# Betta and Shrimp Dilemma



## aaronmwolford (Jan 25, 2013)

I recently bought 3 ghost shrimp for my 5 gallon betta tank and within 24 hours 2 of them were eaten... I realized that I didn't have enough hiding places for the shrimp so I took a plant box and turned it upside down and put it in the aquarium to add some cover...*r2 This worked and the shrimp lasted a couple months. My betta would catch a glimpse of the shrimp and chase it with no success. 

Now that my shrimp was hiding and coming out at night I decided to remove the box and add some more plants in place of it. (My betta managed to get under the box) Upon doing a water change and adding the plants, I think my shrimp has been eaten... 

My question is this. With a lot of cover and plants now, should I add some more shrimp (about 5). I would remove the betta for a little bit and let the shrimp hide and start my shrimp idea over. I understand that the betta will try to eat them, but if they hide are they okay? Is this normal or am I just feeding my betta a buffet? Thanks and sorry for the rant.


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## kicksilver (Aug 9, 2012)

Putting shrimp in the tank as pets is not a good idea, putting them in as enrichment for your betta (i.e. live food source for hunting) is perfectly fine. Some people can get away with keeping shrimp in a betta tank with no incident, however each betta is different, and it sounds as if you have a rather vicious little one.


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## Dustin86 (Sep 22, 2012)

Yeah, this depends highly on the betta. I had mine in a 14G tall tank with 5 ghost shrimp. 2 of the ghost shrimp disappeared within the first few weeks but the other three were fine for months. I don't know if the betta couldn't see them or just wasn't interested. I moved them into the 30 long so I could get RCS in hopes of having little shrimp babies. I put 4 RCS in the betta and he chased them nonstop for a day or two. I was surprised since he never bothered the ghost shrimp. He leaves them alone now, but every once in a while he will chase one for a moment. It does depend entirely on the betta. I find ours is very passive for a male.


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## chipmunk1210 (Jul 3, 2012)

Personally if you do not want your shrimp to be food, then I would not add anymore shrimp to that tank. Adding shrimp to any fishtank that houses a fish that is carnivorous is a risk that normally doesn't work out very well for the shrimp. Even tanks that the situation seems to work for a while normally end up with the shrimp getting either eaten or picked to death. I know it might seem frustrating but in all reality bettas are better off kept alone.


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## kicksilver (Aug 9, 2012)

You may also have to get lucky, and end up with some shrimp that adapt quickly to there being a danger to it's life within close quarters. You might almost never see them if that's the case however.


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## aaronmwolford (Jan 25, 2013)

Thank you for the replies everyone. I have decided to not purchase any more ghost shrimp


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## tbub1221 (Nov 1, 2012)

my betta doesn't seem to like shrimp , live or dead , even dried . he prefers brine shrimp or blood worms as a live food , but he dislikes ghost shrimp thats 4 sure , i tries twice , each time adding 3 first then only 2 the 2nd time , he chases them out of the tank until i either find them dead stuck to glass out of the water where they took a leap of faith and got stuck , or i found one in the carpet under the tank and 2 on the desk. so i just decided to not try any more. 
I have some fish that coexist beautifly with gghost shrimp and will only sometimes eat them when ther dead or molting , but the exact same species in another tank in the same home (same fish bought same day split to different tanks) eats each and every shrimp they see.
above all else they dont eat the 30+ ghost shrimp in the tank but they will eat any ornamental shrimp iv put in to date.. cherry's blue pilsl . those guys get gone almost immediately so i think they must taste or smell different.


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## kicksilver (Aug 9, 2012)

I would love to introduce a few ghosts into my community tank, It's loaded with plants, and has plenty of places to hide. I can't seem to find them around here any more though, even Walmart has stopped carrying them. I would order them, but I don't think it's worth paying $15 to ship a buck or two worth of shrimp.


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## tbub1221 (Nov 1, 2012)

kicksilver said:


> I would love to introduce a few ghosts into my community tank, It's loaded with plants, and has plenty of places to hide. I can't seem to find them around here any more though, even Walmart has stopped carrying them. I would order them, but I don't think it's worth paying $15 to ship a buck or two worth of shrimp.


i agree on the shipping cost..
they are like .20-.40 $ each so unless i was buying like 200+ i would not do it either. what region are you in if u dont mind me asking. and if you have a chain pet store around do they not get them ? have you asked about ordering some most places can order lots of things even if they dont stock it regularly.:betta:


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## kicksilver (Aug 9, 2012)

I'm from Central Florida, and due to the travel time I have to get most of my stuff from the Petco around the corner, instead of an lfs. I suppose I could ask if they would order some for me, they say they get all their stuff from Segrest Farms, and I'm really happy with everything I've gotten from them.


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