How Many Ghost shrimp in 5g tank

[NEWBEE FISH]

Hello all... How many ghost shrimp can i have or is best for a 5 gallon tank with one betta male... i have 3 already and my betta really pays no attention to them unless there kinda in the open.. i was thinking about getting 2 more?
any opinion

[carpenter547]

one dwarf shrimp per gallon is a safe bet to start with if you have alot of decorations or plants more would work just remember they get to be about 1 1/2 inch general full grown and have just as much wiskers as lenght so all told they take up about 3 inches floor space.

[NEWBEE FISH]

Okay... cause i have one that is just huge and two little ones... i think i will probably get one small one if i c one at the store next time i go... thanks for the input...

[carpenter547]

generally the younger the shrimp the smaller they are. so at the stores i normally wait to buy till they get a shipment of smaller ones in.

the way i logic it the younger they are the less time being mishandled they have had to endure the better shape they are going to be in the longer they will live.

lotta thinking for a 20cent pet huh?

[Alex09]

The smaller they are the more likely a betta will eat them... So not too small ;)

[NEWBEE FISH]

Thanks all.... any of you know if the skin of a ghost shrimp skin is bad if not taken out the tank right after they shed..... notice one in the tank had to do something.. came back and one shrimp was eating it... my betta wont try to eat it will he

[NEWBEE FISH]

and your right alot of thinking and planning for a 20cent pet... LOL

[CjRager89]

Anyone have experience with red cherry shrimp in their tanks??

Dont mean to highjack, just curious :/

[JorgeBurrito]

Leave the skins in, after molting the shrimp will often eat the shells to regain some of the minerals they lost when they ditched their undersized shell. Never seen my betta eat any of the shells, but it won't hurt him if he does.

Red Cherry Shrimp can do fine with Bettas. They run smaller than ghost shrimp, so beware they make a more tempting snack for your Betta. In a tank that is well planted with lots of hiding places (I reccomend a moss of some kind at the least) they will do OK though. It also will depend on the temperament of your Betta. My Betta loves to chase my RCS (as a result I don't see them much in the day time), but he is half moon with some serious finnage and never seems to be able to get enough speed going to catch them (the adults at least). RCS will predominately chow down on algae which is a nice bonus in a planted tank, and something that Ghost Shrimp will rarely eat.

[NEWBEE FISH]

so ghost shrimp dont eat algae?