# Betta fish attacked by crabs?



## AdamJB (Jun 13, 2016)

Hi,

A few months ago I bought a 62-litre tank and over a few months I've been adding in fish that I've been told by the people at the aquarium are okay to add in together. So far there are 3 Danios, 3 Harlequins, 2 Marigolds, 2 ("red claw" I was told) crabs and 1 blue betta fish. I did raise concern to the people there if it was okay having the betta after I saw the crabs snapping out if it came too close, but they said this is normal and it will be fine. I even bought a tank decoration that is a rock with a hole inside, and I used wire to hang it at the side of the tank so the betta can rest in that and the crabs can't get it, and it did go there and lie inside.

But I've had the betta for about a week now, and this morning I saw it floating looking straight up, it's fins weren't all joined together in tubes like they had been yesterday, but they were spread out and all shredded. This is really sad because the betta I chose was absolutely stunning as it had a perfect line going along its fin, but now it looks like it's lost about half of it. He's also completely at mercy of the current in the water from the filter, he can only just adjust his movements and if he goes in the flow of water he just goes straight around with it.

Could this be because of the crabs? Could there be any other reason? I think people here will know a lot more about it than anywhere else so I really hope someone can suggest what I can do. The betta is very idle right now and still floating on top of the water but facing straight up. I've been checking the pH and keeping it at a level of 6.5, the temperature is 24 degrees like I was told is ideal, I bought a nitrate testing kit and that is at a very good level indicated by the chart.

Pictures: (not good quality but it was hard to get a clear shot of the betta)
The crab with the larger of the two claws that eats all the plants and tries to attack the betta: View image: 20160603 153128829 i OS
Betta fish on it's side with shredded fin: View image: 20160613 081416677 i OS
Tank setup (there were more plants but the crabs eat them): View image: 20160613 081440619 i OS

If anyone has a suggestion, I'm willing to change anything in the tank if it means the betta will be okay, but I don't think it can grow the fins back so I don't know if it will be able to recover properly.
Thank you!


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## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

> Could this be because of the crabs?


Yes.

Fish and crabs cant be kept in the same tank, at some stage the fish will be crab food. Your fish is in a bad way a crab can do a lot of damage to a fish if it gets a hold of it.


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## AdamJB (Jun 13, 2016)

NickAu said:


> Yes.
> 
> Fish and crabs cant be kept in the same tank, at some stage the fish will be crab food. Your fish is in a bad way a crab can do a lot of damage to a fish if it gets a hold of it.


Thank you. I will be taking those crabs back ASAP. The people at the aquarium kept crabs in tanks with other fish and said they are safe to do the same with. I looked online and haven't found many people saying the same. I will be taking what they say with a grain of salt from now on.

As for the Betta, will he recover at all?


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## Aluyasha (Sep 2, 2010)

From the look of your betta, I would say he needs to be put in a hospital tank, as well as getting rid of the crabs.


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