Can Bettas Live With Shrimp?
Edited by Ivan F.
Short answer
With caution
With caution. Bettas naturally hunt small invertebrates, so any shrimp may be eaten or nipped, and the risk changes with the size of the shrimp and the betta's temperament.
Shrimp are close to a betta's natural food, so size and cover decide the outcome. Baby cherry shrimp are likely to be eaten, while bigger Amano shrimp are more often left alone. Fan-feeding shrimp add a different problem: they need moving water, and a betta needs gentle flow.
Each species at a glance
Red Cherry ShrimpWith caution
Baby shrimp will likely be eaten and some bettas hunt adults too. Add adults only, with dense cover, and accept that you may lose some.
Amano ShrimpWith caution
Big enough that most bettas leave adults alone, though some will nip at the feelers. Give them plants to shelter in.
Ghost ShrimpWith caution
True ghost shrimp can work, but bettas may eat them, especially young or freshly molted ones. Similar shrimp sold under this name can grow large enough to attack a betta.
Bamboo ShrimpWith caution
Large shrimp like Bamboo Shrimp are usually safe from Betta, but may be nipped or harassed.
Vampire ShrimpWith caution
Large shrimp like Vampire Shrimp are usually safe from Betta, but may be nipped or harassed.
How they compare
Figures come from our species pages. Shared ranges are where both animals are comfortable.
Betta and Red Cherry Shrimp
- Adult size
- Betta: 2.8 in (7 cm)
- Red Cherry Shrimp: 1.2 in (3 cm)
- Minimum tank
- Betta: 11 US gal (41 L)
- Red Cherry Shrimp: 5 US gal (19 L)
- Temperature
- Betta: 72–86°F (22–30°C)
- Red Cherry Shrimp: 59–86°F (15–30°C)
- pH
- Betta: 6–8
- Red Cherry Shrimp: 6.5–8
- Hardness
- Betta: 1–15 dGH
- Red Cherry Shrimp: 4–10 dGH
- Temperament
- Betta: Territorial/Aggressive
- Red Cherry Shrimp: Peaceful
- Swim zone
- Betta: Top
- Red Cherry Shrimp: Bottom
Shared by both
Temperature: 72–86°F (22–30°C)
pH: 6.5–8
Hardness: 4–10 dGH
Largest species minimum
11 US gallons (41 L), from Betta. This is a starting point, not a stocking plan.
Betta and Amano Shrimp
- Adult size
- Betta: 2.8 in (7 cm)
- Amano Shrimp: 2 in (5 cm)
- Minimum tank
- Betta: 11 US gal (41 L)
- Amano Shrimp: 10 US gal (38 L)
- Temperature
- Betta: 72–86°F (22–30°C)
- Amano Shrimp: 64–82°F (18–28°C)
- pH
- Betta: 6–8
- Amano Shrimp: 6–7.5
- Hardness
- Betta: 1–15 dGH
- Amano Shrimp: 5–15 dGH
- Temperament
- Betta: Territorial/Aggressive
- Amano Shrimp: Peaceful
- Swim zone
- Betta: Top
- Amano Shrimp: Bottom
Shared by both
Temperature: 72–82°F (22–28°C)
pH: 6–7.5
Hardness: 5–15 dGH
Largest species minimum
11 US gallons (41 L), from Betta. This is a starting point, not a stocking plan.
Betta and Ghost Shrimp
- Adult size
- Betta: 2.8 in (7 cm)
- Ghost Shrimp: 2 in (5 cm)
- Minimum tank
- Betta: 11 US gal (41 L)
- Ghost Shrimp: 10 US gal (38 L)
- Temperature
- Betta: 72–86°F (22–30°C)
- Ghost Shrimp: 65–82°F (18–27°C)
- pH
- Betta: 6–8
- Ghost Shrimp: 6.5–8
- Hardness
- Betta: 1–15 dGH
- Ghost Shrimp: not published
- Temperament
- Betta: Territorial/Aggressive
- Ghost Shrimp: Peaceful
- Swim zone
- Betta: Top
- Ghost Shrimp: Bottom
Shared by both
Temperature: 72–82°F (22–27°C)
