In this article, we will understand the relationship between Betta Fish and Mystery snails. Additionally, we will learn more about their needs and determine if they can coexist in a communal tank.
Can Betta Fish Live with Mystery Snails?
Yes, Bettas and Mystery snails can live together in harmony. When the mystery snail and betta dwell together, they typically behave appropriately, making them ideal tankmates. They also thrive in smaller tanks, making mystery snails an excellent initial addition if you’re not quite ready to experiment with a bigger colony.
Betta fish
Betta splendens is an endangered species endemic to Southeast Asia. These fish gained widespread recognition as a consequence of their fights with other males of the same species.
Habitat
Betta fish are found across Asia, including Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam, in standing water habitats such as rice fields, floodplains, and canals. This species has been intentionally bred to display a variety of dazzling colors and patterns, as well as a variety of tail forms. These characteristics contribute to Betta’s popularity.
Behavior
Betta splendens is a fish with a reputation for being very aggressive and territorial.
Their hostile behavior may be seen by exposing them to a mirror located outside the tank and to their image. Males battle aggressively against one another until one surrender and hides, or until one of them dies. As a result, keeping two males in the same tank is not recommended.
Following a traditional dance in which the two males swim together, open their operculum, and unfold their tails, they will attack their enemy by shredding their fins and causing major wounds that often weaken the fish and cause death from sickness.
Additionally, there have been situations when a male recognizes his opponent is far stronger and chooses to surrender; in this case, the fatigued Betta would quickly reveal the stress lines and depart the conflict.
Females are likewise territorial, although they are less aggressive and fight for supremacy. However, in their case, such conflicts consist entirely of bites and a lovely dance reminiscent of those done by men before the final onslaught.
Due to the hierarchical nature of females, they should never dwell in pairs.
Although male bettas are very territorial and aggressive against other males of their species, they are often quiet in community aquariums and may be kept among other peaceful fish. In communal aquariums, females typically cohabit harmoniously.
Water requirements
For breeding betta fish, a 20-liter tank is enough. The bottom must be smooth and free of ornamentation or stones, but with particular plants that serve two purposes: first, to maintain the bubbles’ nest, and second, to give shelter for the female during the males’ attack.
The reason there should be no stones at the bottom is to enable the male to more easily discover the eggs in the aquarium’s bottom, which have a somewhat sandy tint; this considerably increases the male’s success.
The water should be no deeper than 15 cm and have a pH of 6.8 to 7, with a maximum hardness of 8 dH. To maintain consistent water and air temperature, the aquarium must be completely covered with a glass lid, and a glass partition is recommended.
Mystery Snails
Pomacea bridgesii is the scientific name for mystery snails. They are gastropod mollusks.
Gills enable mystery snails to breathe underwater. They can survive for a few hours without water, but within a day, they will dry up and perish.
Habitat
Mystery snails may be found in the wild in freshwater bodies of water in their native Peru, Paraguay, Brazil, and Bolivia in South America. They prefer to conceal themselves during the day in densely planted vegetation and emerge at night to hunt for food.
Behavior
Mystery snails are calm and less energetic than bettas. However, this is not mean that the creature is boring. While they may be fairly energetic while eating and exploring their tank, they move at a slower and more steady pace than a betta. You may see them removing algae from the tank with their radula (small teeth).
Water requirement
The pH level, water temperature, and hardness requirements of mystery snails are extremely similar to those of bettas. Between 6.57.6 and 7.58.4 is the optimal pH range for mystery snails. Because bettas need a pH range of 6.6 to 7.6, you’ll need to monitor the pH in your tank often to ensure it remains stable and within the recommended range. As close to the optimal pH value of 7.6 as feasible.
Tropical water temperatures of 68° to 84°F are ideal for mystery snails. Given that bettas like water temperatures between 78° and 80°F, a mystery snail will thrive in a betta tank. They cannot be maintained in colder water, unlike mystery snails and bettas. Always keep a betta and a mystery snail tank in the same tank as the betta.
Can Betta fish eat Mystery snails?
