Can You Put Shrimp With Betta Fish? Everything You Need To Know

Betta fish, also known as Siamese fighting fish, are popular pets that are well-known for their beautiful fins and aggressive tendencies. Their aggressive nature means you need to be careful when choosing tank mates like shrimp. So can you put shrimp with betta fish?

The short answer is yes, you can keep shrimp with bettas provided you choose the right shrimp species, tank size, tank setup, and betta temperament. With some planning, shrimp and bettas can live together peacefully.

In this article we’ll cover everything you need to know about housing bettas with shrimp including

Do Bettas Attack Shrimp?

Bettas are omnivorous fish that will eat anything small enough to fit in their mouths, Small shrimp like baby ghost or cherry shrimp risk getting eaten by bettas,

Adult ghost, cherry, and amano shrimp are generally too large for most bettas to eat. However, bloated, dying, or molting shrimp are vulnerable.

While bettas may not directly attack most adult shrimp, they are likely to go after newly hatched baby shrimp as snacks. Providing plenty of dense planting and hiding spots gives baby shrimp a chance to survive and grow.

Betta temperament plays a major role in shrimp compatibility. Placid bettas generally leave shrimp alone. However, aggressive bettas may harass, attack, or eat shrimp tankmates. Introducing shrimp to an established betta tank is safest.

Best Shrimp For Betta Fish Tanks

Ghost, cherry, and amano shrimp are the most common shrimp kept with bettas:

• Ghost Shrimp – Ghost shrimp grow up to 1.5 inches long and do well in similar water conditions as bettas. They are inexpensive and make good starter shrimp. Provide plenty of hiding spots for molting ghost shrimp.

• Cherry Shrimp – Cherry shrimp stay under an inch long making them vulnerable to betta attacks. Their bright red color also attracts betta attention. Dense planting helps protect cherry shrimp and their offspring.

• Amano Shrimp – Large amano shrimp exceeding 2 inches are too big for bettas to eat. Their natural brown color helps them blend into planted tanks. Amanos are excellent algae eaters but need supplemental feeding.

Whichever shrimp you choose, get at least 5-6 to start with. Shrimp feel more secure in groups and are interesting to watch interact.

Ideal Tank Size For Bettas And Shrimp

House bettas and shrimp in a tank of at least 10 gallons. A spacious tank provides areas for your betta to establish territory while leaving room for shrimp to hide.

In a smaller 5 gallon tank, shrimp have a harder time keeping their distance from a betta. However, a 5 gallon planted tank can work for a few ghost or amano shrimp with a docile betta.

Divide a 10 gallon tank if you want to keep a betta separate from shrimp. Use a clear divider to allow some interaction without risk of attack.

Tank Setup For Compatible Betta And Shrimp Housing

Provide plenty of hiding places and line of sight breaks in a betta shrimp tank. Here are some tips:

• Plant densely using live or silk plants. Floating, midground, and foreground plants create shrimp shelters and territory markers.

• Include rock caves, driftwood, cholla wood, and aquarium-safe decor for hiding spots.

• Use a dark substrate like Fluval Plant and Shrimp Stratum. Shrimp feel secure against dark colors.

• Dim lighting reduces aggression and makes shrimp feel more secure.

Clean water is essential in a shared tank. Use a quality filter like a sponge filter or Aquaclear hang-on-back filter sized for your tank. Perform partial water changes of 20-30% weekly.

Feeding Betta Fish With Shrimp

Feeding time brings bettas and shrimp together so offer shrimp pellets or blanched veggies after betta feeding. Target feed bettas frozen or freeze-dried foods they will consume quickly.

Remove or vacuumn up any uneaten food to prevent fouling the water. Shrimp will eat leftover betta food and algae. Supplement their diet with shrimp pellets, blanched zucchini or cucumber, algae wafers, and calcium-rich foods for healthy shells.

Monitoring Your Shrimp And Betta Community

Observe shrimp and betta interactions for the first few weeks. Watch for signs of aggression like chasing, flaring, nibbling, or shrimp hiding more than usual.

Remove the betta temporarily if aggression persists. Or provide more line of sight breaks and plants for shrimp to hide and establish safe zones.

Alternatives To Keeping Shrimp With Bettas

If your betta does not get along with shrimp, consider these alternatives:

• African dwarf frogs make personable tankmates. They do best in groups of 3 or more.

• Snails like nerites offer interesting behaviors without competing for food.

• Small rasbora or tetra species shoal safely with most bettas. Ember tetras and galaxy rasbora stay under an inch.

• Peaceful bottom dwellers like kuhli loaches or corydoras catfish make tank exploration more interesting.

With the right tank setup and conditions, many bettas can live successfully with ghost, cherry, or amano shrimp. Select shrimp species by size, temperament, and care requirements. Give them plenty of hiding spots, feed separately, and monitor everyone’s health. Then you can enjoy an active community tank!