Betta, frog & crab?

[kushanova]

Hello everyone :D I'm wanting to start an aquarium..open to all ideas.

Would you recommend trying a 20(+) gallon tank including a male betta, an african dwarf frog, and a red clawed crab? I want it to be a very diverse tank.

More frogs or crabs? Shrimp?

Also considering a rope fish if I decide to go 50 gallons or more. Are there any negatives with having a betta in a 50 gallon tank?

Thanks so much!!!

[Mo]

Rope fish are bad tankmates. They will eat. And haras the Betta. The crab will eat the Betta. And ADF's require much more research when keeping them with bettas

[Olympia]

Rope fish need huge tanks with secure lids, they are escape artists. I think they are best alone also, big but really shy.
Red claw crabs need brackish water, PLEASE never keep one in fresh water, they will slowly wither away to nothing.
Dwarf fresh water shrimp are a good option, the Betta may eat them. Amano shrimp are large enough that only a psycho betta would try.
Diversity wise- shrimp, and a snail species like nerite/zebra or rabbit (tylo) snails (gorgeous if you can find them). ADFs kept with fish is anhuge commitment. You can also try Mexican dwarf crayfish (CPO), if you can find them, they can be hella expensive. :)

[djembekah]

i second the rabbit snails, they are so pretty, and they have cute faces x3

[kushanova]

Thanks for the quick replies guys :)

I picked up a 10 gallon tank and a red half moon today. Ill continue to gather info on the community tank before I start anything.

One more question...anyone familiar with Japanese Snapping Shrimp? I want to put a couple in a 50 gallon with 6 or so tetra & a discus (to start with). Ive read the shrimp require iodine to live...is that hoping for too much?

Thanks again!!!!

[Olympia]

Well as far as I know all pistol (snapping) shrimp are saltwater and would die in a freshwater tank. ;) Very cool none the less, they can shoot sound (or water? Dont remember) jets that can break through glass if startled.

For snails, I believe rabbit/tylo are one of the few snails that enjoy high pH. Nerite are brackish so they should tolerate it well too.

Also, be careful with discus, they are very sensitive (and large) fish. I'm pretty sure they will eat most small tetra. Its also a benefit to set up your own RO water system with them to give them the best water. They're one of the more advanced fish freshwater-wise.

[djembekah]

my rabbit snail likes a higher temperature i've figured out. And he seems to be doing well in my higher ph water.

[Olympia]

Yep, the sulawesi lakes they come from have high pH. They were probably oceans that closed off and became freshwater, but the pH and hardness stayed up. That's why Sulawesi inverts are the most beautiful off the freshwater inverts, scientists think they were sea animals that adapted. Sulawesi shrimp are also gorgeous, but again require mature aquariums.