Dwarf crayfish and mudminnows?

Is this even feasible..or am I setting myself up for a really expensive dinner for the mud minnows.
I have one that is large enough now to take a medium sized bluefin killie.
My tank is full of hiding places, and there are 5 "amano" shrimp that have managed to survive (one of which is not more then an inch long).
I have another tank that I will set up as a primary for the crayfish and various small fish..but I'd like to have them in my display tank also. Any t thoughts? Oh..I'll have some blackbanded sunfish in there also, but I get the feeling they won't be near the issue the mud minnows would.

I don't think the mudminnows would eat a large adult dwarf cray but you won't get any reproduction. Although if your mudminnows are very large you may have trouble but if the other inverts are ok so far, and the crays are of similar size, then you might be alright. I have found that a lot of figureing out what works can be trial and error.

I'd be more worried about the blackbanded sunfish muddminnow interaction than the crayfish. If you really want dwarf crays I'd just keep them in a 2.5 or a 5 by themselves. Crays and fish ultimately mean someone is going to be eaten.

I don't think I would be concerned about the mudminnows and blackbandeds getting along unless there is a significant size difference. Mudminnows are only aggressive towards something that will fit in their mouth (it would have to be a big size difference considering the blackbandeds body shape) or each other when they are in the mood. I have not had them be a problem in any other situation. The blackbandeds in my opinion are not as delicate as people make them out to be, don’t get me wrong, they are no where near as durable as Lepomis sunfish, but they just aren’t as helpless and weak as some have suggested they are. They do just fine in a community tank with other fish of similar temperament and size and do not require live food like most say they do. Mine do just fine on frozen bloodworms and feed aggressively enough to get plenty of food along with a tank full of other fish. I really don't see keeping them with mudminnows being much of a problem. I also found that blackbandeds don't require such a low PH after keeping them in Bowling Green city water, which is over 8. It seems to me they may just be found at real low PH where other more aggressive sunfish species can not exist and were probably more wide spread before such larger species were introduced to places that historically had them. This points to them actually being rather durable fish rather than delicate as far as water parameters go.

If you want to try this I can send you a few dwarf crays. We can trade or if you have nothing to trade you can just pay for priority shipping about 8 or 9 bucks total. Let me know. I have quite a few of them.
Thanks,
Sam

Edited by dafrimpster, 17 March 2008 - 01:04 PM.

I have to agree with Brian, as far as the mud minnows go they are completely passive unless they think they can eat something. Mine(even the one that ate the bluefin) live perfectly well with a tank full of shiners, dace, darters, flagfish, banded killi, and gamusia. Other then the one bluefin...no losses, and the umbra other no one.
Brian, I have heard the same thing from Dustin(KSI) about the blackbanded...so I am comfortable that they are not as difficult as made out to be, so I'm completely comfortable with them in the tank.
As far as the crays go, thanks for the info! I will have a tank dedicated to them(and other small inverts, and small fish possibly), and will maintain that seperate tank for breeding. The main tank, I just want to add them to the fauna, and hope that the larger adults do ok(I really suspect they will...half the tank is pretty much a swamp!)
Daf, I have some spoken for already, but thanks for the offer anyway!

I have to agree with Brian, as far as the mud minnows go they are completely passive unless they think they can eat something. Mine(even the one that ate the bluefin) live perfectly well with a tank full of shiners, dace, darters, flagfish, banded killi, and gamusia. Other then the one bluefin...no losses, and the umbra other no one.
Brian, I have heard the same thing from Dustin(KSI) about the blackbanded...so I am comfortable that they are not as difficult as made out to be, so I'm completely comfortable with them in the tank.
As far as the crays go, thanks for the info! I will have a tank dedicated to them(and other small inverts, and small fish possibly), and will maintain that seperate tank for breeding. The main tank, I just want to add them to the fauna, and hope that the larger adults do ok(I really suspect they will...half the tank is pretty much a swamp!)
Daf, I have some spoken for already, but thanks for the offer anyway!

Mudminnows can be a problem, but in my experience mostly when not accustomed to the foods available or if there's a shortage of food. If either of those situations occur they will often eat or attempt to eat other fish or nip at less aggressive fish fish. I have seen eastern and centrals take out eyes of blackbandeds and other slower moving fish when first brought in from the wild if not yet used to foods offered. Once trained on the foods available they are usually fine as long as enough food is presented. But as Brian pointed out baby dwarf crays are food and they know it.

Mudminnows can be a problem, but in my experience mostly when not accustomed to the foods available or if there's a shortage of food. If either of those situations occur they will often eat or attempt to eat other fish or nip at less aggressive fish fish. I have seen eastern and centrals take out eyes of blackbandeds and other slower moving fish when first brought in from the wild if not yet used to foods offered. Once trained on the foods available they are usually fine as long as enough food is presented. But as Brian pointed out baby dwarf crays are food and they know it.

Oh..I have no illusions of having the crayfish bring up young in the main tank. No...any little crays in there I am sure will find it tough going...
I'll have a 20 long set up primarily for my "main" crayfish colony, and that's where I hope to get some little ones!