Do shrimp count in the "inch per gallon" rule

[Dwarf Puffers]

They count if in great numbers or in a heavily stocked tank, but with a betta and 6 neons in a 10, say, 2 shrimp won't matter much.

May I advise against getting GBRs in a 12g? They'll get 3" long, and arn't the kind of fish to stay in a corner and love it, so the general rule is a 20g minimum. You might be okay with 1, but they're also fairly large fish, and can't be counted in the "one-inch-per-gallon rule", which I, personally, hate for its misleadingness and gathered followers, who swear by it.

 

[spudjnr123]

I was told that as long as I kept up with weekly water changes and kept my parameters stellar, they would be okay. (I was told this here, so it wasn't like it was some "idiot" at the pet store.) If you would not recommend GBRs, can you recommend another showcase/centerpiece fish? If you notice my sig, I'm doing a biotope, so I need native SA species.

 

[pixl8r]

It also depends on the species of shrimp. Dwarf shrimp species don't mind tight living quarters, but larger Macro shrimp can, and do, get hostile if you pack a bunch into a small (10g) tank. Young Macro shrimp can be kept in large numbers, if you provide vertical perches (plenty of fake plants). I've a nursery tank with approximately 150 Macro shrimp, less than 1/4 inch.