Classroom Tank
>Hi crew!
>>Good morning, Joy, Marina here.
>One of my students took home the class pet for summer vacation, renamed her, and now my red eared slider has a new home and I have a 55 gallon tank to fill.  Help!!  I've purchased an aquarium divider.  I want to know can I have a crayfish or lobster on one side of the divider and a shrimp and some type of aquatic or semi-aquatic frog on the other.  
>>Yes, you can do this.
>Possibly a fish or two if you can recommend ones that won't be eaten.
>>Not with the crawdad/freshwater lobster, but if you have something like a small leopard frog on the other side, then you can put in mosquito fish or similar small fish.  Also, consider land hermit crabs (the Caribbean variety).  I don't think they can pinch any worse than a crawfish!  They do require a different setup, though.  If interested, check out http://www.hermit-crabs.com for best information.
>My concerns are having species that have the same temperature and water hardness requirement.
>>Not exactly a worry with frogs and crawdads, very hardy, as are most commonly available tropical fish.
>Some of my students have vision issues, so could you please recommend colorful species (our school uniform colors are white and blue, I would love to say my aquarium creatures are dressed in uniform).
>>Sorry, but most colorful species are VERY specialized and difficult to care for, and the ones that I can think of that would match your school colors are poison dart frogs.  Even though their stay in captivity and lack of variety in diet seems to seriously reduce toxin levels, still not a good idea in my opinion (mostly for meeting their requirements).  There does exist, however, a BLUE freshwater crawfish that is also known as a freshwater lobster.  This may take some searching to find.  Marina

"Craw Dads"
Dear Bob,
After our emails earlier today I searched the net for info re crayfish.
Correct me if I am wrong, but not too many people have an interest in these creatures. 
<Not that many... surprising for how many species, interesting biology...>
I have spent more than a couple of hours searching and other than recipes on how to prepare them, I have come up with three
articles. I live in Canada and to see these creatures is a relative rarity. I suppose elsewhere, i.e. the U.S. and Australia, they are
considered too common to get excited about. I did live in Mississippi in the early 80's and do recall them on menus, ( I did not partake) but
still kind of think of them as an unique creature worthy of observing.
Here at home, my favorite creature (outdoors) is our toads, we have an extensive garden and pond area dedicated to just those creatures. Just
because I don't know, where abouts in the U.S. do you reside?
<In southern California, next to Mexico, a town called San Diego>
Do you ever come north to Canada?
<Yes, but not often... usually travel to places where the water is warmer... to dive, make photographs. Bob Fenner>
Linda

Any non-fish for a community tank?
Mr. Fenner:
Thank you for your prompt reply and helpful information in response to my questions about freshwater lobsters and crayfish.
<You're welcome>
(My interest in these crustaceans and the like is purely non-gastrological, though)
<oh>
If lobsters and crayfish are not ideal candidates for a community tank... are there any invertebrates that are? Any that won't be eaten by the fish?
<Yes... depending on which species we're talking about... of a certainty there are ones that can/do/will eat each other>
Must have fish and invertebrates (and not eat them) too! Please help!
AHR
<Do take a read through the various fresh and brackish water sections (livestock sub-sections) posted on WetWebMedia.com for input on selection, choices. Bob Fenner>

Ditch Bugs
Hello guys and thank you for taking time to read this
Recently I caught some crawfish to cook at home... I kind of felt bad so I took the two smallest ones "about three inches long" and put them into my freshwater tank "75 gallon" with the rest of my fish....two Bala shark one red tail shark a striped cat and bushy nose Pleco.  to protect my fish I removed the part of their main claw or pinchers that moves to pinch.
<Youch!  I am not familiar with that practice.>
my question is what effect can the craw fish have on my tank. i.e......cleanliness and stress on the fish... or how do they breathe and what do they eat?  or if I should just take them out?  thank you for your time!!!
<I have 4 crawfish in one of my sumps, they are more entertaining than the fish in the main tank, they will eat just about anything, I feed mine algae wafers and whatever leftover pellets or frozen food I have sitting around at feeding time.  I doubt your fish are in too much danger, in fact, if your catfish gets big enough, your crawfish may be in danger.  They are good scavengers, I'd keep them.  Best Regards, Gage>