Freshwater clean-up crew

A freshwater clean-up crew works through algae, leftover food and detritus: nerite and mystery snails on the glass, shrimp in the moss, crabs and crayfish picking over the substrate. They help with maintenance but never replace it. Profiles list tank size and care for each species.

61 species

• 

  Amano Shrimp

  Caridina multidentata

  2 in (5 cm)8 gal (30 L)59–81°F (15–27°C)

• 

  Apple Snail

  Pomacea canaliculata

  5.9 in (15 cm)21 gal (80 L)64–81°F (18–27°C)

• 

  Assassin Snail

  Anentome helena

  1 in (2.5 cm)5 gal (20 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)

• 

  Bamboo Shrimp

  Atyopsis moluccensis

  3.9 in (10 cm)13 gal (50 L)72–84°F (22–29°C)
• Bee Shrimp

  Caridina cantonensis

  1.2 in (3 cm)5 gal (20 L)66–79°F (19–26°C)

• 

  Black Devil Snail

  Faunus ater

  3.9 in (10 cm)13 gal (50 L)72–86°F (22–30°C)

• 

  Bladder Snail

  Physella acuta

  0.6 in (1.5 cm)5 gal (20 L)57–86°F (14–30°C)
• Bloody Mary Shrimp

  Neocaridina davidi

  1.6 in (4 cm)5 gal (20 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)

• 

  Blue Bolt Shrimp

  Caridina cantonensis

  1.2 in (3 cm)5 gal (20 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)

• 

  Blue Dream Shrimp

  Neocaridina davidi

  1.6 in (4 cm)5 gal (20 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)

• 

  Blue Velvet Shrimp

  Neocaridina davidi

  1.6 in (4 cm)5 gal (20 L)59–84°F (15–29°C)
• Blue-leg vampire crab

  Geosesarma bicolor

  2 in (5 cm)10 gal (38 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Cherry Shrimp

  Neocaridina davidi

  1.6 in (4 cm)5 gal (20 L)59–84°F (15–29°C)
• Chocolate Shrimp

  Neocaridina davidi

  1.6 in (4 cm)5 gal (20 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)
• Crystal Black Shrimp

  Caridina cantonensis

  1.2 in (3 cm)5 gal (20 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)

• 

  Crystal Red Shrimp

  Caridina cantonensis

  1.6 in (4 cm)8 gal (30 L)66–79°F (19–26°C)

• 

  Dusky Nerite Snail

  Neritina pulligera

  1.6 in (4 cm)5 gal (20 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)

• 

  Electric blue crayfish

  Procambarus alleni

  4.7 in (12 cm)20 gal (75 L)68–81°F (20–27°C)

• 

  Ghost Shrimp

  Palaemon paludosus

  1.6 in (4 cm)5 gal (20 L)64–84°F (18–29°C)

• 

  Giant Colombian Ramshorn

  Marisa cornuarietis

  2 in (5 cm)5 gal (20 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)

• 

  Gold Rabbit Snail

  Tylomelania gemmifera

  2.8 in (7 cm)16 gal (60 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Great Pond Snail

  Lymnaea stagnalis

  2.4 in (6 cm)5 gal (20 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)

• 

  Great Ramshorn

  Planorbarius corneus

  1.6 in (4 cm)5 gal (20 L)64–77°F (18–25°C)

• 

  Green babaulti shrimp

  Caridina babaulti

  1.2 in (3 cm)10 gal (38 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
• Green Jade Shrimp

  Neocaridina davidi

  1.6 in (4 cm)5 gal (20 L)59–84°F (15–29°C)
• Himalayan Rabbit Snail

  Tylomelania marwotoae

  2 in (5 cm)11 gal (40 L)77–86°F (25–30°C)

• 

  Horned nerite

  Clithon corona

  0.6 in (1.5 cm)5 gal (19 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Japanese Trapdoor Snail

  Cipangopaludina malleata

  2 in (5 cm)8 gal (30 L)64–77°F (18–25°C)
• King Kong Shrimp

  Caridina cantonensis

  1.2 in (3 cm)5 gal (20 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)

