# Wandering crayfish



## ScarletFire (Nov 4, 2012)

This morning, I woke up to my dad and uncle shouting something from the kitchen. It turned out that one of my beloved crayfish decided to take a stroll to a corner in the kitchen under the counter (climbed out of the tank, fell 1.5m down, and crawled ~6m). It must have happened about 1 hr ago because it was defending herself when I was trying to pick her up with a pair of tongs. Anyways, I can't stop the crayfish from climbing onto things, but I can prevent it from escaping again by blocking off the exit point.

How it got out:
There's a sponge holder filled with filter floss for better filtration and to limit the flow placed under the output of the HOB.


















First attempt:
The first thought that came in mind was stainless steel mesh, but it was too expensive, and too late into the day to go get some. The alternative was bamboo skewers. Just laying it across is too flimsy and the crays can move to the side, so stuck them into pieces of filter floss. Although it isn't touching the tank water, it sucks up too much water from touching a little bit of the filter water coming off the left side. 









Second attempt:
I replaced filter floss with tape. It didn't touch the water so plastic shouldn't affect the tank water. However, the little water splashes caused the tape to be not as adhesive. If it were to slip into the water somehow, it would be detrimental (or at least I think it will be).









Third attempt:
I decided to tie a toothpick to the bamboo skewers. If anyone wants to try this method for their tank as well, the video I followed was something along the lines of "how to tie a Japanese MKII method of square lashing rope." I experimented a little to lash all the sticks together with one line of rope, then weaved the rope on the upper and lower ends. 



























Hopefully, this will deter the crayfish from climbing out again. Anyone have any ideas to improve on this?


----------



## Scotmando (Jul 10, 2011)

Lower water level helps.


----------



## bettaforu (Sep 6, 2009)

Yep crayfish always climb, so you need to keep the water lowered so they won't decide to take a walk. Other than that I think your method very inventful and believe that will do the trick 

My bamboo shrimp decided to take a walk for some reason the other day and ended up in my bedroom about 30 ft from the tank (dead of course)
must have happened during the night. 

Probably climbed up the filter floss and fell out over the top of the tank rim
which as a whisper filter so its easily done.


----------



## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

oh mine would always try to take a walk once and a while too. Great DIY ideas, I cut a bit of egg crate for myself and it worked well.


----------



## bettaforu (Sep 6, 2009)

I lost several Tangerine Tiger shrimps a while back, who decided to follow the leader up the overhanging floss on my whisper filter (it had slipped out over the lip and I didn't notice it in time) and over the top of the tank....found them all on my carpet scattered around like they had all decided to go in different directions. 

So to stop this from happening again, I removed the floss and replaced it with poret sponge that doesn't move unless I pull it out, lowered the water level too, and used a whole square of plastic craft mesh (the stuff you use to hook wool thru) and attached it to the sides of the tank by using the 2 strips that come with a tank divider.

I slipped the strips over each end of the craft mesh and it sits flush over the rim of the tank, now they can't get out and they still get airflow thru the holes of the mesh.

Escape artists galore these shrimps.


----------

