Sunlit planted freshwater aquarium with a natural sandy path
Glass & Gill / Freshwater specialist guide

The Freshwater Clean Up Crew

There's something fascinating about watching an Otocinclus explore a leaf or an Amano shrimp investigate a planted tank. But the best reason to bring one home is that you can give it the right home. Meet the animals often called the clean-up crew and discover which ones belong in your aquarium.

Shop Clean Up Crew →Meet the species ↓
Know what you are keeping

Meet your aquarium helpers

They may share a shelf in an aquarium shop, but these animals have surprisingly little in common. Get to know how each lives, what it eats and what it needs from you.

Otocinclus catfish
Soft surface grazing

Otocinclus

These gentle little fish are lovely to watch as they move over leaves and glass. Give them a mature aquarium, company of their own kind and enough food even when the visible algae runs low.

View Otocinclus care & availability →
Amano shrimp
Natural foraging

Amano Shrimp

Always busy and interesting to watch, Amanos may graze certain types of algae. They still need proper feeding and companions that are safe for shrimp.

Explore Amano Shrimp →
Freshwater snail
Species-specific roles

Freshwater Snails

A Rabbit Snail browsing over the substrate is very different from an Assassin Snail hunting other snails. Choose a species because you enjoy its behaviour and can meet its particular needs.

Explore freshwater snails →
Ancistrus pleco
Specialist livestock

Ancistrus & Plecos

There's much more to these fish than an appetite for algae. A well-chosen Ancistrus can be full of character, but check its adult size, food and hiding places before it joins your tank.

Explore Ancistrus →
View available Clean Up Crew livestock →
Freshwater aquarium livestock from the Glass and Gill catalogue
Care before purchase

A little help, not a replacement for good care

It is tempting to see algae on the glass and go shopping for something to eat it. Sometimes a suitable grazer can help, but no animal will put an unbalanced aquarium right on its own. Every new resident also adds to the food and waste you need to manage.

Before adding another resident

Look at how long the lights are on, how much food is going in, whether your plants are thriving and where waste gathers. Fixing the cause usually makes a bigger difference than adding more livestock.

Choose for the long term

Think about the adult animal, not just the small one in the shop. Can your aquarium support its size, food and companions a year from now? Common Plecos and specialist L-number fish deserve a proper species-led decision.

Start with the real issue

What's happening in your aquarium?

Perhaps the glass is turning green again, food is gathering behind the wood, or the snails seem to have multiplied overnight. Before picking a new inhabitant, it helps to work out why it's happening. These are three good places to start.

01 / ALGAE

Algae on glass, wood or plants

First see what kind of algae you're dealing with. A shorter lighting period or healthier plant growth might help more than another animal. Otocinclus and Amanos can graze certain types, but they cannot tackle every algae problem.

Explore planted aquarium guidance →
02 / SUBSTRATE

Uneaten food and debris

A Corydoras nosing through the sand is delightful to watch, but it isn't a vacuum cleaner. Uneaten food and waste still need removing. Check how much you're feeding and whether your water flow carries debris somewhere you can clean it up.

Understand bottom-dweller care →
03 / SNAILS

A growing snail population

A snail boom often means there's plenty of spare food. Try cutting back on overfeeding and identify the snails before acting. Assassin Snails are predators, so they're not suitable if you want to protect ornamental snails.

Explore available snail species →
CHOOSING THE RIGHT AQUARIUM HELPER

Which one makes sense for your aquarium?

Start with the aquarium you already have. A great choice for somebody else's planted tank might be completely wrong for yours. Here's a quick way to narrow things down without expecting any animal to do the cleaning for you.

01 / SOFT SURFACE GRAZING

Otocinclus

What you'll notice: biofilm and certain soft algae on surfaces.

Not the answer to: an immature aquarium, excessive waste or every algae species.

Make sure you have: established stable tank, social group, food supply and peaceful tank mates.

View Otocinclus →
02 / NATURAL GRAZING

Amano Shrimp

What you'll notice: graze some filamentous algae and forage on available food.

