Can i keep shrimp with my betta fish

[skylark]

I've had success keeping a betta with snails, so I'm wondering if it's possible to keep a betta with shrimp. I know bettas see shrimp as a snack, but if there are plenty of hiding spots, maybe it could work.

[pawsome]

I've had multiple people advise against keeping shrimp and betta fish together, but I've had a different experience. I've successfully kept betta fish with ghost shrimp in three tanks without any issues. I think it's possible that betta fish get a bad rap when it comes to shrimp, and people assume they're the culprits behind shrimp deaths when in reality, they might just be scavenging a dead shrimp. Ghost shrimp, which are often sold as feeders, can be quite delicate and prone to dying off in the first few days after being introduced to a new tank. I've found that they can grow up to 2 inches long, but other types of shrimp, like cherry shrimp, are smaller and might be more resilient. What type of shrimp are you considering keeping with your betta?

[coltin]

I've had multiple people advise against keeping shrimp and betta fish together, but I've had a different experience. I've successfully kept betta fish with ghost shrimp in three tanks without any issues. I think it's possible that betta fish get a bad rap when it comes to shrimp, and people assume they're the culprits behind shrimp deaths when in reality, they might just be scavenging a dead shrimp. Ghost shrimp, which are often sold as feeders, can be quite delicate and prone to dying off in the first few days after being introduced to a new tank. I've found that they can grow up to 2 inches long, but other types of shrimp, like cherry shrimp, are smaller and might be more resilient. What type of shrimp are you considering keeping with your betta?

I've found that if you're having trouble with glass or ghost shrimp, it's usually due to them being stressed from overcrowding at the shop, or maybe they're used to brackish water and you're putting them in a freshwater tank. But if you've got healthy glass shrimp in a well-established tank, they're actually pretty hardy and do better than most other shrimp I've kept.

[pawsome]

I was mistaken about ghost shrimp being fragile. It's more about the conditions they're kept in at pet stores - overcrowded and poor. I've bought ghost shrimp multiple times and never had a 100% survival rate. I always buy extra, expecting some to not make it. In fact, I've had one die before I even left the store. They're only fragile when they come from those pet store conditions, which isn't a reflection of their actual hardiness.

[goldminer]

Some betta fish are cool with adult shrimp, but others aren't having it. Baby shrimp though, they're a different story - most bettas see them as a snack.

[flamberg]

A heavily planted tank could be your best bet. Add lots of hiding places like java moss and the shrimp may have a chance of survival.

[skylark]

My tank's pretty well-planted, I've got a bunch of java moss and some fake plants for hiding spots. I was thinking of getting a couple ghost shrimp, but I'm not sure if I should. Would keeping just two or three be okay? I'm worried my tank might be too cluttered for them to thrive.

[flamberg]

Keeping just two ghost shrimp should work out alright, especially with all the hiding spots you've got in your tank.