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Are bettas and shrimp good tank mates?

Discussion in 'Betta Fish' started by sindy, Jun 13, 2014.

  1. sindy

    sindy Thread Starter Administrator Staff Member

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    My daughter has a betta for a pet and I know that they need to be isolated from another betta, including females. But I was wondering whether I could add a shrimp to the tank. The tank is about 3 gallons (I wouldn't use any of those awful tiny betta bowls or 1 gallon betta tanks) and there is room for the shrimp to hide, at least I would think so since there is a soft cave that has a thin spot where the betta can't reach the shrimp.
     
    sindy, Jun 13, 2014
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  2. betta

    betta Administrator Staff Member

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    No - bettas are not compatible with shrimp and certainly not with anything small enough to be attacked and eaten. The shrimp may live for a day or two and perhaps longer, but only until such time as your pet betta has in order to square up the shrimp and get a good bite. I'll upload some pictures of my experiment in trying to house a betta and a shrimp in the same tank.
     
    betta, Jun 13, 2014
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  3. buzz4520

    buzz4520 Well-Known Member

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    I also agree, shrimp do not make good tank mates with bettas. We had a black mystery snail with our betta in a 10g and the betta had nothing to do with the snail
     
    buzz4520, Jun 15, 2014
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  4. betta

    betta Administrator Staff Member

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    Snails move extremely slowly and are large enough so that bettas probably wouldn't bother with them. Shrimp, on the other hand, are small enough to have parts fit in a betta's mouth. They are much more active and likely to tick off the betta.... which is what happened way back when I started.

    Many years ago when I started, this is what happened when I put a shrimp into a 2.5 gallon betta tank. That was more like 2+ gallons, had to have water changed every other day and no less than twice per week. I think 3 gallons is the minimum size if you want to keep your betta happy and healthy. They really like their space. Bad idea. Here is part one.
    amedia_cache_ak0.pinimg.com_originals_0b_5b_cf_0b5bcf453bf4969582c1540e79791d6a.jpg
     
    betta, Jun 15, 2014
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  5. betta

    betta Administrator Staff Member

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    So after I thought my betta was just curiously look at the shrimp, he decided to have one more closer observation. The little shrimp wasn't bothering him at all, or so I thought. And he nudges right up against the little guy.

    amedia_cache_ak0.pinimg.com_originals_04_8a_27_048a27052e19dc9f972253c4e65b3945.jpg
     
    betta, Jun 15, 2014
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  6. betta

    betta Administrator Staff Member

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    And shortly after, while I was taking pictures of two fellow tank mates that I thought were living in peace and harmony, this is what happened -- dinner! What annoyed me was that the betta didn't really do much more than take the shrimp apart. I thought he was hungry but it was more about a territorial dispute than anything else. This picture I snapped by accident and it was enough to end my experiment on whether it's safe to put a betta in the same tank as a shrimp. Not recommended, especially in any tank smaller than 5 gallons - the shrimp will be eaten or ended. Bettas are just territorial fish and don't want to feel like their safe area and territory is threatened.

    amedia_cache_ec0.pinimg.com_originals_c0_49_98_c04998ea71436c34cbb6ae66a3bd6397.jpg
     
    betta, Jun 15, 2014
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  7. buzz4520

    buzz4520 Well-Known Member

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    Very nice looking betta ! The last betta we had was the color as yours.
    I've also heard of people keeping African Dwarf Frogs with bettas in 5+ gallon tanks.
     
    buzz4520, Jun 15, 2014
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  8. nancyanderson

    nancyanderson New Member

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    Bettas are very sensitive and require good care as well. To make your betta feel at home like its habitat, lighting in betta’s tank is important.Read more https://probettafish.com
     
    nancyanderson, Apr 16, 2019
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  9. Chemagne

    Chemagne New Member

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    Oh, wow! My daughter’s betta is not very aggressive. He is able to live with shrimp, snails, loaches, khuli loach, and guppies. Granted her little 10 gallon is planted and all have places to claim as their own.
     
    Chemagne, Jan 20, 2020
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