Bottom feeder for wild betta species tank

[delmore]

I'm raising 6 Betta imbellis in a 10g filtered tank stuffed with floating watersprite, clump of java moss on the bottom, no substrate.

The fish are VERY timid, and I could use a bottom feeder to work on the uneaten micro pellets, bloodworms, etc. Any ideas? I had a two albino corys, the albino version of the peppered cory, but they were too disruptive.

Would snails work? How about ghost shrimp? Are there any other small, less active bottom feeders that wouldn't mess with the bubble nests which I hope to have soon?

http://www.wu7.net/imbellis.html

 

[The Gipper]

The shrimp I believe are vegetarians. Cory's would have been my suggestion, however you've already mentioned them. How about a small apisto or two? They typically like to peck at food on the bottom. Gold or blue rams maybe.

 

[Dahlia]

Get the regular pond variety Malaysian trumpet snails, also called cornucopia snails and melania snails. They dig around in the substrate and stay off the glass most of the time, are fairly small but efficient, and would not interrupt your fish at all. I have some with my betta. You can usually find them at the LFS in at least one of the tanks. The plant tank is a good bet unless they put chemicals in it. They are the ones that look like brown ice cream cones.

 

[Matak]

True SAE's or Otocinclus are a good bet.

 

[The Gipper]

It's a 10 gal with a bare bottom. SAE get way too big, Otto's eat vege's, the snails really like substrate.

This is a tough one...

 

[TKOS]

Ram's Horn snails will be fine. They like substrate but seem to do fine without it. I keep them with my betta.

(edited for spelling)

 

[The Gipper]

Agree with the ramshorn snails. I was thinking MTS (malaysian trumpet snails) in my above post.

 

[tricksterpup]

Instead of getting a bottom feeder just be more regiment on your cleaning.. just vacuum more often.


jim

 

[Dahlia]

Oops I missed the part about the substrate, sorry. I agree about the ramshorns too, or you might try a single apple snail. Your bettas might try and eat the tentacles, but it won't disturb them.

 

[delmore]

Originally posted by tricksterpup
Instead of getting a bottom feeder just be more regiment on your cleaning.. just vacuum more often.

They are very timid fish, different from the B splendens, and i'm trying to get them to breed. Increasing the cleaning regiment won't help things. The Nitrates are close to zero, but I don't want rotting food in the tank.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll try the snails!