# what type of shrimp?



## Faye (Oct 8, 2013)

Okay, I'm going out to get some shrimp today, but I am not sure what kind.
I currently have a 15 gallon all set up and cycled and I am ready to add fish. I was thinking to get a male betta, 4 shrimp, 2 nerite snails and possibly a shoal of neon's or endler. But I am not sure if I even want more fish in it.

But now I am not sure what type of shrimp to get.
I read that ghost shrimp (palaemonetes paludosus) can be agressive (how large do they get anyway?) and might hurt any smaller fish (like endlers or neons) that I would put in with them. And also they can hurt the betta, or the betta will eat them. I don't want any of that to happen.

So I was thinking amano shrimp (cardinia japonica/multidentata) might be a good choice, less agressive and large. But I also saw comments of people that amano shrimp get eaten by the betta.

And finally I found that a lot of people were recommending mini amano shrimp or red cherry shrimp, but again. they also tend to get eaten by the betta.

So what would be a good choice of shrimp if I don't want them to become expensive lunch for my (future) betta. Most betta here are kept in community tanks, so most of the time they aren't very agressive. But just to make sure I don't end up with a shrimp massacre (or neon/endler massacre) what would you guys recommend?

ghost shrimp
amano or mini amano shrimp
or red cherry shrimp?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Shrimp are extremely sensitive so whether they are killed by Bettas or simply dead by some other cause and then eaten is the question. I've read a lot of reports of Bettas eating shrimp but never reports of seeing them actually killing one that was healthy.

Shrimp are pretty fast and I've had them with six different Bettas with no Betta-caused deaths. Bettas simply can't catch them. They can be on the other side of the tank before the Betta blinks (well, if they had eye lids). And I've never seen an Amano injure a Betta. Although my CPO (Dwarf Orange Crayfish...tiny little things) did grab Little Willie by the tail and took a ride around their section of the tank. No damage to either. But Little Willie doesn't poke that CPO any more.

That being said, know your Betta's personality. If he's aggressive, he may not directly kill any shrimp but the stress of being chased/hunted might. Also, make sure any tank with shrimp and a predator has a lot of hides; both plants and caves or driftwood. Also moss.

Shrimp need a mature tank for optimum life quality; a newly-cycled tank won't do it. They eat algae so you might have to supplement feed; if there's enough algae present in your tank you won't have to.

I have Red Cherry, Blue Velvet, Yellow Shrimp and Amanos with Endlers, Pygmy Cories, CPO and Bettas with no problems. But I have a heavily planted and divided aquarium and when one of the Betta's is feeling his oats, the little guys have places to hide or slip through the divider holes to another, more peaceful section of the tank.

Amanos are more "outoing" than dwarf shrimp like RCS; but they are notorious for finding a way to get out so make sure the lid is tight if you get those. There are reports on another forum of finding an Amano walking along a cabinet or on the floor!

Since Ghosties are sold as "feeders," they haven't been raised in optimum conditions so may not live very long.

Dwarf shrimp like RCS are more shy and you won't see them as much unless you have a "moonlight" setting.

Oh, and drop the food at the very front of the tank so you can see the inverts come out to feed. I feed the Bettas and Nano fish first and by the time I'm finished, the inverts are heading to the feeding area.

I'm sure you probaby know a lot of this but someone else reading might not. Hope it isn't TMI.

And welcome to the Forum!


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## rickey (Jul 7, 2013)

I've never had a Betta eat a shrimp. RC shrimp reach about 4 cm (1.5 in) so I think unless the shrimp are really young there shouldn't be a problem if you are smart about it.

R


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## JadeSparrow (Nov 9, 2012)

I guess I am one of the few that had an evil female that decided shrimp were snacks. I watched her catch and eat one not long after being introduced to the tank. She also attacked anything that moved sooo it may just be my fish was weird lol.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Were there lots of hides? Or was the tank fairly open? People who keep shrimp with predators stress *heavy* cover and a Betta's level of aggression determine whether shrimp will survive.


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## spiralsong (Aug 22, 2013)

I had both RCS and ghosties in with my betta (at different times) and the ghosties were hardier and more fun to keep, not to mention less expensive. They never went after my betta's fins, and did silly and amusing things, like this.


