Clean-Up Crew: What They Are & Why You Need Them

Clean-Up Crew: What They Are & Why You Need Them

Every freshwater aquarium benefits from a hard-working clean-up crew. These bottom dwellers, algae-eaters, and detritus scavengers help maintain water quality, reduce maintenance, and bring life to every layer of your tank. Here’s why clean-up crews are a must-have and which species are best for your setup.

🧹 What Is a Clean-Up Crew?

A clean-up crew is a group of tankmates — usually fish, snails, and shrimp — that specialize in eating leftover food, algae, and detritus. They don’t replace your filter or water changes, but they absolutely reduce gunk buildup and keep your substrate clean between maintenance days.

🔍 Benefits of a Clean-Up Crew

  • Reduces uneaten food before it rots
  • Controls algae growth on glass and decor
  • Stirs substrate to prevent gas pockets
  • Adds personality and movement to bottom zones
  • Helps maintain water quality and reduces nitrate buildup

🐌 Best Clean-Up Crew Members

Snails

  • Nerite Snails: Incredible algae eaters, don’t reproduce in freshwater
  • Mystery Snails: Larger, colorful, and great for leftover food
  • Ramshorn Snails: Small and efficient; may reproduce quickly

Shrimp

  • Amano Shrimp: Top-tier algae and debris consumers
  • Cherry Shrimp: Colorful, small, and great in planted tanks
  • Ghost Shrimp: Inexpensive scavengers, often used in nano setups

Bottom-Dwelling Fish

  • Corydoras Catfish: Peaceful and always sifting for scraps
  • Bristlenose Pleco: Algae cleaner and biofilm grazer
  • Kuhli Loaches: Worm-like cleaners that work overnight
  • Otocinclus: Excellent glass and plant algae eaters for smaller tanks

⚖️ Choosing the Right Combo

  • For nano tanks: Nerite snails + Amano or Cherry shrimp
  • For planted tanks: Otocinclus + Corydoras
  • For large tanks: Bristlenose + Kuhli Loaches + Mystery Snails
  • Avoid mixing shrimp with aggressive or large predatory fish

🚫 What They Don’t Do

  • They won’t clean up after a dead fish — always remove deceased tankmates quickly
  • They don’t replace weekly water changes
  • Too many cleaners can increase bioload — balance is key

🛒 Shop Clean-Up Crew

Check out our Clean-Up Crew category to find algae-eaters, bottom-feeders, and tank janitors ready to work. We quarantine every critter and ship with care.

Build your dream tank from top to bottom — and let your clean-up crew handle the dirty work!