Saltwater clean-up crew

A clean-up crew handles algae, leftover food and detritus before they become problems. The inverts here are the working class of a saltwater tank. Profiles cover what each one eats and any reef-safety caveats.

40 species

• 

  Arrow Crab

  Stenorhynchus seticornis

  3.9 in (10 cm)30 gal (115 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Astraea Turbo Snail

  Astraea tecta

  1 in (2.5 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Blue / Purple Coral Banded Shrimp

  Stenopus tenuirostris

  1.6 in (4 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Blue-Leg Hermit Crab

  Clibanarius tricolor

  1 in (2.5 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Bumble Bee Snail

  Engina mendicaria

  0.8 in (2 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Camel / Dancing Shrimp

  Rhynchocinetes durbanensis

  2 in (5 cm)16 gal (60 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Cerith Snail

  Cerithium sp.

  1.6 in (4 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Coral Banded Shrimp

  Stenopus hispidus

  2.4 in (6 cm)30 gal (115 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)

• 

  Coral Guard Crab

  Trapezia cymodoce

  0.8 in (2 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Electric Blue Hermit Crab

  Calcinus elegans

  2 in (5 cm)20 gal (75 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Emerald Crab

  Mithraculus sculptus

  2.4 in (6 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Fighting Conch

  Strombus alatus

  3.1 in (8 cm)20 gal (75 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Fire Shrimp

  Lysmata debelius

  2.4 in (6 cm)20 gal (75 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Gold Coral Banded Shrimp

  Stenopus scutellatus

  1.6 in (4 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Halloween Hermit Crab

  Ciliopagurus strigatus

  2 in (5 cm)20 gal (75 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Harlequin Shrimp

  Hymenocera picta

  2 in (5 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Marble Shrimp

  Saron marmoratus

  2 in (5 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Marine Nerite Snail

  Nerita sp.

  1 in (2.5 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
• Mexican Red-Leg Hermit Crab

  Clibanarius digueti

  1 in (2.5 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)

• 

  Mexican Turbo Snail

  Turbo fluctuosus

  2.4 in (6 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Nassarius Snail

  Nassarius sp.

  1 in (2.5 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Peacock Mantis Shrimp

  Odontodactylus scyllarus

  7.1 in (18 cm)20 gal (75 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Pederson's Cleaner Shrimp

  Ancylomenes pedersoni

  1.2 in (3 cm)11 gal (40 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)

• 

  Peppermint Shrimp

  Lysmata wurdemanni

  2 in (5 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)

• 

  Pom-Pom Crab

  Lybia tessellata

  1 in (2.5 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Porcelain Anemone Crab

  Neopetrolisthes maculatus

  3 in (7.5 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Pyramid Top Snail

  Tectus fenestratus

  2 in (5 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
• Randall's Pistol Shrimp

  Alpheus randalli

  1.6 in (4 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Red Mithrax Crab

  Mithraculus forceps

  2 in (5 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Ring Cowrie

  Monetaria annulus

  1.2 in (3 cm)20 gal (75 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Sally Lightfoot Crab

  Percnon gibbesi

  3.1 in (8 cm)30 gal (115 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Scarlet Reef Hermit Crab

  Paguristes cadenati

  1.6 in (4 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Scarlet Zebra Hermit Crab

  Calcinus laevimanus

  1.2 in (3 cm)20 gal (75 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Sexy Shrimp

  Thor amboinensis

  1.2 in (3 cm)5 gal (20 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

  Lysmata amboinensis

  2.4 in (6 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)

• 

  Stomatella Snail

  Stomatella varia

  0.8 in (2 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Tiger / Strawberry Conch

  Conomurex luhuanus

  2.8 in (7 cm)20 gal (75 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Tiger Pistol Shrimp

  Alpheus bellulus

  2 in (5 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
• Trochus Snail

  Trochus sp.

  1.2 in (3 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  White-Spot Anemone Shrimp

  Periclimenes brevicarpalis

  1.6 in (4 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)