# Nerite Snail vs Ghost Shrimp



## Pancake Karma (Jan 11, 2014)

I have been thinking about this subject for a long time. I just recently purchased a 5 gallon tank. And I was trying to find a suitable tank mate for my betta. At first I wanted a snail. I thought that they would take care of algae (I've had many problems with it in a past tank). I almost went out to buy one. Then I did some research and found out that they have a pretty big bioload. I looked around online and found out about ghost shrimp. They seemed that they would get the job done and be quite fun. Though I'm scared that they would hurt my betta. Or that my betta will hurt them (this is very unlikely as he is pretty tame). Can I honestly don't know what to do! All help is appreciated! Thanks in advance!


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## HelplesslyHuman (Dec 19, 2013)

If your betta is really that tame, I would recommend to you either an Amano shrimp or some Red Cherry Shrimp. Both have an extremely low bioload but are completely peaceful and won't try to hurt your betta. 
Cherries do best in groups and because of their bright red color, they may be seen as more of a threat to your betta. They are very small, typically about an inch as adults. If you get enough cherries for them to reproduce, they will birth frequently - though your betta will probably eat the babies, depending on how many hiding spots they have. But it's feasible to have a self sustaining population or even and excess of shrimp if you have males and females and hiding places. You can also get different color variations of N. heteropoda like blue, yellow, white and red striped, etc. which could reduce the likelihood of aggression (or just look pretty) though these color variations may cost you a pretty penny. 
Amano shrimp (aka Japonica shrimp) can be kept singly, and will get quite a bit bigger at 1.5 to 2 inches. They need brackish water to reproduce and so will not reproduce in your tank. Because they are usually wild caught, no color variants are known. 

My personal favorite is the bamboo shrimp, but your tank isn't large enough to sustain one. If you ever get a bigger tank, look into them 
Both shrimp are very effective algae eaters, but amanos seem to be less picky. Both will also help to eat food your betta drops or misses, but if they get too much pellets they might reduce their algae appetite. If not enough algae is available, you MUST feed your shrimp algae pellets or sinking food or they will starve.

Is your tank filtered? Shrimp tend to be kinda fragile and large fluctuations in nitrites or temp will probably do them in.


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## 2muttz (Aug 16, 2013)

True ghost shrimp won't bother your betta. They are really harmless, I keep two with some very small fish and there has never been a problem. Just make sure you are getting ghost shrimp and not whisker shrimp, which can be aggressive and have tiny claws.

It is much more likely that your betta will go after the shrimp, even if he seems tame. Trying to get the biggest ones available might help. 

Ghost shrimp don't eat algae. They are great scavengers, eating fallen and leftover food. But I have never seen mine eat algae at all.

Nerite snails stay very tiny and don't add much to your bioload, and they are super algae eaters. Be aware that you might have to supplement them a bit if your tank doesn't grow a lot of algae on its own.

In 5 gallons with just one fish, you could actually probably have a nerite and one or two ghost shrimp and do just fine.

Good luck!


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

keep in mind that snails and shrimp need cycled mature tanks.


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## EvaJupiterSkies (Oct 25, 2013)

Speaking for the nerite crowd... I have two 2.5's with a betta and a nerite in each. The boys love their snails, the snails do a great job with my algae, and yes, there is poop, but if you have something like a turkey baster to suck it out with about twice a week, it's not that bad in my opinion. I'm also reading 0's on ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate with two 25% WC's a week. I would think in a 5 gallon, a nerite snail and a betta would be fine. 

I will also note I have a copious amount of java moss in each tank as well, because the boys love it (anubias and hornwort both seemed to dislike the tank conditions), and that definitely has some influence on my tank parameters.


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