6g betta (and shrimp?) tank.

[BelieveInBlue]

So after reading about 50 different articles off google, it seems that whether or not I can keep shrimp with my betta completely depends on him... So I decided to test out how my Halfmoon would react to some crustaceaous tankmates. Last night I bought a couple RCS to see how he'd take to them. I also have amanos in with him in a 6g, but the amano are huge, so I thought I should get some size differences to see how they do. If he does ignore the shrimp, as he has been doing, for the most part, then I will probably get some nice CRS/CBS to go with him. If not, I'll probably get another tank for shrimps. So far so good; he was very curious and stared at the shrimp when they were first introduced, but didn't attack or anything, and after a couple minutes he decided they weren't edible and went back to begging me for food.... greedy thing
Atm there are:
1 blue-green halfmoon betta
4 pygmy cories
5 amano shrimp
2 RCS
1 Zebra nerite snail

The tank is well planted, filtered, contains driftwood, and is heated to about 78F. I do 50% PWC every week, and I do add ferts (NPK and equilibrium), but not CO2/excel.
Parameters are:
pH 7.4
KH: 3
GH: 3
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrates: 5
Will probably raise the KH and GH tomorrow after the water change. And will upload some pics too, after I scrape a bit of the hair algae off, that is.

[stonedaquarium]

i think if you plan to get adult shrimps it would be fine i guess? but if you intend to breed them then i guess it would be a buffet for the betta once those shrimplets pop out... good luck with your new tank..

looking forward to see the pics

[BelieveInBlue]

Picture time (sorry for the crappy quality)!

Full tank shot (yes the ammania isn't doing too well since i had to stop excel for the shrimp):




The betta:



Zebra nerite:


The monster berried amano:

[BelieveInBlue]

And update!

both cherries still alive and well, though I found an amano shell. It was probably just a molt though, as there wasn't anything in it, and I didn't notice anything picking at it.

[gklaw]

Inspiring for the Edge I am going to set up shortly

[BelieveInBlue]

Thanks Gordon I wouldnt recommend the silica sand though; too easy to suck up and tends to leave air bubbles in the sandbed. PFS would be much better.

All shrimps are accounted for; betta showing no interest in them what so ever.

[BelieveInBlue]

All shrimp still alive and healthy; one of the cherries is berried, though I believe both are females, so I doubt there will be any shrimplets.

[InfraredDream]

Not a shrimp expert, but from what I know they become berried ones the eggs are fertilized, so it should produce shrimplets. Betta food most probably in your case.

[BelieveInBlue]

Hmm... well in any case, I'll keep an eye out for shrimplets. It'll be a few weeks before the eggs can hatch anyways. And hopefully, the plant cover will allow just a couple shrimplets to survive; hoping for a mini colony rather than a full blown one.

[gklaw]

There should be some survivors. When I had my shrimps, they party under the wood. They can venture out for food at night.