[Penny]

I got some ghost shrimp for my betta tank a week ago and am already having problems. I chose ghost shrimp because they are recommended to keep with betta because the fish can't see them as well and are less likely to pick on them. I asked for one shrimp but the very nice guy at the LFS gave me two (for the price of one). Anyway, after adding them to my tank I only ever saw one of them. I noticed that one of them had molted, and removed the exoskeleton (which was stuck on some java moss). So, one was MIA right off the bat. The other one I found dead yesterday, and still no sign of the other. The dead one had turned bright pink... does that mean anything or is that just what happens when they die? The one that has been missing could just be very shy and hiding very well... there are lots of good hiding places after all. But I have trimmed and moved plants around and seen nothing, which seems odd. Am I doing something wrong? I read up on them a little and found that they like temps of 65-82F. My tank is kept at 82F, which I thought would be alright but maybe it was too warm for them? Any other thoughts? help! I would really like to keep shrimp in my tank to help keep it clean and also because they are interesting and fun to watch... but I don't want to get any more if they are just going to die. Other types of shrimp might be okay with my betta, he's not super aggressive (actually pretty lazy), so I am open to other types if there are some that are better suited for a warmer tank...

 

[diwu13]

I know that an active betta will eat ghost shrimp and other small shrimps, even with hiding places. They will repeatedly nip at the shrimp until they ultimately die. And ghost shrimp will turn pinkish/whitish when they die. However, 82 does seem to be on the high end of temperature tolerance for the ghost shrimp.

In my opinion, unless you really want shrimp and not just something to clean your tank, to get some snails. They will also do a great job of cleaning your tank of leftover food/poop.

 

[Danno79]

I bought some ghost shrimp last fall and put them in my goldfish tank and the did pretty well for a while. Then the goldfish started eating them. I thought that they were all gonners at first but then periodicly I would see one or two and then last night I found two juvinile shrimp wandering around. Any way they seem to be really good at hiding. Keep looking I bet you'll spot him.

 

[GeToChKn]

I put some sunkist shrimp in my betta tank. They first one lasted 6 seconds, got the second out and the third hid and was never seen from again. The first one he grabbed and was swimming around the tank shaking it like a dog does a toy. We're trying to poke him to make him give it up and he wouldn't for nothing. lol.

 

[Penny]

Hmmm, looks like I may have to get a snail instead. Bummer, shrimp are much more fun to watch! Oh well. Maybe someday when I have my 55gal dream tank, I can have shrimp

 

[diwu13]

Hmmm, looks like I may have to get a snail instead. Bummer, shrimp are much more fun to watch! Oh well. Maybe someday when I have my 55gal dream tank, I can have shrimp

If you're partial to shrimp I have seen those betta condo's online that allow water circulation. Then you can "pen" the betta in there and have shrimps happily in the main section of the tank.

 

[GeToChKn]

If you're partial to shrimp I have seen those betta condo's online that allow water circulation. Then you can "pen" the betta in there and have shrimps happily in the main section of the tank.

Their sig says its only a 6gal tank. You wouldn't want to divide that much more for a betta.

 

[Penny]

Yeah I don't think I will ever divide it, but that isn't a bad idea - I'd thought of dividing it and having another betta, never thought of having shrimp on the other side though! Maybe if I had a 10gal...

 

[jasonpatterson]

82 isn't too high for ghost shrimp, they're very adaptable shrimp. More likely is that they were raised to be feeders and weren't cared for particularly well prior to arriving at the store you purchased them from. A sizable fraction of the ghost shrimp you buy will die for that reason. You might be able to get away with a few female shrimp, as they are substantially larger than the males and less likely to be eaten. I wouldn't bet on it though, even at $0.10 apiece.

 

[Penny]

10 cents?! Ha! They were $1.29 a piece or something like that. They kept them in the back too so I am guessing you're probably right about them being feeders...

 

[diwu13]

10 cents?! Ha! They were $1.29 a piece or something like that. They kept them in the back too so I am guessing you're probably right about them being feeders...

Wow you got wayyyy over charged. Where I live Walmart carries them as feeders for $0.08 a piece

 

[Penny]

haha yeah, I guess so. And here I thought I was getting a good deal, 'cause I only asked for one but he gave me two (and only charged me for one)! Never seen shrimp at a Walmart, mine doesn't carry any fish at all actually, which is probably a good thing.

 

[jasonpatterson]

If you decide to get them again, Petsmart usually carries them and sells them for $0.30 apiece or so. They also, supposedly, are raising them for sale as pets rather than feeders. My Petsmart won't sell them to someone who wants to use them as feeders even. That doesn't necessarily mean that they were raised in good conditions, but they are usually kept in much better conditions than the feeders are after arriving at the store.