Common type fish or snail for a Cleanup Crew?

I'm looking for a common type of fish or even a snail that will work well as a cleanup crew, but will not harm my plants/other fish, and don't need a school/shoal. I'm turned off by the idea of plecos because they can get really big and I don't have the space for that, I considered both nerite and mystery snails but both of them lay eggs frequently and I figure that would be somewhat unsightly in my aquarium. Any ideas?

 

What about shrimp? Much more fun to watch imo and will work relentlessly in most tanks? Amano shrimp are good cleaners, but so are most other algae eating shrimp (and none will hurt your fish or plants)

What size tank and what specie fish?

 

So your looking for something to eat the food that makes it to the bottom of the tank. It is a twenty gal tank? If so 2 Cory cats will gladly eat all the leftover food. Plus add some shrimp pellets and they will be fine. There may be some who say you need 6 but I’ve had 2 for years. Now if algae is what your looking to clean up than go for 3 Otto cats and a sae. The ottos eat most green algae and sae will eat black hair algae. All 3 fish are great additions to a tank and fun to watch. Good luck

 

Not all plecos get big. You could look into some of the smaller species like a bristlenose.

 

What about shrimp? Much more fun to watch imo and will work relentlessly in most tanks? Amano shrimp are good cleaners, but so are most other algae eating shrimp (and none will hurt your fish or plants)

What size tank and what specie fish?

Its a 25 gallon, I haven't decided on what type of schooling fish I'm going to get yet but I know I'm getting 3 platies and a dwarf gourami. I don't know much about shrimp or what water conditions they favour, I have a high ph (almost 8) and fairly hard water too, so I don't know how shrimp would fair

So your looking for something to eat the food that makes it to the bottom of the tank. It is a twenty gal tank? If so 2 Cory cats will gladly eat all the leftover food. Plus add some shrimp pellets and they will be fine. There may be some who say you need 6 but I’ve had 2 for years. Now if algae is what your looking to clean up than go for 3 Otto cats and a sae. The ottos eat most green algae and sae will eat black hair algae. All 3 fish are great additions to a tank and fun to watch. Good luck

I have a 25 gallon, but I'm concerned about space and bio load, that's why I really am aiming to just get 1 fish or invertebrate rather than 2 or 3 so I appreciate the thought but neither cories nor ottos will work I'm afraid

 

Not all nerites lay eggs all over. I’ve lucked out and have 2 nerites right now, have had 3, and maybe have had 10-15 random eggs here and there since I got them 4 months ago. They are experts at keeping glass clean. And fascinating.

 

Not all plecos get big. You could look into some of the smaller species like a bristlenose.

I know they don't all get massive, but even the Bristlenose can get up to 7 inches and in my 25 gallon tall it won't fair too well once it grows up

Not all nerites lay eggs all over. I’ve lucked out and have 2 nerites right now, have had 3, and maybe have had 10-15 random eggs here and there since I got them 4 months ago. They are experts at keeping glass clean. And fascinating.

What happens to the eggs if you don't clean them off? If I didn't happen to see the eggs because they were behind something for instance, would the other fish eat them or would they just eventually decompose?

 

I'm looking for a common type of fish or even a snail that will work well as a cleanup crew, but will not harm my plants/other fish, and don't need a school/shoal. I'm turned off by the idea of plecos because they can get really big and I don't have the space for that, I considered both nerite and mystery snails but both of them lay eggs frequently and I figure that would be somewhat unsightly in my aquarium. Any ideas?

How about corys? They're very interesting to watch and quite cute too! Red cherry shrimps are another option or just put them both in

 

What happens to the eggs if you don't clean them off? If I didn't happen to see the eggs because they were behind something for instance, would the other fish eat them or would they just eventually decompose?

They are really small, like a pin head. They gradually decompose. It’s up to you. I have also heard people say they have nerite eggs all over, so I don’t want to mislead you. It just depends. Maybe mine are lazy. But I think their benefit outweighs the possible eggs.

 

They are really small, like a pin head. They gradually decompose. It’s up to you. I have also heard people say they have nerite eggs all over, so I don’t want to mislead you. It just depends. Maybe mine are lazy. But I think their benefit outweighs the possible eggs.

Ahhh I'm so conflicted haha it's all individual variability at this point, some say they get barely any eggs, others say they lay them everywhere! I suppose I could either just get a nerite and deal with the eggs if I do end up with a lot of them or I can just not risk it, at this point I might as well just flip a coin for it

 

Here’s some nerite eggs on the back glass, if you can see them. They were white at first and they very slowly fade. They’ve probably been there for 3 months. They are hard to see unless I specifically look for them.

 

Here’s some nerite eggs on the back glass, if you can see them. They were white at first and they very slowly fade. They’ve probably been there for 3 months. They are hard to see unless I specifically look for them.

Thank you for the reference!

