# Ghost shrimp?



## camerafreak (Jan 23, 2011)

I hope to be getting my new betta in the mail sometime soon but I was wondering if I could get a pair (or just even one) ghost shrimp to live with him. I have had ghost shrimp before but for some reason they kept disappearing. My tank will be about 4-5 gallons (I have to measure it out tomorrow) and will have pleanty of hiding spots for them. I am just wondering if 5ish gallons would be enough? Also what do I feed them since I'll be feeding my betta pellets. I used to have them in a tank with a gold fish and fed my gold fish flakes so they would just eat the flakes.


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## baylee767 (Nov 5, 2010)

Lol you'll definatly be fine. Unless your Betta's hungry and spots them...

They'll eat algae and whatever a fish eats.


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## shinybetta (Jul 3, 2010)

Ghost shrimp are not algea eaters. They are carnivores and will eat betta pellets. Live food is appreceated as well.


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## Crazykat (Nov 23, 2010)

Make sure you get real ghost shrimp. Two of the stores I've been to recently have been selling Chinese Algae eaters as ghost shrimp. Those will not go well with a betta.
Ghost shrimp eat pretty much anything but algae. Mine eat fish poop, fish food (they're supposed to only eat the sinking pellets, but they steal my betta's food too), and bloodworms. Believe me, you have not seen wierd until you've seen a ghost shrimp cruising around with half a bloodworm hanging out of its chest. XD


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## camerafreak (Jan 23, 2011)

So is this a ghost shrimp? That's what they have at petco. How many can I get if I have a 5 gallon tank? My girlfriend had a few in a tank with her 3 or 4 inch long goldfish and they never lasted more than a day. I hope my betta doesn't get too hungry and try to snack on them lol.


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## shinybetta (Jul 3, 2010)

Correct! My large ghost shrimp fend well against curios fish. My largest is almost the size of my betta! Get more than you want, because they often die because of the stress of shipping.


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## MoePaac (Jun 16, 2010)

My ghost shrimp eat algae every now and then. I know this because i can see green in their stomach and digestive track. It isn't their primary food source, but it happens. I drop a sinking pellet every now and then for them. They certainly appreciate it!


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## shinybetta (Jul 3, 2010)

Are you sure that green isn't a females saddle? The saddle is the eggs in a female and it is green. They do eat algea occasionally, but it shouldn't be their main diet.


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## camerafreak (Jan 23, 2011)

Well if I get them from petco will I still need to get more than I want? Does it matter how many you have in so many gallons? Do they effect the water negatively if I have to many? About females... Will the babies get eaten or sucked up by my filter? I was going to look to get a pregnant female when I went to petco. I don't want all my babies dying!


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## shinybetta (Jul 3, 2010)

Ghost shrimp babies are challenging to raise. In an old, well established tank with a lot of microscopic organism's a few will make it. I wouldn't bother breeding unless you set them up by themselves. However, the babies make great betta snacks! Ghost shrimp have very little bio-load. So, in 4-5 gallons you could have 6-7, if you have lots of hiding spaces and you feed them well.


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## MoePaac (Jun 16, 2010)

No, wasn't eggs. Ghost shrimp are great scavengers and will eat anything edible that comes their way (in my experience). 

I have a shrimp only tank that is heavily planted... I have seen one baby shrimp survive. I was kind of surprised to see it zoom across the tank. I'd always heard they ate their young. I find them fascinating and rewarding in their own way!


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## Biomess (Jan 1, 2011)

I just got one shrimp for each side of my split 10 gallon, but I didn't consider one thing, and I must ask, do they need some type of filtration or an airstone? I do have live plants in each side so would that help them?
I feel really stupid for not considering this when I bought them.


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## shinybetta (Jul 3, 2010)

Nope. I keep some in my ten gallon betta tank with no filter and no live plants.


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## Slayers (Jan 10, 2011)

I picked up a few Ghosts today and while I was floating the bag they were in my betta started biting the bag should that just tell me that he will like to make them lunch or was he just being curious?


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## shinybetta (Jul 3, 2010)

My fish try to bite the bag for any fish, but they usually leave it alone once it is out. The ghost shrimp are definately capable of escaping.


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## texasdago (Dec 1, 2014)

I know this is an old thread... this might help for future people thinking of ghost shrimp. I mentioned in another thread that I put in 9 ghost shrimp in our new betta tank (I finally got an accurate count yesterday) first and then added the betta. We have a clearly larger, dominant ghost shrimp and then varying sizes... some are relatively small. All have made it. The key seems to put them in first then add the betta and the betta won't see them as invaders into his realm. 

As for escaping... uh, yeah... particularly when you're trying to acclimate them to the water in a tupperware bowl. They will absolutely try to get out so fair warning. I had to rescue them 3-4 times before I finally got them into the acquarium.


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## texasdago (Dec 1, 2014)

Just a quick update... I am so happy I have them in the tank as they're a lot of fun to watch. Ever since I decided to feed them a bit of fish flake, they've become a lot more active. Almost as much (if not more) fun than the betta. 

Has anyone tried feeding cucumber to theirs? Do you blanch it or just drop it in?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

FWIW, you'd do a lot better to start your own thread rather than resurrecting one that's nearly four years old.


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