So I have an 8 gallon tank that I cycled for several weeks then added a trio of shrimp to. Fast forward another couple weeks and then I added one of my rescue Bettas to the mix.
Now I rarely see the shrimp because the Betta keeps chasing or nipping at them. Is there some way to keep him from doing this? The shrimp have a cave-like structure they hide in, but I've seen the Betta peaking his head in there…so idk if he's stressing them out too much.
It's a 8 gallon planted tank, with a heater kept at 80°, a filter and air stone to help with surface agitation. I feed Carnage (the Betta) a few pellets every day and give him a thawed bloodworm or two when I feed my other fish tanks. Water parameters are fine (have a master test kit and checked the other day).
Any help and suggestions would be appreciated 🙂
(I can't move the shrimp ATM cuz my other tanks have fish that would eat the shrimp or have other Bettas)
https://i.redd.it/inkvlsadmtmd1.jpeg
Posted by RabbidRaccoon92
6 Comments
Forgot to mention that Carnage has only been in the tank for less than a week.
i need this answered too 😭😭 i have one shrimp that comes out a lot and goes wherever because he’s huge, my betta can’t even hurt him lol
Unfortunately there’s not much you can do besides having a tank full of plants. Bettas gonna betta 🤷🏼♀️. Maybe try adding a few more plants with broad/plentiful leaves so there’s more break in the lines of sight, like a nice big anubias to hang onto the driftwood.
You put a fish that hunts in a small tank with prey what did you expect?
As a shrimp owner…and a betta owner….there’s no garuntee the betta won’t kill a shrimp here and there but keep him or her well fed and it might be less likely.
I had a betta that obliterated my cherry shrimp colony. He was killing them by beheading them. I had to catch the remaining ones and move them to their own shrimp only tank. He was unstoppable.
Your betta is doing what he would do in the wild, hunting shrimps. If you want to keep shrimps with him, my advice is to get a larger shrimp, like an amano. They grow almost as large as the body of the betta so he won’t think of eating it. If that’s not something you want to do, you’ll need a lot more hiding space for your cherry shrimps at the bottom of your tank.
Things like [these](https://www.aquariumcoop.com/products/shrimp-shelters?srsltid=AfmBOortUziWsKYwXN0W1C7Z3o2BgWMEdMyqm3nTwjAvP0IP7HejsEXR) can help provide some hiding place until your carpeting plants are thick enough to provide sufficient hiding spots. Although, I have to point out that shrimplet survivability is almost null with a betta (or any fish large enough to eat them).