Ghost Shrimp & Betta

I was thinking of putting in ghost shrimp with my betta. I had bought a nerite snail a week ago, but it didn’t make it. My betta didn’t seem to mind it while it was in the tank, just occasionally went to go check it out and never flared at it. My concern would be, would my betta try to eat the shrimp? He’s in a 2.5 gallon tank with one live floating plant, moss ball, and silk plants that provide hiding places. If I were to purchase shrimp, how many should I get? Thanks

 

I would get 2-3 bigger ghost shrimp.

You can’t really predict the betta’s temper.

He could be fine with them or go ballistic and eat them overnight.

 

Depends on the betta. Mine would eat them .

 

I would get 2-3 bigger ghost shrimp.

You can’t really predict the betta’s temper.

He could be fine with them or go ballistic and eat them overnight.

Yeah, that’s why I’m hesitant to get them. I’d hate to see the poor shrimp be eaten in one night. My betta has never been aggressive towards anything, but that can change.

 

Just be sure that they're ghost and not whisker shrimp. You could try the mirror test and see how he reacts. If they have some hiding places or even some plants, I think it should be fine.

 

I don't really like the look of shrimp so I don't get them but if I choose to I don't care if my betta eats it he's a carnivore after all and it would be good to add some variety to his diet

 

Sometimes getting bigger shrimp can be more dangerous. If the betta tries to eat them, he may choke. I lost 3 bettas for this reason. I just wouldn't do it in that size. He will more likes try to eat them in a smaller tank like that

 

I had ghost shrimp in with two of my male bettas (in a 10 gallon and a 5g). One betta, who I thought for sure would maul them all, totally ignored them. The other betta, who I thought for sure would be passive, made it his mission in life to hunt them down and eat them all within a matter of hours. Really does depend on the fish!

 

I agree with the replies above, it all depends on their personality. I’ve had three male bettas and all three didn’t mind the shrimp and never tried to eat them. Matter of fact, I have a 3.5 gallon betta tank with shrimp in it right now lol. And yes, be sure to watch out for whisker shrimp. They look exactly like ghost shrimp but they don’t have the red on them. They have bigger claws (and whiskers!) and CAN be aggressive.... people have told me of “horror stories” happening with them and Bettas but honestly they just run away from my betta. The biggest whisker in my tank though actually killed all his friends and I was so disappointed in that devil that I just had to feed him to my orandas.