# Betta with Japanese algae eating shrimps



## Chaostie (Apr 22, 2012)

I was just wondering if Bettas are compatible with Japanese algae eating shrimps, because since I don't have a filter going through my Cubus, I would like something in there to help clean up after the Betta. 

I originally wanted to have CRS, but I was told that the Betta would just end up attacking it. 

Or is there any other type of shrimp you would suggest that I could house with the Betta?


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## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

Japanese algae eating shrimp won't clean up after your Betta. Virtually no fish/shrimp will eat poop, and clean up after another fish. Having ansirmp in your tank will just add to the bio load and make you have to do a bit more water changes


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## Chaostie (Apr 22, 2012)

Mo said:


> Japanese algae eating shrimp won't clean up after your Betta. Virtually no fish/shrimp will eat poop, and clean up after another fish. Having ansirmp in your tank will just add to the bio load and make you have to do a bit more water changes


Do you have any suggestions to what I should house that could potentially clean up its waste?


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## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

Nope. None. I can't think of any fish/shrimp that will clean up its waste. Maybe uneaten food. But not poop, or ammonia


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## Chaostie (Apr 22, 2012)

Mo said:


> Nope. None. I can't think of any fish/shrimp that will clean up its waste. Maybe uneaten food. But not poop, or ammonia


Alright, thank you very much.


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## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

Your welcome. For cleaning up waste a turkey blaster would work well though


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## Tamyu (Mar 17, 2012)

There are several reasons it wouldn't work. Japanese algae eating shrimp, both Yamato shrimp (often called "Amano" shrimp) and Minami (rare outside Japan), are cold water shrimp. The temps for a betta are too high for them. They start to weaken and die off at the proper temperature for a betta.
Another is that they will be eaten. The largest Amano might be big enough not to be eaten, but there is no guarantee that a hungry betta won't tear bits off and kill the shrimp. The smaller ones are not any bigger than the CRS.

You would actually probably have more luck making a very dense area of plants and moss (dense enough that the betta cannot get into it) and going with CRS. They do well in that temperature range and will hide in there...

But still, at best they will only eat left over food and algae. Nothing will eat the feces, so you will always need to clean the water to get rid of it.

Which comes to another reason it wouldn't work. In an unfiltered tank, you will need to do frequent large water changes. Shrimp (all varieties) do not cope well with water changes. They are very sensitive to changing water parameters.
I have Minami Swamp Shrimp in one of my tanks (not betta) and I can only do maybe a 20% water change twice a week before the shock is too much for them and they start shedding their shells and dying. And this is in a well filtered stable tank.


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

Shrimp are extremely sensitive to water params, Ph, Ammonia and Nitrites/trates. A spike or crash in one can cause them to all die out.

YOU should be the one cleaning up after your fish poo. A turkey baster is a great option, just suck up the poo every day between your WC's.


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