# Tank mates for 2.5 gallon?



## LaLaLeyla (Aug 17, 2011)

I have a 2.5 gallon heated/filtered tank with one female betta fish in it. It's planted and has lots of hiding places.
I was wondering if adding a snail or a few shrimp would be pushing it? 
And if not which snails/shrimp are the best


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## Aluka (Dec 25, 2012)

if ur betta doesn't eat shrimps, a few cherries will be nice


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## LaLaLeyla (Aug 17, 2011)

My betta has never been around shrimp so I'm not sure.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

then the snails will have more chances at survival!


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## LaLaLeyla (Aug 17, 2011)

anything i should know about them? can they survive on eating algae wafers?


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

Snails survive on leftover bits of food from your fish, and algea.

But personally, snails have a pretty high bioload and 2.5 is usually recommended for just them. 

Personally, I'd go buy a couple ghost shrimp from the petstore (since they are really cheap), see how your girl does with them, and if she doesnt bother them I'd switch over to a more expensive kind if you'd like, like Red Cherry Shrimp.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

if you have lots of plants, snails shouldn't be a problem, infact they will help with tank cleanup and feed the plants. I never feed my snails. they survive on left overs.


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## callistra (Jun 29, 2010)

I wouldn't put anything in less than 5g. Snails are a lot messier than people give them credit for. Even in a 5g extra changes will be needed.


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## LaLaLeyla (Aug 17, 2011)

Hmm getting mixed signals about the snails. 
Do shrimps also do well on left overs or should they be supplemented with food? 
How many shrimps should I start out with?


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## Hadoken Kitty (Jan 24, 2013)

Marimo Moss Ball! My girly loves it.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

callistra said:


> I wouldn't put anything in less than 5g. Snails are a lot messier than people give them credit for. Even in a 5g extra changes will be needed.


hmm... have you tested your water in a heavily planted tank? i had close to 40 medium sized pond snails in a heavily planted 1 gallon and their impact was 0. ie. ammonia, nitrites and nitrates are zero. conversely, they helped clean up any dying plant material and does the clean up before the plants have a chance to be broken down by the nastier stuff (bacteria, fungi). Plus I didn't do water changes in the duration of their stay.

i'm defintely not saying to put 40 snails in a small tank. however there is nothig wrong with putting in a few....

Additionally i will never advise to keep snails in a sparsely or non planted tank...

if OP can describe the amount of plants in their tank, it will be helpful..


LaLaLeyla said:


> Hmm getting mixed signals about the snails.
> Do shrimps also do well on left overs or should they be supplemented with food?
> How many shrimps should I start out with?



shrimp should be fed sparingly. I had to crumble up their food in the filter outlet so the betta didnt eat it....


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## LaLaLeyla (Aug 17, 2011)

I made a mistake at the begining, I don't have real plants in the tank just fake.
I do plan on getting a moss ball and some anubias in the future.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

LaLaLeyla said:


> I made a mistake at the begining, I don't have real plants in the tank just fake.
> I do plan on getting a moss ball and some anubias in the future.


oh, then >.> no shrimps or snails for you!


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## LaLaLeyla (Aug 17, 2011)

ok.. o - o


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## waterdog (Dec 31, 2012)

aokashi said:


> oh, then >.> no shrimps or snails for you!


Soup nazi! lmao (just kidding)


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