pH: 6.5–8
Hardness: not published
Largest species minimum
11 US gallons (41 L), from Betta. This is a starting point, not a stocking plan.
Betta and Bamboo Shrimp
- Adult size
- Betta: 2.8 in (7 cm)
- Bamboo Shrimp: 3 in (7.5 cm)
- Minimum tank
- Betta: 11 US gal (41 L)
- Bamboo Shrimp: 20 US gal (76 L)
- Temperature
- Betta: 72–86°F (22–30°C)
- Bamboo Shrimp: 71–82°F (22–28°C)
- pH
- Betta: 6–8
- Bamboo Shrimp: 6.5–7.5
- Hardness
- Betta: 1–15 dGH
- Bamboo Shrimp: 6–10 dGH
- Temperament
- Betta: Territorial/Aggressive
- Bamboo Shrimp: Peaceful
- Swim zone
- Betta: Top
- Bamboo Shrimp: Bottom
Shared by both
Temperature: 72–82°F (22–28°C)
pH: 6.5–7.5
Hardness: 6–10 dGH
Largest species minimum
20 US gallons (76 L), from Bamboo Shrimp. This is a starting point, not a stocking plan.
Betta and Vampire Shrimp
- Adult size
- Betta: 2.8 in (7 cm)
- Vampire Shrimp: 6 in (15 cm)
- Minimum tank
- Betta: 11 US gal (41 L)
- Vampire Shrimp: 20 US gal (76 L)
- Temperature
- Betta: 72–86°F (22–30°C)
- Vampire Shrimp: 75–85°F (24–29°C)
- pH
- Betta: 6–8
- Vampire Shrimp: 6.5–7.8
- Hardness
- Betta: 1–15 dGH
- Vampire Shrimp: not published
- Temperament
- Betta: Territorial/Aggressive
- Vampire Shrimp: Peaceful
- Swim zone
- Betta: Top
- Vampire Shrimp: Bottom
Shared by both
Temperature: 75–85°F (24–29°C)
pH: 6.5–7.8
Hardness: not published
Largest species minimum
20 US gallons (76 L), from Vampire Shrimp. This is a starting point, not a stocking plan.
What to watch for
- Shrimp are soft and easy to catch right after molting, so give them plants and hiding spots.
- Ghost shrimp is a loose trade name, and some larger shrimp sold under it can attack a betta. Check what you are buying.
- Bamboo shrimp rely on current to feed and can have their delicate fans nipped, which makes feeding harder.
- Temperament varies widely, so have a plan to separate them if your betta starts hunting.
Tank setup
Gear for the largest setup on this page
A forgiving setup with room for a small community.
Tank size for the largest species (Bamboo Shrimp)
At least 20 US gallons (76 L)
Filter
Hang-on-back or large sponge filter
Easy to maintain and strong enough for a community without blasting the fish.
We are still choosing products for this.
Heater
Adjustable heater, about 5 W per gallon: 100 W at 20 gallons, about 150 W at 29
Enough power to hold a stable temperature in most homes. Size up for a cold room.
We are still choosing products for this.
Water Conditioner
Dechlorinator such as Seachem Prime
Tap water contains chlorine or chloramine that harms fish.
Seachem Prime US
Fritz Complete Water Conditioner US
API Betta Water Conditioner US
sera aquatan Spain
Tetra AquaSafe Spain
Maker's page · Sold at Kiwoko · Sold at Tiendanimal · Sold at zooplus.es
Why we chose these (Best Water Conditioner for Betta Fish). Nobody here has used or tested them.
Test Kit
Liquid kit such as API Freshwater Master
Tracks ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH while the tank cycles.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit US
API General & Carbonate Hardness Test Kit US
Maker's page · Sold at The Shrimp Farm · Sold at Bulk Reef Supply
sera aqua-test box (Cl) Spain
JBL PROAQUATEST COMBISET Plus NH4 Spain
Why we chose these (Best Test Kit for a Freshwater Aquarium). Nobody here has used or tested them.
Cycle the tank before adding animals. See our guide on how to cycle a fish tank.
Frequently asked questions
Which shrimp is the safest with a betta?
Amano shrimp are usually the safest of these because adults are big enough to discourage most bettas, although their feelers may get nipped. Cherry shrimp breed quickly, so an established colony can often recover from some losses.
Should I add a bamboo or vampire shrimp to a betta tank?
Be careful with both. Bamboo shrimp need more flow than a betta likes, and one retailer guide advises against the pairing while another guide says a middle ground can work. We found no source that addresses vampire shrimp with bettas directly, so that rating is not backed by a direct source.
Will a betta eat baby shrimp?
Expect it to. Most sources agree that young shrimp are at the highest risk, so raise babies in a separate tank if you want them to survive.