About my Betta and about Cherry Shrimp

[mickeyrom]

I think my Betta is dying. He will eat nothing, going on his 4th day. All he does is hide in his decoration tree stump. I have to search for him to be sure he is alive. How long will it take this fast to kill him? I have done multiple water changes to no avail, and one fish in a 10 gal tank should be a no problem situation.

Cherry shrimp. I have a ten gallon which is empty except for the typical small pond snails. I want to add some Cherry Shrimp. Will the shrimp eat them?

 

[Barliman]

Sorry to read about your betta. How long have you had him?

I've never read of shrimp attacking snails.

 

[mickeyrom]

Sorry to read about your betta. How long have you had him?

I've never read of shrimp attacking snails.

We have had Pink for about three years.

I do know that the glass shrimp will kill and eat snails. I have seen it. They rip them right out of their shells, pretty gruesome to see that is for sure. (I think they are called glass shrimp, but they are the common ones seen in aquariums.

 

[ScotJudd]

Sorry to hear about your Betta but on the shrimp question, my cherry shrimp never attempt to attack snails. They do eat any I've squashed though.


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[mickeyrom]

Sorry to hear about your Betta but on the shrimp question, my cherry shrimp never attempt to attack snails. They do eat any I've squashed though.


Sent from my iPad using Aquarium Advice

I don't squash the snails. I'm too softhearted for that, so I am glad that the Cherries are peaceful. Thank you.

 

[Barliman]

We have had Pink for about three years.

Three years is about average for a betta, I think, though Iknown fishkeepers who've had them up to five.

You've given him a good home, though, and saved him from The Cup.

 

[rachelives]

I keep cherries with mystery snails, and they definitely don't bug them! I would assume that they'd be fine with pond snails, even if they are small. I think it's really cute when the shrimp hitch hike on the snails

 

[Autumnsky]

Try blanching a green pea and see if he is interested in eating it. Also as a measure of possible hope, you can try Epsom Salts not a salt but Magnesium sulfate. You can find it at the grocery or Pharmacy, make sure to get the kind with NO additives.

You will need to dissolve it into hot tap water, you can cool it with ice to make it tank temp or just let it sit awhile to get there. Then of course treat with water treatment as usual.

You will need about 10 rounded table spoons and get them dissolved into about a half gallon of water in a pitcher. Then after doing a pwc leave out about a half gallon so you can add in the epsom salt water in portions over the next day.

I would add about a quarter of the Epsom salt water about every 8 hours.

Then over a couple week period leave the ratio of Epsom salts (ES) to water, so if you do a 3 gallon pwc, add back in 3 rounded Tablespoons melted into the returned water.

I usually just melt the ES into the hot water in a couple cups worth from the tap into the bucket, then adjust the rest of the water to tank temp as I fill the bucket. Try for a couple weeks and see if he feels better.

Then if he's better, you can do pwc without adding in the ES and eventually it will be fresh, not treated again. There is no hurry on getting it out either it won't hurt him.

This has helped a undetermined cause of illness for a Betta and also known illness and has helped on many occasions. Good Luck.

This will not bother plants or snails.

Cherry shrimp aren't vicious like Glass aka Ghost shrimp. They are scavengers and would eat a nearly dead to dead snail or shrimp though.

 

[mickeyrom]

Three years is about average for a betta, I think, though Iknown fishkeepers who've had them up to five.

You've given him a good home, though, and saved him from The Cup.

I have read that Betta's lifespan is 5 years, but he does look old and his color has changed quite a bit. Who knows his age when we bought him at Walmart.