Best FW aquarium large invertebrate?

I was considering adding a lobster or such to my 75 gallon tank. Wondering what you all advise would be the best. I'm wanting something more than just my swimmers but don't want to have to search around the tank to find little shrimp either. Food fed to current inhabitants are Ken's premium tropical fish flake, Ken's veggie sticks with calcium, and Ken's veggie wafers. I have krill that can be added as well and some cichlid pellets left over from a fish that passed I could provide as well.

Awesome critters , great scavengers, will eat just about anything. Awesome addition for NON planted tanks with larger fish.

Tank is fake planted and I have pristilla and glow light tetras as my smallest. Are they quick enough to getaway? I was thinking a blue lobster.

Do they eat plants? (why you say non-planted) Eventually the 75 gallon is going to a 150 planted is why I ask.

ShortyKiloGyrl wrote:Tank is fake planted and I have pristilla and glow light tetras as my smallest. Are they quick enough to getaway? I was thinking a blue lobster.

We are talking about an opportunistic hunter here. If the fish ever hover around these plants or near structures it is possible Mr Crawdaddy will make its way to them.  You can always try it. I am speaking on personal experience here and have had several predatory  inverts sizes ranging from 2" to 16". Far as I know I didn't loose to many tetra . It was more like my $15 dwarf pikes, Cory cats, Oto cats, a few small bristle nose. But have seen em in plants and woods waiting for that tetra to come near and snapping at them.

The largest, safe shrimp I know of is a Bamboo shrimp (Atyopsis sp.).

ShortyKiloGyrl wrote:Do they eat plants? (why you say non-planted) Eventually the 75 gallon is going to a 150 planted is why I ask.

Crawfish/lobsters eat everything. I used to house them before I switched to dwarves and planted my tank. When I starting planting my Yabby decimated my plants. I had a blue, and an orange 'lobster'. They seem the same just different colors.

dwarfpike wrote:The largest, safe shrimp I know of is a Bamboo shrimp (Atyopsis sp.).

do you think I could add some to my 140 with dwarf cichlids and Angel fish if I find large enough ones?

fishNAbowl wrote:

ShortyKiloGyrl wrote:Tank is fake planted and I have pristilla and glow light tetras as my smallest. Are they quick enough to getaway? I was thinking a blue lobster.

We are talking about an opportunistic hunter here. If the fish ever hover around these plants or near structures it is possible Mr Crawdaddy will make its way to them.  You can always try it. I am speaking on personal experience here and have had several predatory  inverts sizes ranging from 2" to 16". Far as I know I didn't loose to many tetra . It was more like my $15 dwarf pikes, Cory cats, Oto cats, a few small bristle nose. But have seen em in plants and woods waiting for that tetra to come near and snapping at them.

Okay, so if fed properly then mine shouldn't go after many fish. I have angels, tetras, a pictus, a sailfin pleco and a featherfin in the tank. The tetra's are probably the only thing it would try for and they seem quick enough.

fishNAbowl wrote:

ShortyKiloGyrl wrote:Do they eat plants? (why you say non-planted) Eventually the 75 gallon is going to a 150 planted is why I ask.

Crawfish/lobsters eat everything. I used to house them before I switched to dwarves and planted my tank. When I starting planting my Yabby decimated my plants. I had a blue, and an orange 'lobster'. They seem the same just different colors.

Hmm, so this might be a good thing until switched over to the 150 and then it might need a new home then? lol I don't want one to decimate my plants in a 150.

The tetra will be highest risk of becoming a meal. What I have noticed at 1st like anything else it'll go in your tank scared. Pinchers up, scurrying away until it finds a safe spot. Once it's found its safe spot it'll protect it. So if Mr Angel or Mr Pictus comes to investigate , snip snip. Over time it'll slowly come out and start investigating.

ShortyKiloGyrl wrote:

fishNAbowl wrote:

ShortyKiloGyrl wrote:Do they eat plants? (why you say non-planted) Eventually the 75 gallon is going to a 150 planted is why I ask.

Crawfish/lobsters eat everything. I used to house them before I switched to dwarves and planted my tank. When I starting planting my Yabby decimated my plants. I had a blue, and an orange 'lobster'. They seem the same just different colors.

Hmm, so this might be a good thing until switched over to the 150 and then it might need a new home then? lol I don't want one to decimate my plants in a 150.

