Betta vs. Snail?

[batman669]

I posted a topic a while ago about my small 2 gallon betta tank getting algea. I recieved a couple of suggestions of getting a snail to help control the algea. Anyways, I purchased what I think is an Inca snail. It is not small, but not huge. It is about 3/4" to an inch (approx 1.9-2.5 cm) with a white spiral (to a point) shell. The betta keeps snapping at it. Will the betta end up killing the snail? I've read that betta will only bother a snail if it is not eating enough. How often(and much) should I be feeding the betta so it won't go looking for food in the snail? Any tips and info would help!

Thanks!
-batman669

 

[OohFeeshy]

It might do, but is probably just investigating. Why not try a cheaper snail like the apple snail (don't know what thats like on algea) or a ghost shrimp if they eat it.

 

[eudielynn]

Personally, I am going to try an apple snail in my betta tank, I tried three ghost shrimp, but I think he killed two of them the first day. The third one was pretty good at hiding from him, but he got him after about a week. Some bettas are just agressive and won't live with anything else peacefully

 

[pendragon]

Agreed. You can't bet on a betta getting along with anything. It depends on the temperament of the particular fish.

But there's no way I'd put a snail of any size in my betta tank, especially an apple snail. Several months ago one of our forum members had a problem when betta was antagonizing a newly-introduced snail and the snail closed it's door shut on the betta's face. The fishkeeper had to physically pry the snail open to free the betta, and he was hurt pretty badly (the betta, not the fishkeeper), if I remember correctly.

Just food for thought.

pendragon!

 

[eudielynn]

Okay, cross off the apple snail, too. I guess my mean little boy will just have to live alone.

 

[littlefishie]

Snails and bettas usually work very well.. I remember seeing some of yeeviabetta's breeding pictures having snails in with betta fry and in the betta growout tanks..

Maybe your betta is just mean.

 

[bkk_group]

for sure you can have snails and bettas together. we use ramshorn snails in our growout tanks and pretty much anywhere else we can. sometimes the betta will eat the snail but no big loss if it does.

 

[nuckfluckchuckbuck]

Maybe your betta is just mean.

I agree.

My crowntail Betta - Mr Crankypants - is very aggressive at times... I recently tried a couple of Clown Loach with him and he wasn't having any of it... I took them out after he performed a 4 hour constant "threat" - flaring them like mad.... when he finally took pop and missed, I took them out straight away... some things just won't ever get along with some Betta's and their unpredictable temprament...

However - despite Mr Crankpants's apparently very aggressive nature at times, normally he won't bother a single thing in the tank - including an elephantnose who is much bigger than he is, several Cory's and a shoal of Cardinal's who he just ignores normally. We keep 5 Apple snails all slightly above 1 inch in diameter and he never goes near them.

Maybe it's tank size and distractions though.... I imagine if a Betta is on his own in a small tank with just a snail, then that's definitely what he'd turn to, to investigate... unfortunately, Betta's "investigate" a little more roughly than most other fish though!

So Batman669 - I would say just try it with different snails. As each temprament of Betta is different, maybe you'll just luckily plop a random colour/type in and he just accepts it.

There is a particular variety called the Zebra snail which is a lovely tiny little snail (barely half inch across...). It's colouration is typically black bands on a brown background which is quite dark and non-attractive to most Bettas. One of my small 10 gallon tanks has two and they keep it absolutely spotless!

Try that and see if it works... they're normally very cheap - around 50p or so