• 

  Malaysian Trumpet Snail

  Melanoides tuberculata

  1.2 in (3 cm)5 gal (20 L)70–77°F (21–25°C)

• 

  Marbled crayfish

  Procambarus virginalis

  3.9 in (10 cm)20 gal (75 L)64–77°F (18–25°C)

• 

  Marbled Limpet Nerite

  Septaria porcellana

  1.2 in (3 cm)5 gal (20 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
• Matano Crab

  Syntripsa matannensis

  4.3 in (11 cm)22 gal (85 L)75–86°F (24–30°C)

• 

  Mystery Snail

  Pomacea diffusa

  2 in (5 cm)5 gal (20 L)70–79°F (21–26°C)

• 

  Olive nerite

  Vittina usnea

  0.8 in (2 cm)5 gal (20 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)

• 

  Orange dwarf crayfish

  Cambarellus patzcuarensis

  2 in (5 cm)10 gal (38 L)64–77°F (18–25°C)

• 

  Orange Neocaridina

  Neocaridina davidi

  1.6 in (4 cm)5 gal (20 L)59–84°F (15–29°C)
• Orange vampire crab

  Geosesarma tiomanicum

  2 in (5 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
• Pagoda Snail

  Brotia pagodula

  2.4 in (6 cm)5 gal (20 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
• Panda Shrimp

  Caridina cantonensis

  1.2 in (3 cm)5 gal (20 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)

• 

  Panther Crab

  Parathelphusa pantherina

  4.3 in (11 cm)22 gal (85 L)75–86°F (24–30°C)
• Pom Pom Crab

  Ptychognathus barbatus

  1.6 in (4 cm)5 gal (20 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)

• 

  Purple vampire crab

  Geosesarma dennerle

  1 in (2.5 cm)10 gal (38 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Red vampire crab

  Geosesarma hagen

  2 in (5 cm)10 gal (38 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)

• 

  Riceland prawn

  Macrobrachium lanchesteri

  2.4 in (6 cm)16 gal (60 L)75–86°F (24–30°C)

• 

  Rili Shrimp

  Neocaridina davidi

  1.5 in (3.8 cm)5 gal (20 L)59–84°F (15–29°C)

• 

  Seminole Ramshorn

  Planorbella duryi

  1 in (2.5 cm)5 gal (20 L)68–82°F (20–28°C)
• Snowball Shrimp

  Neocaridina davidi

  1.6 in (4 cm)5 gal (20 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)

• 

  Sulawesi Shrimp

  Caridina dennerli

  1 in (2.5 cm)5 gal (20 L)79–88°F (26–31°C)
• Tanganyika Crab

  Platythelphusa sp.

  3.9 in (10 cm)16 gal (60 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Thai Micro Crab

  Limnopilos naiyanetri

  1 in (2.5 cm)5 gal (20 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)

• 

  Tiger nerite

  Vittina coromandeliana

  1 in (2.5 cm)5 gal (19 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Tiger Shrimp

  Caridina mariae

  1.6 in (4 cm)7 gal (25 L)64–73°F (18–23°C)

• 

  Triangle Rabbit Snail

  Tylomelania sinabartfeldi

  2 in (5 cm)5 gal (20 L)75–86°F (24–30°C)

• 

  Vampire Shrimp

  Atya gabonensis

  5.1 in (13 cm)20 gal (75 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Virgin nerite

  Vitta virginea

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

• 

  Wandering Snail

  Ampullaceana balthica

  0.8 in (2 cm)11 gal (40 L)50–84°F (10–29°C)

• 

  White Spotted Rabbit Snail

  Tylomelania towutica

  4.3 in (11 cm)16 gal (60 L)75–84°F (24–29°C)

• 

  White Wizard Snail

  Filopaludina martensi

  2 in (5 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Yellow Neocaridina

  Neocaridina davidi

  1.6 in (4 cm)5 gal (20 L)59–84°F (15–29°C)

• 

  Zebra Nerite

  Vittina natalensis

  1 in (2.5 cm)5 gal (20 L)66–84°F (19–29°C)