Compatability Question

[GodFan]

Ok this is a wierd compatability question. If I have a 20 gallon long tank, and stock with a small group of endlers, a betta, and RCS, here is the wierd amd confusing part. Will the endlers leave the adult RCS alone but eat the shrimplets? And will the betta eat the endler fry? (I know that temperment depends on the betta thats why I am only asking if it will eat fry) and will the female endlers kill the adult shrimp?
I am trying to make a kinda balanced food chain. I dont want to be overrun with endlers either. Their would also be duckweed for the endlers to snack on.
Thanks and God bless!

 

[Koikid88]

To answer 1 part of your question, the betta will eat any fry with joy. In 20g, it will find them fairly quick when they are small enough to eat.

 

[GodFan]

ok well that is a good thing. If I want to save any I could net them out. What about the endlers and shrimplets and adult shrimp?

 

[Koikid88]

Sorry brother, never had endlers, couldn't tell ya. Shrimplets are food for pretty much anything big enough to eat em. My **** scarlet badis badis ate half my orange sakura shrimplets before I knew they were even in there! The fish is only as big as my nail lol So my guess would be, they are betta treats. Larger shrimp, I've never kept with the fish you have, so I can't definitively say.

 

[siva]

Ok this is a wierd compatability question. If I have a 20 gallon long tank, and stock with a small group of endlers, a betta, and RCS, here is the wierd amd confusing part. Will the endlers leave the adult RCS alone but eat the shrimplets? And will the betta eat the endler fry? (I know that temperment depends on the betta thats why I am only asking if it will eat fry) and will the female endlers kill the adult shrimp?
I am trying to make a kinda balanced food chain. I dont want to be overrun with endlers either. Their would also be duckweed for the endlers to snack on.
Thanks and God bless!

The betta will eat the endler fry, shrimplets, and adult shrimp, most likely. The endlers probably won't bother adult shrimp. If there is enough hiding spots, your shrimp colony may still thrive, but I haven't had much luck with RCS sized shrimp and bettas.

 

[Koikid88]

When I first started, I had a bunch of different shrimp in with Gouramis. Thought they were all eaten, vanished for months, when I transferred tanks... BAM there's 12 little guys huddled inside a rock formation too small for the fish. I was surprised they all found each other through no mans land.

 

[GodFan]

Sorry brother, never had endlers, couldn't tell ya. Shrimplets are food for pretty much anything big enough to eat em. My **** scarlet badis badis ate half my orange sakura shrimplets before I knew they were even in there! The fish is only as big as my nail lol So my guess would be, they are betta treats. Larger shrimp, I've never kept with the fish you have, so I can't definitively say.

Ah! Scarlet Badis. My favourite fish! So what is big enough to eat endler fry but wont bother adult RCS?

The betta will eat the endler fry, shrimplets, and adult shrimp, most likely. The endlers probably won't bother adult shrimp. If there is enough hiding spots, your shrimp colony may still thrive, but I haven't had much luck with RCS sized shrimp and bettas.

Thanks! So what will eat endler fry and not adult shrimp?

 

[adadkins1]

I agree, I would say a Betta wouldn't be the best option for what you are looking for. Most Bettas will in fact eat adult shrimp and shrimplets along with the fry. I've tried Ghost Shrimp with my Bettas and even with their dull color and larger than RCS size they still got attacked. Maybe try to find some other fish that would leave the adult RCS and Endlers alone, but subsist mainly on the fry. It can be hairy to find an equilibrium, but I am definitely interested to see how it turns out for you!

 

[siva]

Guppies and platties..probably. That's all I can think of at the moment...

 

[adadkins1]

Yeah! You could get a big enough colony of livebearers to where they could feed on the fry, though some supplemental feeding will likely be needed between drops. Then a few fry may make it which compensates for the possible adult deaths. The guppies/platies could then keep the RCS in check. Probably make the surviving fry grow fast since shrimplets are nutritious!

 

[GodFan]

Ok... Well I dont want guppies as they are too messy and dont fit my idea... I was thinking just on elarger fish. This will also be a limited filtraion tank (trial. Will be monitored closely) So I wanna stay pretty clean. Maybe a dwarf gourami?

 

[adadkins1]

Yeah, I'd saw a DG would be pretty good. The only issue with them is trying to find a healthy one. 9 times out of 10 you will end up with a sick/dying/dead gourami in a few months or less because of them being overbred.

 

[GodFan]

yea that is my main worry. Any other more predictable options?

 

[adadkins1]

Hmmmmmm, there are other types of Betta but they are kinda hard to get a hold of. Paradise Fish, Thick-lipped Gourami (NOT KISSING), Banded Gourami, and I'm sure there are others. Those are just some that stay 4" or less and would be suitable.

 

[GodFan]

Hmmmmmm, there are other types of Betta but they are kinda hard to get a hold of. Paradise Fish, Thick-lipped Gourami (NOT KISSING), Banded Gourami, and I'm sure there are others. Those are just some that stay 4" or less and would be suitable.

ok. So you dont think that wiuld be to big?

 

[siva]

See that's where it get's tricky..larger fish and RCS...not so many options there unfortunately. I agree a dwarf gourami may work. They can be hit and miss with shrimp but I've had pretty good luck with it. I agree it can be hard to get your hands on a healthy one though.

 

[siva]

I'm thinking paradise fish would eat the adult shrimp. Not sure though. Maybe a croaking gourami?

 

[GodFan]

I don tthink I could get my hands on one... Sparkling gourami? Can I have one or are they family fish? lol

 

[adadkins1]

I was going to mention Sparkling Gouramis, but didn't since you were wanting larger fish. However, as Erin pointed out, you are just asking for an end to your shrimp colony. I will say that my Pearl Gourami (nearly 5") doesn't harm my Ghost Shrimp, however he is well fed so that is a variable that I cannot take into account.

 

[GodFan]

When I said I wanted something larger I meant that I wanted something big enough to eat the endler fry. If a sparkling gourami can be kept alon and will eat endler fry but not rcs then that is my pick!