About The Crayfish...

[ctendoh]

Thanks to everyone who has helped insofar, I decided to go with tape and so far it's working well. I currently have a powerhead feeding water into a filter I created out of a 2 liter bottle, and it seems to be working very well. I have a cray and 10 minnows (well about 6 minnows and 4 rainbow darters) in the 10 gallon, and I have put plenty of rocks along the sides as hidey-holes.

Now my question is, I know that while I was transporting them they needed to be left in shallow water, but what about in my tank? I have a bubbler running in the back 24/7, a powerhead whose current passes over the bubbler, and a powerhead filling the filter. I have my rocks stacked high, but so far he hasn't gone up top much. So my question is, is there a real need for shallow water, or can I change my layout a little to make it more open for the minnows without risking his breathing ability.

As for murdock and golden's comments:

I'm from upstate NY, about an hour south of Buffalo. I caught the cray and the minnows myself behind my house in a local creek, and the plan is to release them if they get too large. I'm almost certain it's perfectly legal, because my neighbor is a ranger, and he has had tanks with crayfish before.

Also, a question for next weekend:

I currently have a substrate of aquarium gravel covered with gravel from the creek where I caught my cray, and I was wondering, murdock said they love sand, would it be better for him if I changed to a sand substrate?

Here's a photo of the tank:

farm4.static.flickr.com/3242/2817821597_e374c04f43.jpg?v=0

And the cray:

farm4.static.flickr.com/3281/2817816539_8b72cd0eb3.jpg?v=0

And finally, one of my lucky catches of the day, a rainbow darter:

farm4.static.flickr.com/3145/2818659106_4538265444.jpg?v=0

Thanks in advance!

[Carl]

Sans is OK to use as a substrate provided it is either not too deep or you have rooted plants otherwise in freshwater aquariums it can trap anaerobic bacteria which could produce hydrogen sulfide and also bea starting point for Aeromonas pathogenic bacteria.
Please understand I am not trying to scare you as sand can be OK and as Murdock noted Crayfish prefer a sand substrate.
This article has more about substrates for FW tanks:
Freshwater Aquarium Basics

AS for the tank, I would leave the tank down an inch or tow and then build rock formations in the middle, not in corners or near the filter inlets/outlets.

BTW; the Rainbow Darter is beautiful!!

Carl

[ctendoh]

Alright, I'll make the switch when I get to my next long weekend. He seems happy burrowing in the gravel until then...

So how deep should I make the sand? I won't have any plants (It would be pointless with a crayfish IMO), but I want it deep enough for him and the rainbow darters to burrow.

Thanks, I actually have at least 4 of them, 2 males 2 females... and it's mating season... cross your fingers!



Also, what should I do for a filter? I have a homemade job going now, a powerhead (not sure on the rating) hooked up to a 2 liter bottle filled with carbon, filter floss, and gravel for bio and mech filtration. I have a HOB, I just don't want to risk an escape, so what would your suggestion be?

Thanks in advance!

[murdock6701]

the cray should do w/ without the sand - they like hiding under rocks - the big ones we used to dive for were always under dead logs on sandy bottoms - they. loke lostors and crabs prefer to burrow down but a Carl mentioned, sand in a FW can be tricky - good luck!

[bikeguy33]

i agree with john(murdock). although the crayfish do prefer sand, they do just fine with gravel. they are very in active most of the time, so alot of good hiding places are more important. also....with sand, and as carl has mentioned, will hold different poison pockets if you arent careful. also, sand is much more difficult to vaccuum.