Electric Blue Lobster

Question
I placed an order for an electric blue lobster (it's really a crayfish) that will arrive later this week, but I really don't know a lot about them at all. Furthermore, I really have never had to take care of anything more complicated than a few goldfish in a small tank.
I've tried doing research online, but I really haven't gotten anything out of it. What I really need are clear, straight forward instructions.
I was wondering what all I would need to take care of my new pet. This includes everything from tank size and filtration to decorations and food.
I also want to know about things like if I should filter the water before I put it in (the water quality here is very poor), if/how often I should change the water in the tank, what temp the water should be, and whether there's anything I should add to the water.
I really don't know anything about setting up or taking care of a tank or a lobster. Any info will help.
Also, I know this kind of crayfish is aggressive and doesn't do well with tank mates. That said, I would REALLY like to have a fish or two in there as well. Are there any fish that I could potentially add to my tank that would survive?
Lastly, I was wondering how one goes about transporting a crayfish without killing it inadvertently. I need to transport my new pet up to my college, which is 6 hours away by car. We will be traveling over 2 days, so it will be around a total of 12 hours of travel. To make matters worse, I will not be able to actually move into my dorm for several days. If necessary, my boyfriend can bring the lobster up with him later in the week. That way it will only be 6 hours and it can move straight into the dorm. I know it's important to keep the water the right temp, but I don't know how to do that.
I know this is a lot, but that's because I honestly don't know anything about the subject. Feel free to treat me like an idiot.
Any info helps.
Thanks so much for your time and effort.
~Sarah

Answer
Hi Sarah,
  Crayfish are interesting, but you cannot keep fish with them.  Rather, you cannot keep fish for very long with them because if the fish is large, it will eat the crayfish. If the fish is small, the crayfish will catch and eat the fish.  

  You should get a "20 gallon Long" tank.  You can get these at Petsmart for about $30.  Any kind of filter will work. The key is to properly maintain the filter, i.e., clean it once a month.  You should change 25% of the water in the tank once a week, every week to keep things happy and healthy.  You need to find out what chemicals are added to your water supply (your water company will be happy to tell you). If they add just chlorine, then you only need to let the water sit in a bucket for 24 hours and the chlorine will evaporate (this is what I do).  But if they add chloramine (increasingly common), then you need to add "water conditioner" such as Amquel to the water before putting it in the aquarium. Amquel removes the chloramine.   

 To transport your crayfish, your best bet would be one of those plastic "critter keepers" that they sell at Petsmart or walmart.  Don't worry about the temperature too much -- just don't put him in the sun or in a really cool place.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
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