Aquarium maintenance is an important part of ensuring the happiness and well-being of your aquatic life. While it’s essential to regularly clean your tank, what if we told you that you could reduce the time you spend fighting algae and scrubbing glass by introducing an aquarium clean up crew?
Aquarium clean-up crews are one of the best ways to help maintain the cleanliness of your tank, whether you’re new to aquatic care and are looking for a little extra help with maintenance or you’re a seasoned marine enthusiast looking to create a more self-sufficient tank - in this blog we are going to take you through all you need to know about aquarium clean up crews, from what they are and how to introduce them, to the different types you can have.
What’s an aquarium clean-up crew?
A clean-up crew is a group of fish and invertebrates that help clean up leftover food and waste as well as help control algae in your aquarium. Think of them as little caretakers that will reduce the amount of time you spend picking algae off the live rock or scraping the glass, among other things.
This crew often consists of snails, crabs, shrimp and starfish, and while not a replacement for manual tank maintenance, these aquatic creatures can help keep your tank cleaner for longer and play a primary role in keeping your sandbeds clean and healthy as well.
Why should you have an aquarium clean-up crew?
There are many benefits to having an aquarium clean-up crew. From decreasing the amount of heavy manual maintenance you need to do, to creating a better ecosystem for your fish, a clean-up crew minimises waste and other harmful bacteria that could otherwise harm your fish by raising ammonia levels. Essentially, they help your tank more closely resemble a fully functioning mini ecosystem which in turn helps your fish feel comfortable.
They’re also a great idea for beginners who are still getting used to aquarium maintenance as it can help reduce some of the workload that comes with aquarium cleaning.
What kind of species make a clean-up crew?
Different aquariums will need different types of clean-up crews, just like your regular fish, these aquatics can only survive in certain conditions so it’s essential you ensure that you’re getting the right ones for your tank. You’ll also want to make sure you have the right combination because some of them will eat algae but not sift sand, or do the opposite - meaning that for an effective clean-up crew, you’ll need to do your research.
To help you create the perfect clean-up crew for your tank we’ve included a list of the best freshwater and saltwater cleaning fish and invertebrates below.
Freshwater clean-up crews
For your freshwater clean-up crew, you’ll want to make sure you’re getting fish and invertebrates that can handle the freshwater conditions. Below you can find some of the most popular options.
Bristlenose plecos catfish
There are hundreds of types of plecostomus, but we prefer bristlenose plecos when creating a sufficient clean-up crew as they stay relatively small, unlike a lot of other plecostomus species. These little catfish are great cleaners that can eat algae, scavenge for food, and keep driftwood clean.
Otocinclus catfish
Another small invertebrate for those with small or already busy tanks. Otocinclus catfish are a popular choice due to their small and peaceful nature. They’re great for eating algae and biofilm - making them excellent algae grazers. However, please note that these fish should be kept in groups as they’re very social fish. We recommend a group of at least six.
Amano shrimp
These little invertebrates are popular for their algae-eating qualities, they’re also really good at getting into hard-to-reach places as their tiny size allows them to reach into tiny cracks and crevices which other algae-eating fish may struggle with.
Make sure they have enough minerals in their water and ensure not to feed them too much fish food as they typically will go for this over algae eating as they prefer easy meals, but otherwise, these little aquatics will work hard to help keep your tank clean.
Ramshorn snails
Another great invertebrate for algae and waste control, ramshorn snails will target algae, food waste and dead plants - making them a great part of your cleaning crew. However, these snails can breed quickly so it’s best to ensure they don’t get out of control or they may cause more waste than they’re cleaning. To avoid this, make sure you’re not feeding them too often as this tends to be when they breed.
Hillstream loaches
Hillstream loaches are perfect for cleaning up your rocks, glass and other flat surfaces in your tank. However, you still have to feed them a good diet of fish foods as the algae are only a part of and don’t make up their whole diet.
Geophagus and Satanoperca
The geophagus and Satanoperca are both cichlid fish and are known as eartheaters. These fish are great for filtering and cleaning substrate as they scoop up substrate into their mouth to scavenge for leftover food and filter it through their gills - making them the perfect addition to your cleaning crew.
Saltwater clean-up crews
For a saltwater tank, you’re going to want to ensure you get the right cleaning fish and invertebrates that can handle saltwater conditions. For those with reef aquariums, you’ll always want to ensure reef-safe options which we’ve included below as to not harm them or damage your underwater ecosystem.
Cleaner Shrimp
These little invertebrates are the perfect addition to a clean-up crew as not only do they reduce waste and eat leftovers, but they go a step further and can benefit the health and lifespan of your fish by removing parasites from their bodies - making them a powerful part of a healthy tank.
Hermit crabs
There are many species of hermit crabs to choose from but you’re going to want to make sure you get the right ones. We would recommend looking into small reef-safe hermit crabs for reef tanks especially.
Brittle star
Another great saltwater option as they’re tolerant of a wide range of conditions, these starfish are scavengers that feed on detritus, decaying food, dead organisms, and other organic matter among the rock and sand making them the perfect addition to your cleaning crew.
Nassarius snails
A nassarius snail likes to burrow and move through the sand which constantly sifts and turns it over to keep it fresh. They won’t eat algae but they do have a keen sense of smell and will be able to track down any leftover food and waste to help keep your tank clean.
Turbo snail
These are a popular choice for saltwater aquariums as they are efficient tank cleaners. They eat algae and are great for cleaning rocks and glass. They can also eat algae at a fast rate so they are efficient for tanks that suffer from fast algae growth, but you’ll also need to ensure they always have plenty of algae to eat to avoid starvation.
When should you introduce a clean-up crew?
We recommend adding your clean-up crew once the full cycle of your tank is complete and once algae has begun to form. This means your tank's ecosystem is balanced and stable, where beneficial bacteria have grown effectively and your inhabitants can safely house your aquatic life.
Adding them beforehand can expose your clean-up crew to deadly ammonia or nitrate, and adding them before the appearance of algae can lead to starvation. So make sure their food source is readily available to get before adding your clean-up crew.
We also recommend introducing them one at a time to minimise disruption and ensure that there’s enough food to go around.
Why is manual cleaning still important with a clean-up crew?
While an aquarium clean-up crew can reduce the amount of maintenance needed, manual cleaning is still a must. Your clean-up crew can only do so much and while they can promote a healthy tank, there will be certain areas that they just can’t reach alone, or they may not always fully remove all debris and algae, especially in larger tanks.
How often you clean your tank will heavily depend on the kind and amount of clean-up crew you have as well as the size and capacity of your tank. However, typically you can reduce your cleaning to once every few weeks or even once a month with a clean-up crew.
If you want to know more about how to manually deep clean a fish tank then you can read through our blog for more advice and guidance.
Work on a self-sufficient aquarium with Aquacadabra
Aquarium clean-up crews are a great way of taking one step closer to having a self-sufficient tank by minimising the amount of cleaning that needs to be done. However, it’s still very important to ensure you’re also undertaking manual cleaning for a healthy ecosystem.
So make sure you have all the right products for cleaning your tank when the time comes with our full aquarium maintenance collection here at Aquacadabra and enjoy an easy job with the help of these effective tools and your little clean-up crew.
You can also visit our in-person store to buy the species mentioned in this blog if you’re ready to dive into the world of aquarium clean-up crews.