 

They can grow to 1.5". 2" at the most. They are not a threat to fish. But the leaf fish could eat them no problem, they have huge mouths! The dwarf crays are about the size of a caridina shrimp

 

Ok then, I'll just take that as someone at the lfs not knowing what they ordered

 

Ok then, I'll just take that as someone at the lfs not knowing what they ordered

2 inches maybe, but definitely not 3. And 2 inches is on the bigger side for these guys.

I bred them years ago. The CPOs (Mexican dwarfs) the diminutus (the blue ones) The blue ones stay even smaller. But even my biggest Mexican dwarf didn't exceed 2 inches.

I personally feel that dwarf crayfish are best kept in a species only tank, or a tank with smaller more peaceful fish. But definitely not with large fish like goldfish. No way!!

 

Ok then, I'll just take that as someone at the lfs not knowing what they ordered

You are correct they are more full bodied. But have you ever seen the size of bush fish's mouth lol?

 

Here is an almost full grown Mexican dwarf on average sized gravel. They are very small creatures.

 

Hmmm, ok. Whatever they had looked incredibly similar to that, but I think it was too big to be one.

 

Dwarf crayfish are tiny. Not much bigger than shrimp. They will be eaten by larger goldfish no problem. And if the leaf fish are known to eat shrimp, then ya, they would eat them too. Sure the fish will be fine, but not the dwarf crayfish.

I also personally feel you already have too many fish even for the future 40 gallon. Just the 3 goldfish alone overstock a 40 gallon if they are common goldfish who can get up to a foot long. Even if they are fancies I would say the tank is full with 3.

you also have synodontis catfish that will get 8-10 inches.

You want to add an African leaf fish that can get 8-10 inches.

I don't think you should add any more fish after you upgrade. And I don't think you should get dwarf crayfish as all those large fish will eat them.

Hi! So two things:
1. I have a amazon leaf fish which don’t get that big
2. Also I have the featherfin synodontis in my big tank, this is a different synodontis catfish. The one I have doesn’t get nearly as big

Also. Currently all the Goldie’s are about 2-3 inches long. The catfish is only about an inch long, also the biggest leaf fish is only about 3” long.

 

Hi! So two things:
1. I have a amazon leaf fish which don’t get that big
2. Also I have the featherfin synodontis in my big tank, this is a different synodontis catfish. The one I have doesn’t get nearly as big

Also. Currently all the Goldie’s are about 2-3 inches long. The catfish is only about an inch long, also the biggest leaf fish is only about 3” long.

1. yes I realize that. But I was referring to the 1-2 AFRICAN leaf fish you were hoping to add.

2. When I googled featherfin synodontis, I see average of 6-8 inches in captivity and up to 11 inches in the wild. So ya, 8-10 inches was probably an exaggeration. hehe. But still, they get large enough to eat dwarf crayfish. Which is the main topic of this thread.

As for them being small currently....as you know, fish grow...so unless you plan to rehome them as they grow...their current size is irrelevant. Isn't it? ;-)

 

1. yes I realize that. But I was referring to the 1-2 AFRICAN leaf fish you were hoping to add.

2. When I googled featherfin synodontis, I see average of 6-8 inches in captivity and up to 11 inches in the wild. So ya, 8-10 inches was probably an exaggeration. hehe. But still, they get large enough to eat dwarf crayfish. Which is the main topic of this thread.

As for them being small currently....as you know, fish grow...so unless you plan to rehome them as they grow...their current size is irrelevant. Isn't it? ;-)

Hi! So once more two things:
1. I had a typo, I meant to type African Butterfly Fish. Not African leaf fish
2. I have the Synodontis Multipunctatus, the species that gets big is Synodontis Eupterus

Thank you for helping me though

 

Hi! So once more two things:
1. I had a typo, I meant to type African Butterfly Fish. Not African leaf fish
2. I have the Synodontis Multipunctatus, the species that gets big is Synodontis Eupterus

Thank you for helping me though

Ok!
Regardless of all of that, I still feel you are heavily (over)stocked for a 40g. So I wouldn't add more fish. And definitely not a dwarf crayfish.

Dwarf crayfish are a lot of fun though! If you can set up a 5 or 10 gallon tank you could try them out in a small species only setting.

 

I think African butterfly fish would probably be able to eat the minI crayfish. I can keep amano and bamboo shrimp with my angels but anything smaller gets eaten. African butterfly fish are a similar size and temperment to kribensis. Maybe they could evade them, you'd have to try it and see. I don't think I'd trust them tho personally. If it works, let me know! I'd love to keep minI crays too!