So Ièm new to Bettas and got a few questions . . .

[BettaGuy]

Hey everyone,
I'm new to this forum and keeping bettas or any other fish in general and I have a few questions. Right now I'm keeping my Betta named Rambo and one ghost shrimp (no name for her) in a 5g planted aquarium. The ghost shrimp has no problem hiding from the betta but once in a while he finds it and flares at it. So...

Question 1: Since ghost shrimp are only 30 cents should I just leave it in the cage untill the Betta gets used to it

Question 2: Could I add some amano shrimp and hope he doesn't go after them since they get fairly big.

Another thing is about the plants. I noticed that they werent growing very well at all, so after doing some research yesterday I made a diy co2 system. It works and I'm getting co2 in the water, but my betta seems to be more agressive then before. He flares at me when I get to close to his aquarium and is just swimming up and down the aquarium like a maniac. Is he just getting used to the change in his environment?

Thanks for all the help I hope i'll get

[Betta man]

First of all, Welcome to the forum! Second, be careful not to gas your pets!!! If too much co2 comes out, they are going to die. I personally would try for more light. It's a lot safer. If used correctly though, co2 is very effective. If you put shrimp that can be ripped apart by a betta, it is likely that it will happen. Bettas will eat shrimp. I would say that if the betta can rip it, it can eat it. Buy shrimp accordingly. Good luck.

[BettaGuy]

Thank you. I'm carefull with the co2 (I only have it on during the day and put it outside over night since I don't want to poison myself) During the day the diy generator produces about one bubble per second which I think my plants can handle ( once I get more money I'll buy more plants too).

As for the shrimp the betta doesn't seem to mind it as long as it sits still (I think my betta can't see it, and so far the shrimp was able to hide most of the time). The amano shrimp are already ordered so I don't really have a choice, I just hope that I don't get baby ones that are small, if I do i'll put them in an extra tank untill they are big enough)

Thanks for the reply, and thanks for welcoming me to the forum

[mdoran11]

I am currently successfully housing my betta, Walter, and his ghost shrimp pals in a 5gal. They've been together for months and seem to do their own thing. Walter has a calmer temperament compared to most bettas I've read about though. Returning to the topic at hand, I've read everything from ghost shrimp groups attacking bettas to the betta having a nice snack. Overall, I think that if the tank offers hiding spots then the two should learn to live together fairly soon. I think bettas are more curious than aggressive, but those little boogers have a mind of their own and each have different personalities. Good luck. I think you'll find that bettas are very entertaining.

[BettaGuy]

Thanks for the reply. I got one pretty big plant (at least for a 5g) and my ghost shrimp loves to chill in there, so I guess thats a good enough hiding spot for it. I do want more plants, but I don't know where to put them in the tank, how do I upload pictures of my betta tank so you guys can see?

[BettaGuy]

I think I might have figured out how to post pictures, tell me if you can see these. So heres my fish

http://www.fishforums.com/forum/albu...pictureid=5470

and my tank

http://www.fishforums.com/forum/albu...pictureid=5469

I havent figured out how to upload to the thread directly

[Betta man]

I can't do it either. Links work too. Nice tank. If you have enough cover and your betta doesn't get the midnight muchies and eat your shrimp, then you should be okay.

[BettaGuy]

Thank you BettaMan
I have another question for you guys if you don't mind.
So I got the Co2 thing running for two days now, and the Betta didn't suffocate yet , but I think he might have fin rot some of his fins are starting to turn a dull shade of grey/brown/see through on the edge. Only about 1mm of his tips are effected so far, but I'm affraid it's gonna get worse. Should I put him in a hospital tank or leave him in his normal tank and see were things evolve too? For treatment I have bettafix and aquarium salt that I would use together, along with nutrafin cycle.

Heres what it looks like right now
http://www.fishforums.com/forum/albu...pictureid=5471