Shrimp!

[QuietPlotter]

Hey,

Some of you have read about my soon-to-be planted minibow 2.5

Anyways, I was thinking of getting shrimp later on once I plant it. I currently have a veiltail betta in there, and the tank is still cycling. OK for shrimp?

Red Cherry Shrimp or Ghost Shrimp? Which are OK with Bettas?


I've never kept shrimp, apart from adding 6 to my cichlid tank to see what would happen (I kept shrimp for 3 minutes!)

I have fantastic ideas of keeping a colony or something, lol.


What do they eat?

 

[Bettababe1011]

I would go with ghost shrimp, because the Betta is less likely to eat them.

 

[gabysapha]

None are safe with bettas, most likely. Shrimp are tasty.

Try with inexpensive ghost shrimp first. If the betta doesnt kill them, progress cautiously. Dont expect red cherries babies to not be eaten.
You can put a ton of plants and moss in to give the shrimp a refuge.

 

[QuietPlotter]

Do they need cycled water?

 

[Bettababe1011]

Do they need cycled water?

The shrimp? Yes. Ammonia and nitrites will have a negative affect on all living creatures in your tank.

 

[gabysapha]

Bettas are tolerant of poor water quality, but I find shrimp to be pretty sensitive to it. If you don't keep up with water changes or cycle the tank, the shrimp will not breed/not do well/die. So keep up with water changes and don't create drastic changes in water parameters. Give them some calcium too, since they need it for their shells. Crushed cuttlebone works if you don't already have hard water. I've heard of people putting in Tums too. Kens veggie stix also have calcium in them.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Shrimp are more sensitive to poor water conditions so I would wait until your tank is cycled.