Large Amano Shrimp Being Aggressive Towards Betta

I set up my 15 gallon Fluval Flex about 2 months ago and did a fish in cycle with some guppies and mystery snails. The tank has been fully cycled for over a month. Now the tank only has 5 large amano shrimp, 1 mystery snail, and a bamboo shrimp in it. Today I added two nerite snails and a betta. Now I know a lot of people on here say not to add anything to a tank with a betta, but I figured large amano shrimp and some snails would be safe from attack. But since I added my betta a few hours ago my amano shrimp won’t leave the betta alone. He’s a halfmoon betta and the amanos keep grabbing his fin and holding on, and then betta freaks out trying to get them off, and I think they might be damaging his tail. The betta isn’t fighting back or being aggressive towards the shrimp at all even though he’s being attacked basically but I think he’s getting tired. I’m going to remove the betta from my tank. I was just wondering if anyone has seen this behavior from amano shrimp before? Thanks!

 

Bettas are slow-moving weak swimmers. Shrimp will catch anything they can get a hold of.

 

Bettas are slow-moving weak swimmers. Shrimp will catch anything they can get a hold of.

I was not aware of this at all. My main concern was my betta attacking my shrimp not the other way around. My amanos killed my betta before I was able to get him out a few minutes ago, really disappointed about that. Thanks for the info on this. Do you know what fish amanos aren’t a danger too? Would short finned small fish be suitable for my tank to not be attacked by the amanos, like ember tetras or endlers or anything like that? Or what about a larger fish like a betta without a long fin like a honey gourami?

 

Would short finned small fish be suitable for my tank to not be attacked by the amanos, like ember tetras or endlers or anything like that? Or what about a larger fish like a betta without a long fin like a honey gourami?

Yes, these should work.

Honey gouramies are not bettas, but are also anabantoids.

 

Yes, these should work.

Honey gouramies are not bettas, but are also anabantoids.

Great, thanks! And if I wanted to get rid of my amanos so that I wouldn’t have to worry about them attacking my fish, what’s the best alternative to amano shrimp for keeping my plants and driftwood clean? Right now I have a single mystery snail and 2 nerite snails. Would neocaridina shrimp be appropriate or would they possibly attack my fish as well?

 

It’s unusual for amanos to attack fish unless said fish are dead. It must’ve only happened to the betta alive because bettas are awful, sluggish swimmers in general.

I don’t think you should replace the amanos.

 

Wow sorry that happened to your fish but that is crazy. I have 3 Amano (fairly large too) that I can't imagine being aggressive or hurting any of my tetras or honey gourami. I've seen some of the skirt tetras take food from the shrimp.