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## Tony2632 (Aug 30, 2013)

I keep amano shrimp with my sorority with no problems, but 2 days ago I added 2 cherry shrimps for more color. To make a long story short my girls love eating cherry shrimps and don't mind the amanos at all. Lol


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## Faye (Oct 8, 2013)

Thanks for all your replies! I decided to get amano shrimp. 

@RussellTheShihTzu: I know it's better to have a mature tank before you add shrimp, because they are more sensitive to changes in the water. But I've been carefully been monitoring my water and it seems stable enough. I've kept brineshrimp and tadpole shrimp before so I have some idea what I can and can't get away with.

And to be honest, I just really wanted something in my tank and I am not able to get fish yet, so I figured that I will let the shrimp get in there first. Since there are quite a few brown leaves in there and some algae, and I do have algae wafers so can feed them.

My tank is quite planted. In the back I have some elodea and hornwort, on a piece of drifwood I have mini java fern, there's java moss on the rocks and I also have mini ludwigia in there, and a few fake plants around the filter. there are quite a few hiding spots.

I ended up getting five amano shrimp, because they seemed really cool and they grow a little larger which I like. 
I've slowly let them adjust to my aquarium and as soon as I put them in they went exploring and eating, very fun to watch. But the last few hours they've spent polishing my piece of driftwood, all of them. And I wonder, does driftwood (I think it's mopani) have some kind of attraction to them?


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

I've had bettas that ignored shrimp, I've had bettas who've bitten them in half with a smug die you invader die look. It all depends on the betta. Perfectly healthy, you're in my way... CHOMP. The question is are you okay with the possibility any shrimp you buy might become snacks?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

I love my Amanos. You'll really enjoy them.

The appeal of the driftwood may be algae you can't see. Amanos are known as the greatest of algae cleaners.

Have fun!

BTW, I figured you knew most of what I wrote.


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## Morguex (Oct 24, 2013)

I had four cherry shrimp with my betta and he ate 3 of them within two days, my tank has lots of hiding spots for the shrimp and he still managed to get 3 of them.

I still have one cherry shrimp left, I think the only reason the one survived is because he gave my betta Reaper a lesson, Reaper took a run at him and the shrimp jumped out of the way at the last second and Reaper smacked his face off the rock the shrimp was resting on, he has left the shrimp alone ever since.

I swear I heard the shrimp say "wanna try that again pal" lol!!!


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## Faye (Oct 8, 2013)

@silverfang, if my betta is going to chase the shrimp. I have an extra 2.5 gallon tank I can put either the shrimp or the betta in. But I am okay if one does get eaten, that's the risk of putting all those different animals into one small tank (small as compared to their natural habitat).

@RussellTheShihTzu it's great that you still wrote all that. it makes me extra careful and hopefully the information will help out anyone who stumbles upon this thread. I think you are right about the algae on the driftwood, they've moved on to the rocks in the aquarium


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

IMO Amanos are probably the best. I housed two of them in with a fish that had been known to eat whole mealworms for about a year.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

I need to clarify: I'm referring to male Bettas with long fins; not female Bettas or Plakats. The last two are much quicker than HM, OHM, etc., males.


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## snowflake311 (Jun 19, 2013)

I kept tiger shrimp, red cherry, crystal red, and Ammon. 

The large Amanos are the best for bettas but the betta might still nip at them if they see him. Cherry ship and others will not reproduce with bettas around. 

I agree shrimps and bettas do not mix unless you don't care about your shrimp.


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## Aryia (Oct 10, 2013)

Silverfang said:


> I've had bettas that ignored shrimp, I've had bettas who've bitten them in half with a smug die you invader die look. It all depends on the betta. Perfectly healthy, you're in my way... CHOMP. The question is are you okay with the possibility any shrimp you buy might become snacks?


I definitely have some females that are WAY more aggressive than others. A couple of them will jump half an inch to an inch out of water to try and snatch a black worm from me, I'd imagine that they'd try to go after shrimp too. Interestingly these females all came from the same seller lol

Some of my crayfish don't hide properly and are wobbly for a couple hours after molting. I'd suspect that a grown Betta can easily eat a shrimp right after it molted since the exoskeleton won't be hard. I'm not sure about shrimp, but for crayfish and crab I have to add Iodine into the water in order to ensure successful molting (They are freshwater crabs and crayfish), and they also do better in slightly brackish water. I'm not too sure if that is necessary for shrimp, and if it is, how the iodine will affect Betta.


