When you think of a beautiful freshwater aquarium, one of the first fish that you think of is the betta fish. These stunning animals are highly sought after but one of the biggest problems for them is that they are often kept in seriously incorrect conditions. Would you believe that some people put bettas in a tiny bowl with almost no space to swim?
Another important consideration when buying betta fish is what tank mates they will have. Betta fish are incredibly intelligent as far as fish go and while they don’t tend to be aggressive or unfriendly, living in a bad situation may cause them to develop unwanted traits. Not to mention that they are known to be territorial. So, when it comes to suitable tank mates, can betta live with shrimp?
Yes, betta fish will generally do pretty well with a variety of shrimp species. Of course, you will need to assess this on an individual basis before making any commitments to bringing the two together.
When putting betta fish in with any type of shrimp, the most important thing to think about are the conditions. You will need to make sure that the aquarium is set up in such a way that both species are happy.
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Betta Fish And Shrimp As Tank Mates
Betta fish will usually live quite happily alongside a variety of shrimp species but you do need to be careful since some bettas can become very territorial and it is this that usually makes them become more aggressive than they otherwise would be.
For this reason, it is important to assess the temperament of your betta fish. Some bettas are a lot more laid back than others so we would always suggest introducing the betta to the tank first and getting to know his personality before adding any shrimp.
But one of the most important factors when putting these two animals together is that the tank is set up in such a way that it caters to both of their needs.
What Are The Right Conditions For Shrimp?
Perhaps the most imperative thing when keeping betta and shrimp together is that you set your tank up so that it is suitable for both of their needs. One of the best things you can do is to provide plenty of hiding spots for the animals as this will give them the much-needed cover they need should there be an altercation.
You can do this by installing a lot of plant life in the aquarium. This can be real or fake as long as there is a lot of it. However, you should keep in mind that real plants have the benefit of oxygenating the water. What’s more, the shrimp will enjoy feasting on any leaves that fall away from the plants to the bottom of the tank.
You will also need to think about the light levels that your plants need.
There are two options here; low light and high light plants. While the shrimp aren’t going to be too fussy about the type you use, you might have a preference.
Other types of decoration are also a great choice for your shrimp as these will give further hiding places. But when keeping your shrimp with betta you must be mindful not to include decorations that might snag the elegant fins of the betta.
When keeping betta fish and shrimp together you must make sure that your shrimp have enough space. At an absolute minimum, you would need a 10-gallon tank but if you can go bigger, then that is always better. It is difficult to overstock a tank with shrimp but when you introduce betta into the equation, it becomes a lot easier to do.
Suitable Shrimp Species For Betta Fish
There are a variety of different shrimp species that will do well when placed in a tank with betta fish. Let’s take a look at some of the most common.
Bumblebee Shrimp
Bumblebee shrimp are stunning creatures and they get their name from the beautiful striped colors that come in either white, black, and even red. However, while they are beautiful, they are not considered to be one of the easiest species to keep so may not be suitable for a beginner aquarist.
The bumblebee shrimp, much like most other species of shrimp, will typically be found moving around the bottom of the tank, searching the substrate for food. They don’t grow to be huge and as adults, the maximum size is usually around one inch. However, this can be problematic as this small size makes them of particular interest to betta fish. Moreover, since the bumblebee shrimp is brightly colored, this can draw attention from other tank mates.
Even if your betta fish don’t eat the bumblebee shrimp, there is a chance that they will attack them, pulling off legs or stressing the shrimp out so much that it dies.
For these reasons, bumblebee shrimp are not suitable for keeping with a betta.
Ghost Shrimp
The ghost shrimp is one of the most popular species of shrimp for the home aquarium; you will sometimes hear them being referred to as a glass shrimp. This is because these little critters are practically see-through!
As adults, the ghost shrimp may grow to be as large as one and a half inches. Since they are slightly larger, this is something of a deterrent to the betta who probably won’t bother trying to attack them.
However, it is important to keep in mind that the ghost shrimp does like to have company from other ghost shrimp so you should always make sure to place a decent-sized community into the tank. Moreover. Keeping them in larger numbers means that the betta will be further put off bothering them.
The only time that the betta fish might become a threat to the ghost shrimp is if the shrimp are breeding. The smaller size of the juveniles is perfect for a betta’s lunch so you might want to put the young in a different tank until they get a little larger.
Ghost shrimp are a good choice of tank mate for the betta fish since there is a low risk of any altercations.
Amano Shrimp
Many people go for the Amano shrimp thanks to its love of algae. If you’re looking for animals that will help to keep the tank clean, this is certainly a viable option. But how well do they get on with betta fish?
It is usual for fish keepers to put a smaller group of Amano shrimp into their tank and as well as munching on algae, they will also clear up any scraps of leftover food preventing an imbalance in the water,
What’s more, these are some of the largest shrimp species that can be kept in a home aquarium with adults growing up to two inches in length. They have longer lifespans too, up to around three years.
These shrimp may cause more problems with each other than the betta will cause for them. This is typically at mealtimes when they are eager to get the best food. However, there will normally be an alpha Amano who will keep its submissives in line. Since bettas feed at the surface, there won’t be any problems when it comes to food and due to their size, it is highly unlikely that a betta would be brave enough to initiate an attack. Of course, there may be exceptions, so always keep an eye on the creatures.
Since Amano shrimp are much larger than other species, betta fish won’t attack them making them a very suitable tank mate.
Conclusion
Betta fish are among some of the most sought-after freshwater species out there and it is not surprising when you look at how beautiful these animals are. But when it comes to putting them in with other creatures, you must make sure that there won’t be any problems.
Betta fish can live with shrimp and while there may be some issues with smaller species, the fish will largely leave the shrimp alone. However, you should make sure that the tank is set up so that both species are happy and content.
