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What small fish do you keep with your CPO crayfish?


Louie

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I have 1 male and 2 female CPO crays in a 29 gallon high tank .  The tank has small pvc tubes on the bottom covered with driftwood and anubias which goes half way up the tank.

 

I have had them for 4 months and have seen them mate but as of now no babies .  One female is heavily berried .

 

I would like some top swimming fish which would not take the baby CPO's (if I ever get any) .

 

is there such a fish?

 

I was thinking of zebra danios .

 

Thank you

 

 

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Subtle,

            That is true , I decided eventually put the 3 CPO's in a 20 gallon long which I am giving some time till it cycles and the plants take hold.

 

The planted  29 high was wasted upper space and going to use that for extra adult shrimp and looking at the celestial pearl danios or smaller fish.

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Even if your fish do not spend a lot of time or sleep on the bottom level of your tank, they will delve deep to get to food lingering on the bottom, startling crays and become a target. CPD's are pretty quick and would have more of a sporting chance than a lot of fish, but like the middle/bottom levels, especially for spawning and playing their chasing games. Any gup or endler would get "food involved" and be a sitting duck, unaware of their surroundings in their food driven frenzy, leaving themselves open. Maybe white cloud minnows? The shorter finned type? They tend to like the top.

I am not an advocate of fish with crays/shrimp. Although in some cases, it's been done, but something newborn is sure to get eaten. The whole food chain dealio.

:) Stef*

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Stef,

             I agree, The 20 gallon long will be just for the CPO's and no fish.  The 29 gallon will be for adult shrimp that are 'hybrids' and not concerned about the baby shrimp as far as some getting eaten by small fish.

  

            When I first purchased shrimp about a year ago, I purchased several different types from Soothing. The shrimp are fantastic looking but I mixed them and now have some bland hybrids.

 

I am certainly not going to cull them since I am no breeder and do like them so going to put the hybrids in the 29 gallon as adults so they are safe from small fish but again not concerned about the babies.

 

The second batch of shrimp I have purchased from Soothing have all gone in separate tanks .

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That being the case, Louie, you have a few different fish options open to you. (I'd pick the ones with the smallest mouths)

It would just be a sin to have a school of pricier fish like CPDs ripped up by crays, or your baby crays in jeopardy when they finally arrive :)

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Stef,

          Yes , The CPO's will be by themselves no fish and looking at the newer smaller fish like chili rasboras or CPD's .

 

As of now the 20 gallon is still not ready for the CPO's .

 

It would be nice if they finally had some babies .

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Soothing,

                   The first and second generations of 'hybrid" shrimp were still pretty but few generations down that line the new one's are not as pretty and they will eventually go in the 29 gallon .

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The initial shrimp whether blue, brown , yellow, orange  are all very pretty and going strong .  Since I mixed them in a large planted tank . They "interbreed" and generations down the line the babies lose much of the color because "hybrids" are breeding with "hybrids".

 

You actually told me they would interbreed but I did not listen hee hee .

 

However the initial adults who by chance still breed with each other , even if diff colors still put out very pretty shrimps but if those "hybrids" than breed the colors get "weak" and fade away.

 

The 29 gallon high will be for the hybrids which lack color . I'll siphon some out here and there as I see them .

 

When my daughter and grandkids come to visit in summer for 2 weeks , I will have her take pics and post them.

 

It is interesting how several generations without selective breeding as far as keeping one color scheme by itself , how they change .

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