New betta and snail issues

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Well i finally found the right betta for me, a little male ivory colored VT with mild case of septicemia, and i got him from a tiny little dirty container. Anyways i decided to get the best i could for him so i bought him a 5gallon tank with some white sand and put a large hunk of bodwood in it from one of my large mature tanks. When i was at the lfs i decided to buy him a pair of apple snails for company in his new home.
After acclimatising everybody i plopped the snails in with him in the tank. As soon as one of the snails popped its tenticles out of its shell to see if the coast was clear, Lupin(the name i have given my new little betta), imediatly bit the snails tentacle and vigorously tried to chew it off.
Needless to say i have taken the snails out and put them in a different tank, but this is the first time i have had apple snails before and i got them after seeing them in many peoples betta tanks living "happily" together.
Is my betta just agressive towards snails or are do they normally try to eat them and has anyone had a betta kill an apple snail before?

 

[platyfreek]

sorry i haven't kept snails better luck next time

 

[oneponygirl]

My bettas have never bothered the snails I have had with them but I have one betta who I think I would not try it. He stalks and flares at his food before he eats it. I think he may be the most aggressive out of my four. I think it all depends on the betta

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

My bettas have never bothered the snails I have had with them but I have one betta who I think I would not try it. He stalks and flares at his food before he eats it. I think he may be the most aggressive out of my four. I think it all depends on the betta

So it is probably just in his personality then? He is a bit on the thin side and i fed him a load of thawed out frozen bloodworms earlier an he realy tucked into them, i think i might try the snails with him again in a weeks time after he has gained some of his weight back and isn't so hungry.

 

[Silver1]

I've never had a problem with my betta and snails, but I did read somewhere that if a betta is very hungry, it might try to eat snails. I don't remember where and my memory isn't good enough to bank on it though.

 

[Karah's_Mommy]

Some bettas find the snails 'danglies' irresistible. I have apple snails in with several of mine, but the ones that were bullying or biting the snails with them had them removed. Just depends on the betta I suppose.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Cool thanks for the info everyone

 

[abstract]

it is def. a personality thing..my red crowntail doesn't like ANYTHING in his tank..ghost shrimp, apple snails, anything...i found that he will completely terrorize them without end..

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Heh i was just watching lupin and he is trying to stalk a peice of floating plant around the tank !
I've also noticed he stalks his food and he also follows my livebearer fry around in the fry tank next to his tank which he can see, he definatly lives up to the "fighter" of "siamese fighter" .

 

[abstract]

Heh i was just watching lupin and he is trying to stalk a peice of floating plant around the tank !
I've also noticed he stalks his food and he also follows my livebearer fry around in the fry tank next to his tank which he can see, he definatly lives up to the "fighter" of "siamese fighter" .

lol sounds exactly like mine! i put in a couple common snails (still pretty small) just for the entertainment factor of watching him watch them

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Heh i was just watching lupin and he is trying to stalk a peice of floating plant around the tank !
I've also noticed he stalks his food and he also follows my livebearer fry around in the fry tank next to his tank which he can see, he definatly lives up to the "fighter" of "siamese fighter" .

lol sounds exactly like mine! i put in a couple common snails (still pretty small) just for the entertainment factor of watching him watch them

Lol i have to try that as i have way to many snails to know what to do with them

 

[the_faze]

I have a snail and betta currently in a 5gal US. When I initally added the snail my betta did as yours and bit of the tentacle.

Anyways... it has been about 6 months now and the snail now knows when the betta is coming by and goes in it's shell. Causing the Betta to flare at it then swim away. It's quite interesting to watch. I don't think you are going to have many issues, there is just a small time for them the acclimatize to he new situation.

Also the snails tentacle has also grown back quite nicely.

Hope that helps

 

[abstract]

but it still sounds like the snail is living in fear...what's the point of having pet snails if they're going to hide every time a fish goes towards them (which probably happens a lot in a 5g)? i agree that the apple snail would live just fine in there....but i dont think he would be "happy"

 

[the_faze]

Actually, I thought about that so I put the snail with my platties in the 10gal and he acted quite abnormally not coming out and moving around the tank anymore and not eating as well. I thought it was that it was beacuse of the new env. but even after a few weeks the same.

But once (like a few min) I put him back with the betta he was back to it's old self. I think it's just a game that the snail and the betta play.