Smart Betta

[Awibrandy]

Hi guys & gals, I need your help with this smartie pants Marine Betta.............
The Betta has been in my reef for about 2 years now after having to pull it from my fowlr in order to save it. It was severely attacked in the fowlr by what I had assumed was the puffer.
Anyway, I have been suspecting the betta of going to town on my shrimps, and possibly some of my newer hermits which are on the tiny side.
I decided that since I no longer have a puffer, and I want to add shrimps into my reef that I would pull it from my reef, and place it back in the fowlr.
Well I got my trusty old bottle trap out, and proceeded to set it up thinking it would take a couple of days. Those couple of days have turned into 3 weeks now.:irked:
The other fish have been getting nothing but nori since I began this challenge. Although I have been feeding the corals before lights on. I feed the corals a mixture of Oyster, Rotifer, Phyto, and flying fish eggs.
I have tried mysis shrimp wrapped in a stocking, frozen silversides, frozen prawns, dried anchovies, and frozen silver fish for the past 3 weeks. It shows a great deal of interest, but it will not go into the trap. As a last resort I thought of trying fresh octopus, but unfortunately the fish market only had a whole frozen octopus. I didn't buy it because I didn't want a frozen one, nor did I really want to buy a whole one not knowing for sure that it would go for it.
Not going to tear the tank apart to get this fish out!!!!!!!!

Anyone have any other suggestion? Pleaseeeeeeee

SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO Michael Stern!!!!!! Never should have put her in the reef to begin with.LOL

 

[2slo4me]

wow thats crazy awi... my marine betta doenst pick on anything... but my orange lined tang stays beating him up... i have been trying for 2 months now to catch this tang but hes fast and smart. i will def. catch him after the holidays... you have to see how the tangs fins r like razors and just cuts off his tail.. i feel so bad. never thought a 2 inch tang would grow so fast and become so aggressive.

is ur betta shy? mine was at 1st but now hes all over the tank. i noticed hes a lil more nocturnal now days. maybe take a peek when the lights go out and see where he likes to hang out at? ... good luck!

 

[Awibrandy]

Eddie, I know exactly where it hangs out at all times. Problem is my rock work does not lend itself anywhere to get at it with a net without knocking over the rocks.
This betta is really smart it knows where to be for easy access to shrimps and such, without putting it self in danger of capture.

BTW, I have never seen it pick on anything or anyone. I just suspect that it is him/her who is eating my smaller inverts just because it is a grouper.LOL Perhaps I am just being prejudice.yikes

 

[KathyC]

BTW, I have never seen it pick on anything or anyone. I just suspect that it is him/her who is eating my smaller inverts just because it is a grouper.LOL Perhaps I am just being prejudice.yikes

lol..I'd hate to see you tear your beautiful tank apart just to catch this guy/gal..especially if it isn't definitely the one munching on your inverts. I read in a few places they don't tend to eat larger inverts, so it may not be the bad guy regarding your missing shrimp.
Maybe buy larger sized hermits and leave well enough alone?

 

[Awibrandy]

lol..I'd hate to see you tear your beautiful tank apart just to catch this guy/gal..especially if it isn't definitely the one munching on your inverts. I read in a few places they don't tend to eat larger inverts, so it may not be the bad guy regarding your missing shrimp.
Maybe buy larger sized hermits and leave well enough alone?

Yup, ABSOLUTELY not tearing apart the tank!!!
I did order larger hermits, waiting for them to get here. Hopefully Thursday.
Larger shrimps is a bit of a problem as vendors don't usually get really large ones, and when they do the price can be quite high for the number of shrimps I would like to get.
I don't know for sure that it is him/her, but the odds are in his/her favor.lol I don't think the wrasse are big enough to dispense of my shrimps so easily. But maybe it is them.LOL

 

[Awibrandy]

Well, octopus nor oysters worked! Back to the think tank for me.

 

[2slo4me]

Yes i know what you mean mine is very smart also... however i rather get rid of the orange spotted bristletooth tang thats picking on him.. but the tang is too smart and very fast... ill try after the holidays...

 

[Awibrandy]

Any Ideas people??

Good luck Eddie.lol

 

[Awibrandy]

OKay, since it seems that the Betta is to be a permanent resident of my reef I've got another question for you all.

How big do shrimps have to be in order for them to not to be eaten by the Betta?

I have a fairly large Harley that has been in the tank for some time, and the previous one even a smaller also in the tank for quite some time.

Could it be that the cleaners & blood shrimps were just dying, and not the betta eating them after all?
I did get the snails, and crabs that I had ordered. Unfortunately they were not the size advertised. They were tiny, and after a few months I still see them crawling around. So I don't think the Betta is eating any inverts.

I think I'm rambling, and not making any sense here.

Should I try the cleaners & blood shrimps as well as crabs again????

 

[jaa1456]

Put a shrimp in your trap as bait and then maybe he will go for it.