Bettas will consume everything in your tank and will attempt to eat your snails as well if given the opportunity. As a consequence, purchasing bigger snails is crucial. Larger snails are much more difficult to digest. While your betta may still seek to consume the meaty sections of your snail, an adult will have a far better chance of protecting itself.
You should not believe that if you add a snail to your tank, your betta will eat it immediately.
Numerous betta owners have successfully kept a snail in their tank for many years.
Additionally, there are methods for reducing the likelihood of your betta attempting to consume your snails. The most important is, of course, providing a balanced diet for your betta. This comprises a mix of fish pellets and live food.
How large a tank do you need to keep mystery snails and betta fish together?
Like betta fish, mystery snails need a pH range of 7.0-7.5, a temperature range of 68-82 degrees Fahrenheit, and regular day and night cycles. While your snail will not be as active as your betta, they may be rather energetic while eating or exploring. If you do decide to add a mystery snail to your aquarium, it is advised that the tank be at least 5 gallons in size.
This is due to the need for proper ecosystem maintenance and space, as well as the bioload, or quantity of waste that might arise. The bigger the tank, the more community members may coexist in peace.
Is it possible for a Betta fish to kill a Mystery snail?
True, a betta may kill a mystery snail, although this is less probable than with other snails due to the mystery snail’s size and operculum.
Naturally, if you do not feed your betta, the snail becomes fair game, which is why an adult should monitor a child’s fish feeding habits.
How to introduce a Mystery Snail into a Betta fish tank?
Float the snail sack tightly secured in your betta tank for 30 minutes. Substitute betta tank water for 14% of the snail water in the bag (be sure to throw away the snail water). After 30 minutes, refloat the bag. Rep till the snail bag is almost all filled with betta aquarium water. Using your fingers or tongs, remove the snail from the sack. Ensure that the water in the bag does not come into contact with the water in your tank. The snail in the tank and discarding the snail’s water
Conclusion
In this article, we understood the relationship between Betta fish and Mystery snails. We also discussed their requirements and explained if they can be set up together in a community tank.
If you have any thoughts or doubts, feel free to drop us a comment below!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Can Betta Fish Live with Mystery Snails?
What fish can survive with mysterious snails?
Fish like tetras, guppies, and killifish will enable the snails to mind their own business and eat away. Another suitable tank companion for them is different types of calm invertebrates. Amano shrimp, cherry shrimp, and ghost shrimp all provide fantastic company for them and will not damage them at all
Do snails help clean fish tanks?
Most snails are scavengers that feast on algae, dead plant material, dead fish, and other debris, which makes them a good alternative to help you keep your tank clean.
Do snails eat fish poop?
Dispelling the myth. That most people and fish-keepers assume that snails do eat fish feces derives from the fact that actually, snails do consume certain “impurities” that abound in a fish tank. Snails, nevertheless, do not consume fish feces. They are also devouring leftover items that are for the consumption of your pet fish.
What sort of snails can I put with my betta?
The finest snail species for betta aquariums are mystery snails and nerite snails, but you can also try keeping pond snails, assassin snails, or ramshorn snails alongside them. The sorts of snails you should avoid at all costs are pest snails, apple snails, and Malaysian trumpet snails.
In a betta aquarium, what do snails eat?
Mystery Snails are environmental cleaners. The fact that mystery snails graze on algae, fish flakes, and betta pellets is one of the primary benefits of introducing one to your betta’s aquarium. They will scale the substrate and the sides of the tank’s glass to remove any excess waste that accumulates.
Are snails required to eat in a fish tank?
The majority of snails like having plants to munch on in their aquarium. Also, they consume algae, either naturally occurring on the tank’s walls or given in the form of store-bought algae wafers.
References
Can Betta Fish Live With Snails? (Top 6) https://www.bettacarefishguide.com/can-betta-fish-live-with-snails-top-6/
Betta Fish and Mystery Snails https://bettafish.org/blog/betta-fish-and-mystery-snails/
Are Mystery Snail And Betta Fish Compatible? https://bettasource.com/mystery-snail-and-betta/
Can Bettas Live With Snails? All You Need to Know! https://aquariumsphere.com/can-bettas-live-with-snails/