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## Faye (Oct 8, 2013)

Well, my betta is in there for about half a day and he already made one shrimp his lunch. I am now trying to save the rest before he gets to them (they're hiding). The shrimp he ate was between 2 and 3 cm long. So maybe when they reach adult size, he will leave them alone. 

I didn't think he'd like the shrimp so much, they are reasonable in size, and he is a dumbo ear. But nearly as swift and the endlers.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

This is my tank housing Bettas and various inverts. If you don't have at the least this much cover and hides, it's doubtful you'll be successful; especially if you buy juvvies. JMO and experience and may not be everyone's.

PS: I care a great deal about my inverts. ;-)


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## Faye (Oct 8, 2013)

my tank is pretty close to that. Only my hornwort and elodea need to fill out the back of the tank a little more. I can't find my shrimp right now anyway, because they're hidden.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

They tend to stay that way unless you have sufficient numbers or them to feel comfortable. I have a shrimp tower and lots of Cholla wood and driftwood hidden in the plants.

You might want to try Dwarf Orange Crayfish (CPO). They definitely can "stand up" to a Betta. I love mine; actually more than the shrimp. This is a good price; just got a few more for my aquarium. The only time they're vulnerable is when they molt; which is why I have Cholla wood covered in Anubis nana 'petite' as hides. They do not mess with the plants, either.

CPO also handle higher temperatures than shrimp.

These are not those blue ones you find in pet stores. Those get quite large.

Cambarellus patzcuarensis sp orange “cpo/dwarf orange crayfish” | Invertebrates by Msjinkzd


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## OrangeAugust (Jul 23, 2012)

I have Amano Shrimp in my 55 gallon sorority/community tank. I had 3 but I think one disappeared. I don't think the bettas ate it, though. 
They're really hilarious. I like watching them swim. They look so silly.
They like the sinking pellets for the catfish. I've seen the shrimp do a sneak attack and come out of nowhere with its goofy swimming and grab a pellet from the surface of the water and then go sit on a plant and eat it. And they're not small pellets, either.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

CPO do the same thing! Only they are like trapdoor spiders: They jump out, grab a pellet and back up really fast to their hidie hole. I've seen my Amanos do it, too. It's amazing what they can get in their little "hands."


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## Quinn (Apr 4, 2010)

Hey Russell, can CPO be housed with Betta with longer fins, or will they damage them/kill them, as I have read they can't be with long fins, but I feel like I've seen you say different? I wonder if they would fare better with my brat then RCS, because if the Amano stand up to him and slap him with their whip like feelers then he backs off, but the cherry shrimp running, that was all too fun for him.
Do they also have a very, very small bioload?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

They have a small bioload.

I love them. But there's a caveat: 

They stay mostly on the bottom so if the Betta messes with them, they are in the CPOs' territory. Leander got up close and personal and I guess when he turned around one of the CPO grabbed his tail. After that happened twice, he stopped messing with the CPO. It only took once for Little Willie to learn.

There was no fin damage to either one and I don't see how a CPO could kill a Betta since they're so tiny. Their claws are tiny, too. They actually fell off both Leander and Little Willie within a second or two; and none of them were any worse for wear.

All three of my Bettas are OHM or close so there's lots of finnage. I only noticed the CPO being able to grab a Betta's tail when I thinned out the "carpet" so the front of the tank is more bare than it was; that may have something to do with it. I'm replanting the DHG just in case.

It's good you're asking questions.


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## Quinn (Apr 4, 2010)

Mmm then maybe not the best match for this guy, he likes hanging around the bottom of the tank, and I wouldn't want to take away from either of their comforts.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Mine still slither through the DHG, Blyxa Japonica and Micro Chain Swords; they just don't try to grab the CPOs' Crab Cuisine any more.

Also, I feed the Bettas last which gives every one else a chance to find their food.

You might try one; that way it won't be territorial with other CPO. And have a back-up plan. The nice thing about CPO and RCS is you can have two CPO or a dozen RCS comfortably in a 2.5 gallon aquarium.


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## OrangeAugust (Jul 23, 2012)

What's a CPO?


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

it's a dwarf crayfish 


Sent from Petguide.com App


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## Quinn (Apr 4, 2010)

So CPO are also fine alone? I only ever saw mention of pairs or trips, so I wasn't sure. Maybe I will try eventually then. Thanks! (and sorry for hijacking the thread OP)


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