snail vs shrimp

[Friendlyfishies]

snail vs shrimp...which creates less ammonia in a smaller unfiltered tank? I have 2.5 gals im setting up which will be planted with moss mats, anubias and javas. I plan to do a 50% water change every 2 days...I already have a bunch of nerite snails in a 5 gal snail tank but they poop A LOT! I cant believe how much waste they create, but Ive never had shrimp...do they make as much waste as a snail? If I go with shrimp im thinking 1 shrimp to a tank, same with if I go with a snail. Also the snail tank I have set up currently is full of sea shells for calcium which they were in need of when I first got them delivered to me in the mail...I wont be able to add calcium to my betta tanks or shells as it will raise my already out of the roof Ph. Which would work best for my set ups?

[megaredize]

i have heard shrimps have a very small bioload. you would need a couple though because they like to be in a little group. they need lots of hiding places. your betta still may eat them but if you get ghost shrimp they are cheap enough it is worth a try.

[Friendlyfishies]

thank you! Good info to know...maybe 3 shrimps would work? My double tails are gentle giants, I dont see them being shrimp munchers but you never know lol, they may suprise me..one thing im hoping is that they will keep my possible biters entertained. If they eat the shrimp will it harm them? Will they get bloat or constipation?

[Laki]

Wait, nerites poop a lot too but I thought I read their bioload is small too?

[megaredize]

ya 3 shrimp could work. and no if they get eaten it wont harm the betta, the only way i could see any harm is if he ate all 3 lol so he would probably be really full from that but fasting after if that happened would probably do the trick. thats why a lot of hiding places for the shrimp is good they can get away from your fish if they have to.

[Gracie8890]

Also the ones that will try to eat ghost shrimp, they will get a workout! When i had them i would laugh my heAd off watching my betta slowly creep up behind a shrimp and just before he pounced the shrimp would dart away! I was so funny:)

[Viva]

Snails definitely have a greater bioload but they do help clear algae off the glass and ornaments. Shrimp have a very small bioload but my Betta ate all of mine one by one, even the bigger one that was about an inch in length.

[modestdemidov]

My betta ate all the shrimp I put with him. Every fish is different but I probably won't put him with anything but snails, and he's even aggressive towards them. He follows them around the tank looking for food and will snatch it right out of their mouths. I've even seen him body check/sort of tackle snails sitting at the bottom of the tank off of algae wafers or fish food so he could get to it.

A betta probably can't really hurt a snail, though? Short of nipping a tentacle, maybe.