# Shrimp with fish



## stackage (Feb 11, 2007)

I was looking to add some shrimp to my 29 gal community tank and was wondering if any of these fish will kill the shrimp:

Gouramis
Swordtails
Platys
Red barb
Tetras
SAEs
Pleco

My LFS told me when they molt the fish will pick at them and kill them. Thanks for any advice.


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## YuccaPatrol (Mar 26, 2006)

Yes, your fish will eat your shrimp.

Gouramis love to eat shrimp.

If you are lucky and some adult shrimp survive, very few if any baby shrimp will survive. I have a similar 37 gallon community tank which has red cherry shrimp, ghost shrimp, and filter shrimp living along with a similar compliment of fish. The cherry shrimp adults do not get eaten but reproduction is almost completely unsuccessful.

Fortunately, I have several shrimp-only tanks to provide new shrimp if necessary, so I am not counting on the shrimp in my community tank to produce any new offspring.

You do have a good LFS though to tell you the truth about things.

You can always test the waters with some inexpensive feeder shrimp. You'll at least learn how long a moderate sized freshwater shrimp can survive in your tank.


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## stackage (Feb 11, 2007)

For some reason over here all shrimp even amanos are like 5 to 6 bucks a peice so I'm thinking that would be an expensive habbit to try and keep shrimp in there. What about mini crays? Are they pretty much in the same boat with the shrimp or will they fare better?

Another noobish question. I'm about to set up a 10 gal and cant decide between a pair of apistos or a betta. Will the betta munch on shrimp as well?


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## Purrbox (Jun 1, 2006)

Depends on the temperment of the Betta. Some will peacefully share their tank with shrimp, while others will immediately start hunting them down.


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## 29Bubbles (Oct 11, 2006)

I'd have to say it depends. 

I have red cherry shirmp in almost all my tanks. If you have LOTS of moss they should be ok with shrimp eating fish. The shrimp will learn to come out at night to eat. The fish will still try to eat them throughout the day, but if you have plenty of moss they'll be able to hide, reproduce etc. 

I have shrimp with apistos, kribs, angles, dwarf puffers, rainbows, corys and guppies and they are doing very well. 

But, I gave a dozen shrimp to a friend and he said that his shrimp got eaten rather quickly by cory cats (???) I was suprized, but at the same time I don't think he had as much moss as I do either. 

Dunno if that helps or not....


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## Muirner (Jan 9, 2007)

29 - Have your DP's ever showen a temperment twards shrimp? I have shrimp in with my DP right now and she plays nicely.


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## 29Bubbles (Oct 11, 2006)

Muirner said:


> 29 - Have your DP's ever showen a temperment twards shrimp? I have shrimp in with my DP right now and she plays nicely.


They will watch the shrimp, move their eyes around, and that's it. They don't try to eat them at all and I try to feed the DP's live food as often as I can. (I'd like the DP's to spawn sometime but they are not cooperating at all.  ) So, with all the live food, you'ld think they'd at least try a shrimp and see if it's tasty, but they don't seem to have any interst in their little red tank mates.


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## Muirner (Jan 9, 2007)

That's what i find my DP doing. The only time she gets close is when a cherry is trying to eat a bloodworm that she wants. This is easily solved by pointing at my DP and then pointing her to the top of the tank where my hand is holding a few more bloodworms. I have managed to get my DP to eat out of my fingers. I havent noticed any agressiveness to the shrimp at all...

(I assume sense you say you want them to breed that you have M&F DP's?)


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## Shrimp&Snails (Mar 27, 2006)

If you want to breed dwarf shrimp suitable fishy tankmates are bristle nosed plecs and ottos.....I find ottos a little spazzy though and they do freak out the shrimp with their scooting around sometimes. 

My tiger shrimp tank is almost becoming overrun with shrimp and shrimplets.....apparently the females are supposed to stop carrying eggs when the maximum amount is reached but 9 out of 10 adult females are berried and the 10th will be berried tomorrow. I don't really want to sell any of them since I have around 8 generations now so I might have to get a fourth tank..... I used to keep a golden apple snail in with them but she was constantly being covered in shrimp and couldn't come out of her shell. :lol:


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