They are an awesome critter though. If you have the opportunity to house one I would recommend it. They just need to be accommodated for just like every other critter we house

Not so much worried about the homicidal pictus but I kinda like the tetras lol. If I had room to house one that it wouldn't snack on everything I would. Hmm

So what type?
Electric Blue Lobster
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Neon Red Lobster
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Pearl Lobster
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or Lobster Thermidor
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For breeding, which every is cheaper since it's a going to be dinner lol. For my tank I wanted the blue, but after hearing what fishNAbowl had for experience I don't think it's a good option

Not sure if you know this but acquiring, housing selling of these in Washington state is illegal. Make sure you check with Oregon laws first.

Lobster are illegal too? Not just crays? I am in Washington but about an hour from the oregon border

maybe someone else will chime in with different experiences. I've housed them with larger tetra like adult Congo's. Even then I would catch my Yabby on a log snapping at them. The Congo's where roughly 3" of zippidy turbo. Other fish were clown loaches (4"+), and a school of large pictus cats. They all did well with my crayfish...


I once had a freshwater prawn that grew to 16" of alien terror. Then my Spotfaced pike tore into it. It was like Godzilla Vs Mothra. Twisty shell , meat, and entangled arms flying all over the place. It was a sad day indeed.

Madness wrote:Not sure if you know this but acquiring, housing selling of these in Washington state is illegal.  Make sure you check with Oregon laws first.

Madness, can you provide me with a location to find what all is illegal to obtain and own in washington so I can bookmark it and keep it for reference. That way I don't get my hopes up for cool looking stuff only to find out I'd be an illegal beagal.

Please check out the laws here: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Madness wrote:Not sure if you know this but acquiring, housing selling of these in Washington state is illegal.  Make sure you check with Oregon laws first.

  Now that I think about it I haven't seen specialty lobsters in a while. So the blues, reds, whites, oranges, and Yabby's are now illegal? Wasn't there some electric blues at Aquarium coop not so long ago?

I dont believe so, even the Asian markets stopped selling them about a year or so ago

Odd the sierra newt is on the list yet those are all over in my backyard (the wooded trails behind our house)

As well, hermit crabs are on there and I saw those at petsmart mother's day weekend. As well as mosquito fish are in the list and those are frequently sold in stores as "guppies". So if they are mislabeled at retail and you keep receipt does that mean you can play dumb? Doesn't make much sense on some of this stuff.

I completely agree

I do see that one website has them labeled as "Hammers cobalt blue lobster" and the scientific name next to it. When you google the scientific name it lists it as a fw us native CRAYFISH species. Companies trying to trap people into purchases they shouldn't be making so they can get a profit??

So it is somewhat confusing...
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The Neon Red 'lobster' is an Procambarus clarkii, the Pearl 'lobster' is also called Procambarus clarkii which are prohibited and must both be a form of the 'Red swamp crawfish'.

The Electric Blue 'lobster' is Procambarus paeninsulanis and is not on the list...

ShortyKiloGyrl wrote:I do see that one website has them labeled as "Hammers cobalt blue lobster" and the scientific name next to it. When you google the scientific name it lists it as a fw us native CRAYFISH species. Companies trying to trap people into purchases they shouldn't be making so they can get a profit??

"Hammers cobalt blue lobster", I found were a Procambarus clarkii which is on the prohibited list.

Hammers cobalt blue lobster is what they are generically calling a Procambaus clarkii.

DMD123 wrote:So it is somewhat confusing...
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The Neon Red 'lobster' is an Procambarus clarkii, the Pearl 'lobster' is also called Procambarus clarkii which are prohibited and must both be a form of the 'Red swamp crawfish'.

The Electric Blue 'lobster' is Procambarus paeninsulanis and is not on the list...

I believe we have found, what they call, a loop-hole dear Watson!   

So ( [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] ) offers it as an "Electric Blue Lobster" under the scientific name Procambarus paeninsulanis. But ( [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] ) offers it as a "Hammers Cobalt Blue Lobster" under the scientific name Procambarus clarkii. But when you look at the images they appear to be the same "lobster/crayfish."

I believe these places are aware of the laws in some states and will need allow you to purchase

So I sent off this email to Petsolutions who sell these aquatic freshwater 'lobster'.

"I have been interested in Freshwater 'Lobsters' such as the Electric Blue, Neon Red or Pearl but notice that my state (Washington) has a ban on live crayfish. Are these items available for me to order in my state or do the laws apply to these aquarium 'lobster' also?

Thank you for your assistance."

