Help!

[Caliban07]

I've just done routine maintenance in my 5 gal betta tank. I put 2 cherry shrimp in with it weeks ago and I thought the betta ate them as they disappeared but no! One jumped out at me when I took the filter out. In still recovering from the shock! There's only one cherry I can see but looks like there are a couple of babies too.

Here's my question. Did the shrimp get suck in? This is unlikely as pump is very soft as it's for betta. Or did betta chase it in to there? Do I net it back with the betta or put it in my communal tank along with gouramis neons swordtails and rasbora or will they eat it? I need help quick please

 

[rmiller]

They will likely be eaten in your other tank. You could wrap a piece of nylon (clean panty hose) around the filter intake to prevent them from getting back into the filter.

 

[Caliban07]

It's not a hob filter. It's just a pump at one end with a grill at the other and there's a bit sectioned off right across the back with three vertical sections. 1 for pump and thermostat. 1 for Ceramic media and one for sponge media but there's a gap between each. Just left them in there for now. They have survived In there for 2 months but I can only see 1 adult but there are 3-4 baby shrimp now. Do shrimp need male and female to breed? It's possible that they could have been carrying eggs when I put them in. I'm just worried one of the adults jumped out when I took the filter out. Had a look down the back and around the tank but can't see it. The adult that's in there have gotten much larger than when I put it in a couple of months back so they must have food. Was thinking a dropping a tiny bit of cucumber in for them.

I'm certain the betta would eat the youngsters if I put them in the main tank. I don't know if the betta would attack the adult though. Don't want to risk it.