Clean-Up Crew Essentials

Clean-Up Crew Essentials

No aquarium is complete without a clean-up crew — the unsung heroes that work behind the scenes to keep your tank healthy, balanced, and looking sharp. These fish, snails, and shrimp scavenge leftovers, control algae, stir substrate, and break down detritus. In this guide, we’ll show you which species are best for your setup and how to build the ideal clean-up crew based on tank size and stocking.

🧽 What Is a Clean-Up Crew?

A clean-up crew (CUC) refers to a group of aquatic animals that naturally help reduce waste, algae, and uneaten food in an aquarium. While they aren’t a substitute for water changes or filtration, they do a great job minimizing buildup and preventing spikes in ammonia and nitrites.

🔍 Why Add a Clean-Up Crew?

  • Controls algae on glass, plants, and hardscape
  • Consumes uneaten food before it decays
  • Breaks down organic debris and fish waste
  • Stirs substrate to prevent dead zones
  • Reduces maintenance workload
  • Adds movement and life to your aquarium

🐌 Top Clean-Up Crew Picks

1. Nerite Snails

Benefits: Excellent algae eaters, won’t breed in freshwater.
Great for: Planted tanks, glass cleaning, nano tanks.

2. Amano Shrimp

Benefits: Famous for destroying hair algae, safe in communities.
Great for: Planted tanks, shrimp-safe tanks, peaceful setups.

3. Otocinclus Catfish

Benefits: Gentle, algae-munching mini catfish that stay under 2”.
Great for: Planted tanks, nano tanks, peaceful communities.

4. Corydoras Catfish

Benefits: Active bottom scavengers that sift the substrate.
Great for: Sandy-bottom tanks, schools of 6+, community setups.

5. Mystery Snails

Benefits: Eat leftover food, algae, and detritus — plus they're fun to watch.
Great for: Beginners, nano to medium tanks, kids’ aquariums.

6. Bristlenose Plecos

Benefits: Stay small (4–6"), eat algae like champs, need wood in their diet.
Great for: Medium to large tanks, driftwood setups, planted tanks.

📏 How Many Should You Add?

  • For every 10 gallons, you can add 1–2 snails or shrimp
  • Otocinclus prefer to be in groups of 4–6 minimum
  • Corydoras need schools of 5–6+ to feel safe and happy
  • Avoid overcrowding — too many clean-up crew = too much bioload

⚠️ Things to Watch Out For

  • Some algae eaters won’t survive in unstable or new tanks
  • Don’t mix shrimp with aggressive fish (bettas, cichlids)
  • Not all clean-up crew eat all types of algae — diversify!
  • Supplement diets — snails and shrimp still need food (blanched veggies, algae wafers, shrimp pellets)

A well-selected clean-up crew helps balance your ecosystem and keeps your aquarium looking sharp. At BlueRipple Aquatics, we ship healthy snails, shrimp, and algae-eating fish direct to your door — quarantined and ready to get to work. Check our Clean-Up Crew category to see what’s available!