Marine Betta, Peaceful...Or Not.

[Marco S]

I am looking for a few colorful, peaceful and reef safe fish to complete my stock and I ran across the Marine Betta. Live Aquaria says the max size is 8'' and has it listed as "Peaceful", but in the Overview it says that "it will eat all small fish and shrimp". Not sure how that is peaceful, but I thought it was funny and figured I'd share in case anyone was looking into getting one of these.

Here is the link: https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/364/marine-betta?pcatid=364&c=15+46+364

 

[James M]

it’s overall a peaceful fish but will eat shrimp and small fish. Like hawkfish, lionfish, wrasses.

 

[mort]

They are about as peaceful as you can get ime. Mine is approaching 8" now and it doesn't bother anything in the tank but I'd never have snack sized tankmates. It may eat tiny shrimp and fish but it won't go out of its way to beat the crap out of anything like a tang would for instance.
So I do agree with their recommendation. They are peaceful if your sensible with stocking.

 

[64Ivy]

My guy is still on the smaller side at about 5" but very peaceful. It WILL eat shrimp though. Hasn't (yet) gone after any of my smaller fish.

 

[Marco S]

The smallest fish I have are my Bangai and PJ Cardinals and my Clownfish. They are all around 3 - 4 inches now. How fast does the Marine Betta grow and you think it will eat the fish I mentioned?

I also have some larger shrimp, but am already thinking of keeping them in another tank since I really want a Harlequin Tusk and I have grown attached to my shrimp.

 

[mort]

Bettas don't grow to full size that quickly. Like other species they grow fast when juvenile, up to around 4" or so and then slow down quite a lot. I've had mine 5-6 years and its only grown an inch or so in the last couple of years.
Your fish will be fine long term with any size betta. When people mention they eat fish it needs to be tiny, slender fish like evoita or trimma gobies for instance. With shrimp its more complicated as they can take out full size cleaner shrimp but shrimp are pretty squishy when you take off their exoskeleton. Mine lived with 2 cleaner shrimp for years, occasionally lunged at them, which I think was more through annoyance than for food, before they both disappeared a couple of days apart. I don't know for certain it was the betta but I guess it probably was.

I personally wouldn't recommend them for really bright and busy tanks as they tend to be much shyer, whereas in a tank with dimmer light (plenty of caves works well if you do have bright light) and less aggressive fish they can be quite bold and outgoing in time. I've trained mine to hand feed.

 

[Jesterrace]

I am looking for a few colorful, peaceful and reef safe fish to complete my stock and I ran across the Marine Betta. Live Aquaria says the max size is 8'' and has it listed as "Peaceful", but in the Overview it says that "it will eat all small fish and shrimp". Not sure how that is peaceful, but I thought it was funny and figured I'd share in case anyone was looking into getting one of these.

Here is the link: https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/364/marine-betta?pcatid=364&c=15+46+364

The thing to remember is that a fish being peaceful has more to do with how it interacts with a wide variety of fish. It's still considered peaceful as it isn't going to charge at and kill another fish just because it's being territorial, it only kills smaller fish for food and leaves larger fish totally alone. It's not like a Yellow Tang charging fish, biting off chunks of fin, slapping another fish with it's tail scalpel just because it's being a territorial jerk. It's kind of like saying that Butterflyfish are all aggressive since they are very prone to devouring corals (invertibrates) and other invertibrates.

 

[midwifehellie]

Would a marine betta potentially eat a black long spited urchin? I can't find my urchin and he's not exactly hard to find, and yet those spines should protect him...

 

[mort]

Would a marine betta potentially eat a black long spited urchin? I can't find my urchin and he's not exactly hard to find, and yet those spines should protect him...

I would highly doubt a betta would attempt to eat an urchin. If something did eat it then you can expect to find pieces all over the tank. There are relatively few fish that are capable of eating one but triggerfish do.

 

[midwifehellie]

I would highly doubt a betta would attempt to eat an urchin. If something did eat it then you can expect to find pieces all over the tank. There are relatively few fish that are capable of eating one but triggerfish do.

Thx I don't see pieces everywhere, maybe a couple of small pieces of spines but I've seen that before. I'm guessing the urchin has squeezed himself into the rocks somewhere. dang the betta is gorgeous though

 

[Fourstars]

I have two. peaceful and like owning a dog. mine eats from my fingers and swims to the front of the tank and flashes me everytime I walk by.