Not the answer to: underlying lighting/nutrient imbalances or predatory tank mates.

Make sure you have: suitable freshwater setup, safe companions and supplementary food.

View Amano Shrimp →
03 / SNAIL-SPECIFIC ROLES

Freshwater Snails

What you'll notice: species-dependent grazing, foraging or, for Assassin Snails, predation on other snails.

Not the answer to: all forms of algae; different snail species are not interchangeable.

Make sure you have: identify the species, diet, reproduction and whether other valued snails are present.

Explore Rabbit Snail →
04 / SPECIALIST LIVESTOCK

Ancistrus & Plecos

What you'll notice: species-specific natural surface grazing and foraging.

Not the answer to: poor maintenance; large Common Plecos and premium L-number fish are not generic cleaners.

Make sure you have: confirm identification, adult size, food, shelters, filtration and tank volume.

Understand specialist Plecos →
SHOP BY SUITABILITY / CURRENT CATALOGUE

Ready to meet your next aquarium resident?

If something here sounds like a good fit, take a closer look. These listings use current shop prices and availability, so you can move straight from getting to know an animal to checking its individual listing.

Explore more suitable aquarium helpers
MORE TO DISCOVERSee all available options.Shop Clean Up Crew →
Browse the complete collection →
Freshwater shrimp in an aquarium
The knowledge behind the purchase

A little more knowledge goes a long way.

Want to know more before bringing anyone home? We've put together guides on shrimp, Corydoras, plants and Plecos, whether you're setting up your first community tank or fine-tuning a planted aquarium.

Freshwater ShrimpLearn about shrimp species, their water needs and suitable habitats →Corydoras CareUnderstand natural substrate foraging without the clean-up misconception →Healthy Aquatic PlantsImprove light and plant care before relying on algae grazers →Pleco KnowledgeDifferent diets, adult sizes and specialist identification →Freshwater FishChoose fish around your aquarium and existing community →Knowledge HubExplore more species care and maintenance topics →

Prefer to start with a practical article?

These are good places to begin if you're dealing with algae, choosing shrimp or wondering whether a bottom-dweller is right for your tank.

BEFORE YOU BRING THEM HOME

A few things worth knowing first.

Still deciding? These are the questions we'd talk through before recommending a new fish, shrimp or snail for your tank.

Will these animals clean my aquarium for me?

No. Every fish, shrimp and snail produces waste and requires care. Good filtration, controlled feeding and regular maintenance are still essential.

Explore our aquarium care guides →
Can Otocinclus live in a new aquarium?

Otocinclus are social grazers best suited to appropriately established tanks with stable conditions and suitable food sources. Plan for their group needs and supplementary feeding.

View Otocinclus care and availability →
Will Amano shrimp remove all hair algae?

They may graze some filamentous algae, but results vary with algae type and conditions. Address the causes of recurring algae and check tank-mate safety before introducing shrimp.

Explore the freshwater shrimp guide →
Are Assassin Snails safe with other snails?

Assassin Snails are predatory. Avoid adding them to an aquarium containing ornamental snails you want to keep safe; first check feeding and the cause of population growth.

View Assassin Snail care →
Do Rabbit and Apple Snails have the same care needs?

No. Their adult size, diet and behaviour must be considered individually. They should not be presented as interchangeable algae-removal tools.

Compare currently available snails →
Can a Common Pleco clean a small tank?

No. Common Plecos can grow very large and need suitable long-term space, filtration and feeding. Premium L-number Plecos also have distinct husbandry requirements and should not be purchased as generic cleaners.

Explore specialist Pleco guides →
What should I check before adding any grazer?

Consider aquarium volume and maturity, adult size, water chemistry, diet, social requirements and compatibility with the animals you already keep. Select livestock for its long-term welfare, not only the job you hope it will do.

Explore freshwater fish selection →
Freshwater shrimp in a planted aquarium
THE NEXT PART IS YOURS

Find the animals you'll love keeping.

Explore who's currently available, enjoy getting to know each species and choose an aquarium companion you can give a genuinely good home.

Shop the Clean Up Crew →