# Tetra and Amano Shrimp



## CoryLover8 (Jul 31, 2014)

I have a 15 gal column tank that is currently housing 3 albino corys, 4 skirted tetras, 2 BA tetras, 1 Columbian tetra (yes I know that second school of tetras doesnt match, but there is a long story involving Petco).

Would Amano Shrimp be safe in my tank or would tetras see them as food? I will admit my tetras seem to get a kick out of splashing tons of water when eating flakes or bloodworms. Those guys go crazy for food even if they are fed several times a day (I tried to figure out if they were ferocious eaters due to hunger or personality).


----------



## nikb747 (Jul 24, 2014)

I've got a tank with diamond tetras and glowlight tetras that don't seem to bother the amano, cherry, or ghost shrimp. I have no idea how close in temperament your tetras are though.


----------



## Betta132 (Nov 29, 2012)

Get larger amanos and you should be fine providing there's a few good hiding places. 
Remember, though, piranhas are tetras with sharp teeth. Give those white skirts sharp teeth and more size and they'd be just as deadly.


----------



## IDR (Apr 12, 2014)

How small are your Amanos? If they're very small, then yeah, they'll end up snacks. Larger bodied Amanos will survive and thrive just fine.

I have around 9-10 in my 29G who are doing just fine with Rams and various Tetra.

My Amanos are actually little bad-asses. I can't tell if they're attacking or what, but lately when I put my hand into the tank to do any kind of maintenance, they swarm it. I have to shake them off, and the second I do, they just come back for more.

Just a suggestion, but giving them adequate coverage, whether it's a dark cave, or dense plant groups, etc. will go a long way in aiding their survival.


----------



## garfieldnfish (Sep 25, 2010)

I have lost 3 of 6 Amano shrimp to CPDs and black darter tetras. I would not risk it.


----------



## CoryLover8 (Jul 31, 2014)

Well, I guess that tank will have a roomba crew of otos and my betta (go figure) gets the shrimp roomba crew.


----------



## Jadenlea (Sep 15, 2011)

Amanos should be fine. Have some hiding places just in case but I kept Amanos with all sorts of large fish. They hold their own. My Amanos would get right out there with my Redline sharks and Rams and fight over the food. They would take the food right out of the fishes mouths and swim away with it. Also, it has been three years now and some of them are still alive so they have outlived their stated life span!


----------



## mattcham (Mar 7, 2014)

IDR said:


> My Amanos are actually little bad-asses. I can't tell if they're attacking or what, but lately when I put my hand into the tank to do any kind of maintenance, they swarm it. I have to shake them off, and the second I do, they just come back for more.


Sounds like they are starving. Mine do that after i come home after a weekend of not feeding them. Make sure they are getting fed and that other tank mates are not taking all the food. They die easily of starvation like otocinclus catfish.


----------



## mattcham (Mar 7, 2014)

Jadenlea said:


> Also, it has been three years now and some of them are still alive so they have outlived their stated life span!


That's pretty cool considering most amanos in pet stores are probably already 1+ years old.


----------



## dbw27 (May 19, 2014)

My amanos are alright with a whole slew of tetras in a 15.8 (white skirt and rummy nose). In fact, I think they have just been getting fatter and fatter.

dbw


----------



## garfieldnfish (Sep 25, 2010)

A couple of my amanos have lived for over 5 years. They can live way longer than the average dwarf shrimp. 
But I have to restate my earlier post. CPDs and black darter tetras are mini piranhas. Black darter tetras only eat live food and CPDS are vicious for their size. 
I have had black skirt and white skirt tetras before but not with amano shrimp. But comparing the skirt tetras with the black darters and CPDs, skirt tetras are puppies, black darter and CPDs are Bulldogs.
So you could give it a try. Never had a Columbian tetra. It would be good to have another tank ready in case you have to move the Amanos. Like I wrote in the earlier post, I lost 3 of my 6 Amanos to the tetras. I thought since black darters only eat live food and the amano zoes can't survive in freshwater and the females were berried all the time, this would be a great live food source for the fish. But they decided to take down the adult amano shrimp after eating the zoes. By the time I realized what was happening I had lost half of the shrimp.


----------

