Middle ground needed for betta tankmate...

[Bub]

Why is everyone against cherry shrimp? Cherry shrimp get a long with bettas very well. (Depending on the bettas temperament)

Who said we are against them? Amano shrimp are larger and clearer, so they are less likely to be eaten. Depending on the betta, cherries may get on fine or be wiped out within a day. If the amanos work out (which they usually do), then cherries would be more likely to work out.

Personally, I feel that it's strange that people would put shrimp up to be sacrificed while at the same time claiming that it's cruel to keep bettas with fish. Both can be done, both can fail if you don't know what you are doing.

So I would do amanos first if you were to go for shrimp. Then cherries if you want more.

 

[Essjay]

I have had cherry shrimps with three bettas. One ingored the adults and fry so I had a shrimp population explosion. One ate baby shrimps but ignored the adults. My current betta is like EllRog's - bits of shrimp all over the tank. I had to rescue the remaining ones.

 

[Salty&Onion]

I have had cherry shrimps with three bettas. One ingored the adults and fry so I had a shrimp population explosion. One ate baby shrimps but ignored the adults. My current betta is like EllRog's - bits of shrimp all over the tank. I had to rescue the remaining ones.

I had one betta that lived with cherry shrimp with no problems. And I had also a betta that would attack them.

 

[EllRog]

Who said we are against them? Amano shrimp are larger and clearer, so they are less likely to be eaten. Depending on the betta, cherries may get on fine or be wiped out within a day. If the amanos work out (which they usually do), then cherries would be more likely to work out.

Personally, I feel that it's strange that people would put shrimp up to be sacrificed while at the same time claiming that it's cruel to keep bettas with fish. Both can be done, both can fail if you don't know what you are doing.

So I would do amanos first if you were to go for shrimp. Then cherries if you want more.

I'm not sure anyone is purposefully sacrificing shrimp, some betta's aren't interested, some will rip them to bits, it's just a shame that you don't know how your betta will act until a shrimps been mauled

 

[Salty&Onion]

I'm not sure anyone is purposefully sacrificing shrimp, some betta's aren't interested, some will rip them to bits, it's just a shame that you don't know how your betta will act until a shrimps been mauled

Not gonna hide, this is a bit funny. 'purposefully sacrificing shrimp' 'until a shrimps been mauled'. Really funny, sorry

 

[EllRog]

Not gonna hide, this is a bit funny. 'purposefully sacrificing shrimp' 'until a shrimps been mauled'. Really funny, sorry

It's facts, how can you tell a betta's temperament when it lives solitary? if i thought my betta's would attack them, I wouldn't have introduced them to the tanks lol

 

[Salty&Onion]

It's facts, how can you tell a betta's temperament when it lives solitary? if i thought my betta's would attack them, I wouldn't have introduced them to the tanks lol

My little Candy lived with shrimp of all kinds I have, cherries, vamp, amano, just before he passed away and he just would ignore them
I wouldn't risk anything with my current one, I'm too attached to my current shrimpies

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Why is everyone against cherry shrimp? Cherry shrimp get a long with bettas very well. (Depending on the bettas temperament)

I'm not against them, I've just never had any luck with them. For some reason amanos thrive in my tanks, and cherry shrimp don't. And amanos really are better algae eaters.

 

[Bub]

I'm not sure anyone is purposefully sacrificing shrimp, some betta's aren't interested, some will rip them to bits, it's just a shame that you don't know how your betta will act until a shrimps been mauled

Not purposefully, and I wouldn't say that it was on purpose. They want a nice tank, that's understandable. And it often ends up with dead shrimp. I house all my bettas with shrimp. I house all my bettas with other fish. When you do things right, it can be done. I just find it strange that people openly state that you can do shrimp with bettas but that there is a good chance they will be eaten, they are openly saying that the risk is okay. But they insist so strongly that it's cruel to do fish with them. I would have believed that either it would all be okay, or none of it would.

When you have kept bettas for many years, you tend to learn to read them quite well. I have yet to misread one. It also helps that my LFS keeps their bettas in community tanks for the most part, so it's even easier to judge.