 

[Marco S]

Thx I don't see pieces everywhere, maybe a couple of small pieces of spines but I've seen that before. I'm guessing the urchin has squeezed himself into the rocks somewhere. dang the betta is gorgeous though

How big is the Betta and what other fish do you have it with? Also, is it playing nice with the other fish so far and is it active during the day? I have only seen 2 Marine Betta's so far, (both at my LFS) and they seemed to always be hiding behind the rocks and not come out that often. Maybe it was just getting acclimated, but they were sold too fast to ever get a really good look. From what I did see though, they are beautiful fish.

 

[midwifehellie]

I found the urchin! He's hiding in the back in a hard to see corner. The betta is about 6" I'm guessing. He plays nice so far, has a cave he hangs out in most of the day but I've seen him out and about. This is a fairly new 90G tank - we have 2 ocellaris clowns, 2 yellow tail damsels, 2 hermit crabs, 10 turbo snails, a hairy pincushion urchin and an elusive linckia blue star. Plus the betta who is stunning. He comes out at night or when no one is near the tank. We will probably get a yellow tang soonish, my son wants to get a mandarin goby but we plan to wait a while longer as we know they require a mature tank. I'd like to get some cleaner shrimp but perhaps not if they will end up as dinner for the betta. We just set up a QT but have yet to use it. Does anyone have any tips on feeding the betta? I have a long pair of tweezer tongs I could use, do they have any favourite foods?

 

[Goodair]

Got a marine beta recently aswell! He being very picky atm and wont eat anything but live ghost shrimp. He used to eat frozen at store but having a hard time converting him back.

 

[64Ivy]

I started mine on live ghost shrimp twice a week (remember this if you have shrimp) then gradually mixed in some frozen krill. After a few weeks I began backing off the shrimp and mixed the krill in with P.E.Mysis and Rods Original Blend. Then backed off the krill. Now he goes after the Rods, the mysis, and most all the staples. He seems to prefer his 'prey' to drift along the bottom though.

 

[Ardeus]

I have one with 4 inches and another with 2 that never leaves its cave.

They are not shy, though. When I look into their caves, they don't hide from me.

When the lights are dimming, the larger one comes out and he ate shrimp from the tweezer at first attempt. I am willing to bet he will eat from my hand when I try it.

Doesn't bother any fish. The smallest fish I have are a 1 inch clown, a Wheeler's goby and a threadfin cardinal and a yellow assessor.

Stunning, stunning fish.

 

[Kmsutows]

I've had my marine betta for its gotta be over 10 years and I've never come across a more peaceful fish! I kept just about anything you can think of with him, small fish, shrimp, you name it. Never had any issues. Hes always visible but usually under a ledge or lurking in the shadows but always alert. I try and get him a couple larger pieces of shrimp or LRS a week as hes much slower than everything else. You'll need to make sure it gets enough food but they dont need to eat as often, just larger meals

 

[mort]

How big is the Betta and what other fish do you have it with? Also, is it playing nice with the other fish so far and is it active during the day? I have only seen 2 Marine Betta's so far, (both at my LFS) and they seemed to always be hiding behind the rocks and not come out that often. Maybe it was just getting acclimated, but they were sold too fast to ever get a really good look. From what I did see though, they are beautiful fish.

Bettas are more active in darker conditions, so dawn/dusk and night. Their defense in nature is to stick their head in a hole with their bum out, which mimics a moral eel (it's why they have that large eyes pot on their back). This means they aren't the most active of fish during the day but when settled in and without a tank that too busy, they will become bolder. I've had mine 5-6 years now and it's just over 7" and it's out most of the time, feeds from my fingers and isn't shy in any way. I think if I wanted to I could probably pick it up as I've brushed it a few times when moving corals and it didn't even bother to move. I will say that I don't have any really active fish just a magnificent foxface that's anywhere near it's size, and that handfeeding is the key to getting them tame.
I personally wouldn't add shrimps anymore with mine now but any fish wouldn't be a problem unless they were tiny evoita, trimma or similar gobies.

 

[clarity1981]

I had this problem when I had by betta in quarantine. Wouldn't eat anything but ghost shrimp. Was worried when I put him in my DT. As soon as I did, he started eating anything I put in the tank, even pellet. Still have no explanation for it, but he's fat and happy!

Very peaceful fish. Gets along with everyone. When they say might eat small fish, I'm thinking more like a 1" goby if it's really hungry. It seems that when you put them in a tank with shrimp already in there, they leave them alone. If you try to put a new small shrimp in there, the betta might see it as a snack.

 

[Goodair]

I had this problem when I had by betta in quarantine. Wouldn't eat anything but ghost shrimp. Was worried when I put him in my DT. As soon as I did, he started eating anything I put in the tank, even pellet. Still have no explanation for it, but he's fat and happy!

Hoping my beta will be more open for food in the DP. He shows no interest in anything but live ghost in the quarantine. ;Bored