DreaminginBlue
Aquarium Advice FINatic
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2016
- Messages
- 779
Has anyone successfully kept a betta with caridina shrimp? If so, how?
I am helping a friend set up a tank and though I warned them bettas are predators and shrimp are prey, they want to house them together in a 15 gallon column tank.
The best I can think of doing is to plant the tank densely and cycle it, add the shrimp and allow them to breed, and when their numbers are high add a betta and monitor it closely. If the betta is actively eating all the shrimp, I'll have to rehome him (I have an empty ten gallon at home he can have all to himself). If the betta seems to leave the shrimp alone, I'll leave him in there.
I figured if the shrimp are there first the betta won't see them as intruders on his territory, or as food (the way I see it, the only things we really drop into fish tanks are meant to be food, so I can understand if he sees them as a snack.) will adding the betta last help at all, in your opinion? I know it also depends on personality.
I am helping a friend set up a tank and though I warned them bettas are predators and shrimp are prey, they want to house them together in a 15 gallon column tank.
The best I can think of doing is to plant the tank densely and cycle it, add the shrimp and allow them to breed, and when their numbers are high add a betta and monitor it closely. If the betta is actively eating all the shrimp, I'll have to rehome him (I have an empty ten gallon at home he can have all to himself). If the betta seems to leave the shrimp alone, I'll leave him in there.
I figured if the shrimp are there first the betta won't see them as intruders on his territory, or as food (the way I see it, the only things we really drop into fish tanks are meant to be food, so I can understand if he sees them as a snack.) will adding the betta last help at all, in your opinion? I know it also depends on personality.