 

If you want something that eat leftover food not algae try assassin snails most of the people will recommend them for pest snail population controler but they are a great clean up crew eating anything from small particles of fish flake to dead fish on the bottom of the tank

 

Its a 25 gallon, I haven't decided on what type of schooling fish I'm going to get yet but I know I'm getting 3 platies and a dwarf gourami. I don't know much about shrimp or what water conditions they favour, I have a high ph (almost 8) and fairly hard water too, so I don't know how shrimp would fair

Ah yes ok in the same boat as you! I have tanks with really hard water and a ph of about 8.2 so it's not great

I am going for Amano shrimp as they are the most hardy and I will let you know if they survive

 

Amano shrimp are great. So are any of the neocaridina dwarf shrimp. They are smaller, so I have 2 Amano and then a few Neos and between the two types they can get into all the nooks and crevices. I have higher ph, ranging up to 7.8, and they've all molted fine. It all depends on what their source water was on how well they will adapt to yours. If you get some Neos, any babies they have will be born in your water and will likely do better than the store-bought.

I also have a nerite snail, as well. They clean the glass of the aquarium really well. FYI, Nerites are either male or female. I lucked out an got a male, as I haven't seen one single sign of any eggs anywhere. Unfortunately the only way to know if you have a male is to have it in your tank for a while and see if it lays any eggs. I haven't heard of any other way to sex them so far.

 

Amano shrimp are great. So are any of the neocaridina dwarf shrimp.

Oh, you mean cherry shrimp right?

 

Oh, you mean cherry shrimp right?

That's one type. Other varieties of neocaridina include: Sakura Orange, Orange, Sakura/Painted Fire Red, Bloody Mary, Snowball, Blue Pearl, Blue Velvet/Jelly, Blue Ruby, Dark Green, Chocolate Cherry, Yellow, Orange Rili, Carbon Rili, Blue Rili... and on and on and on...

There are a lot of colors and patterns to pick from now. The Neocaridina are a lot more forgiving when it comes to water parameters than Caridina.

 

That's one type. Other varieties of neocaridina include: Sakura Orange, Orange, Sakura/Painted Fire Red, Bloody Mary, Snowball, Blue Pearl, Blue Velvet/Jelly, Blue Ruby, Dark Green, Chocolate Cherry, Yellow, Orange Rili, Carbon Rili, Blue Rili... and on and on and on...

There are a lot of colors and patterns to pick from now. The Neocaridina are a lot more forgiving when it comes to water parameters than Caridina.

Ooooooo ok I think I see now those sound awesome!! Would you reccomend buying online, and from where?

 

If you want something that eat leftover food not algae try assassin snails most of the people will recommend them for pest snail population controler but they are a great clean up crew eating anything from small particles of fish flake to dead fish on the bottom of the tank

I actually do have assassins, I use them to kill off my Malaysian trumpet snails that have basically taken over my aquariums. I haven't seen them go for the food left over in the tank though, maybe I just lucked out

Ah yes ok in the same boat as you! I have tanks with really hard water and a ph of about 8.2 so it's not great

I am going for Amano shrimp as they are the most hardy and I will let you know if they survive

Cool, please keep me updated on how well they do!

Amano shrimp are great. So are any of the neocaridina dwarf shrimp. They are smaller, so I have 2 Amano and then a few Neos and between the two types they can get into all the nooks and crevices. I have higher ph, ranging up to 7.8, and they've all molted fine. It all depends on what their source water was on how well they will adapt to yours. If you get some Neos, any babies they have will be born in your water and will likely do better than the store-bought.

I also have a nerite snail, as well. They clean the glass of the aquarium really well. FYI, Nerites are either male or female. I lucked out an got a male, as I haven't seen one single sign of any eggs anywhere. Unfortunately the only way to know if you have a male is to have it in your tank for a while and see if it lays any eggs. I haven't heard of any other way to sex them so far.

Ah, I might give the amanos a go if my LFS has them (I hope they do) but I heard that neos have fairly small lifespans in comparison with amanos, have you found this to be true? I might give the nerites a go if I can find them at my LFS if the shrimp doesn't work out.

 

I actually do have assassins, I use them to kill off my Malaysian trumpet snails that have basically taken over my aquariums. I haven't seen them go for the food left over in the tank though, maybe I just lucked out


Cool, please keep me updated on how well they do!


Ah, I might give the amanos a go if my LFS has them (I hope they do) but I heard that neos have fairly small lifespans in comparison with amanos, have you found this to be true? I might give the nerites a go if I can find them at my LFS if the shrimp doesn't work out.

I'm not sure about their respective life spans but Neos will readily breed in an aquarium, amanos can't breed in fresh water.

 

I'm not sure about their respective life spans but Neos will readily breed in an aquarium, amanos can't breed in fresh water.

Ok cool, thanks for the input

 

Ooooooo ok I think I see now those sound awesome!! Would you recommend buying online, and from where?

A live fish store might have some. The one I sometimes go to usually have Sakura, red cherry, with the odd blue strain once in a while. You can also order them. I bought mine from a seller at Aquabid, and all of them survived the shipping just fine.

Neocaridina shrimp live 12 to 18 months, but unlike the Amano, they breed in fresh water. So, if you have good water quality and a more mature tank (with enough biofilm for the shrimplets to feed on), then you should be able to maintain a good population.

Watching them breed and the young grow can be a lot of fun.