Here is the answer I received:
"I AM AFRAID THAT THE BAN WOULD STILL HOLD. SORRY."

Funny that the answer I received was in ALL CAPS!

DMD123 wrote:So I sent off this email to Petsolutions who sell these aquatic freshwater 'lobster'.

"I have been interested in Freshwater 'Lobsters' such as the Electric Blue, Neon Red or Pearl but notice that my state (Washington) has a ban on live crayfish. Are these items available for me to order in my state or do the laws apply to these aquarium 'lobster' also?

Thank you for your assistance."

Here is the answer I received:
"I AM AFRAID THAT THE BAN WOULD STILL HOLD. SORRY."

Funny that the answer I received was in ALL CAPS!

Gotta love it... I bet if you purchased it they would still ship it. Atleast on LiveAquaria it defines some states it will not ship to at the bottom.

Like I mentioned above, once you insert your shipping info it will red flag. Its like selling alcohol to a minor, they are liable and can be fined and/or lose their license

dwarfpike wrote:The largest, safe shrimp I know of is a Bamboo shrimp (Atyopsis sp.).

Just go for these guys. They are awesome. But need a water current moving for them to collect food from their filter fan arms.

Also be aware that there are two electric blue crays. One that stays at about 6 inches and one that grows to about 14 inches.

For a few years they were able to get away with crossing the crayfish with a lobster. Then selling them as lobsters which weren't technically illegal. Now they are all illegal.

Also anything that can be caught in Washington is illegal to take away from it's habitat.

SiRWesDragon wrote:

dwarfpike wrote:The largest, safe shrimp I know of is a Bamboo shrimp (Atyopsis sp.).

Just go for these guys. They are awesome.  But need a water current moving for them to collect food from their filter fan arms.

But they need brackish to breed?

Those aren't really an option for a 75 gallon. Not much current at the bottom.

They climb onto where they can get current like on woods, plants, rocks, or on filter intake tubes. They get food from the scraps/crumbs from the fishes or whatever the current brings to them.
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Yup - they'll perch as close as they can get to the current. I would dump some powdered food directly into the critter's fans when I had mine so I was sure it was getting something to eat.

The taxonomic family, Cambaridae, that includes all north-american crayfish (and most everything being sold as a freshwater "lobster"), is banned for possession, transport, purchase, sale, you name it in WA. This is because idiot fishermen were using Procambarus Clarkii as bait and they escaped and became established in various waterways. They grow far faster than the only native crayfish and thus easily out-compete them.

Our lawmakers, in their INFINITE wisdom, decided to solve the problem with a blanket ban. They win, we lose, and p. clarkii are still living in local waterways. The upside is that you can catch as many wild clarkii as you like, as long as you kill them, I believe.

Bamboo Shrimp are meh... once you've seen the Blue Wood Shrimp. Those look a lot more like lobsters/crayfish. Unfortunately, like Madness and pbmax have stated, lobsters and crayfish are illegal here in Washington.

Blue Wood Shrimp and Vampire Shrimp, however...are legal in the state of Washington!

Think of them as, if a lobster/crayfish and bamboo shrimp got together, and presto... Blue Wood Shrimp. They look amazing. Kinda has the body of a crawfish/lobster, but lacks the pinchers... and instead has the fan-like appendages of the bamboo shrimp. The largest one I've seen was at Aquarium Co-Op, and it was like 3-4" long... they're amazing. I regret not getting one. LOL.

There's also the Vampire Shrimp, which also has a similar body structure to the Blue Wood Shrimp.

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(Blue Wood Shrimp) - note: you can't see the fans in this picture, but they do also have the fan-like appendages.


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(Vampire Shrimp)

Oh! I like those blue wood shrimp! Awesome PokeSepiroth, thanks I'm definitely looking into these more!

Personally, I like Bamboo shrimp better. Under the right light and with good food, they turn a lovely reddish color, they look just like bacon!

The Vampire shrimp are cool but seem to really really skittish, always hiding.

I'm wanting something with color so they don't blend in so much. I found an old posting for some for sale but they look bad

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Most inverts and many fish derive their coloration from their background. Put them in the right situation (planted, lots of hides) with a dark substrate and I bet they'll color up very well. This was the case for my bamboo shrimp - a beautiful red as bronzefighter said with a big white stripe down its back.

I also just found viper shrimp that look cool. But they are spendy.

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" they look just like bacon!"

ummm, bacon!