The backbone of many saltwater systems is a good cleanup crew. Algae will opportunistically try to use the nutrients in your water body. A saltwater aquarium can be plagued with quite a bit of algae if water parameters are high. It is impossible to have an aquarium without algae due to the feeding and production of fish waste. Invertebrates and fish are used to help prevent algal blooms. Invertebrates such as snails and crabs can wedge themselves into areas many fish cannot and eat food that has fallen into these crevices. The main goal is to enjoy this hobby and not suffer from algal blooms’ hands. A good cleanup crew can help!
Cleanup Crew for Reef Aquariums
Reef aquariums can have a large assortment of critters to help maintain your aquarium and keep your algae at bay. I will do my best to list the best ones for the job and will provide information on the potential flaws of each. Before adding any new invertebrate or fish test out your salinity and water parameters with an Aquarium Salinity Refractometer and an API Reef Master Test Kit! Make sure your water parameters are in check before adding any new wildlife.
Snails
There is a large variety of saltwater snails that can be thrown into your reef aquarium. They help clean up algae, eat food that is left behind by fish, and help clear up your sand bed. The biggest problem with snails is that they can be quite clumsy and will sometimes fall upside down and not be able to flip back over. This can become a nuisance because we as hobbyists have to come to the rescue. The most common snail to do this (in my opinion) is the Mexican Turbo Snail. They somehow always seem to end up flipped and require a little assistance from us. Snails will sometimes climb out of an aquarium with an open top and fall to their deaths. Lastly, like many inverts, snails can and will knock over coral and move rock that is not placed well. I will go a little more in-depth on which snails are great to have in your reef system!
Zebra/Mexican Turbo Snail
I like to call these snails the “tanks.” They grow large and are remarkable at cleaning up an aquarium with algae. They are specialists at decimating hair algae but will also eat many other types of algae. As stated above, they commonly flip themselves and cannot flip back so pay close attention to that. Due to their size, these large snails have the power to move rock and coral that are not properly placed/glued down. They’re a great addition to larger reef systems but may need supplemental food if no algae are present. Omega One Seaweed Sheets are commonly used to feed this snail and fish when no algae are present.
Bumblebee Snails
The bumblebee snail is not as commonly found but they’re a great addition if you can find them. They’re especially a good add-on because of their tiny size. These little invertebrates can crawl into the smallest nooks and crannies of your aquarium and find detritus and uneaten food. This is great because they are carnivorous and will happily eat uneaten meaty food such as frozen Mysis shrimp. If food is scarce for this little snail, it may turn and attempt to eat other slow-moving snails! They will occasionally burrow in the sand which will help aerate it. The black and yellow coloring on these snails resembles a bumblebee which is where the name comes from.
Nassarius Snails
Nassarius snails sometimes called zombie snails are exceptionally great snails that will help aerate your sand bed. These snails are carnivorous so they will happily eat any meaty food that is uneaten. They also spend most of their time in the sand and will rise from the depths when fish feeding is occurring. They should be introduced into an established aquarium because they require a sufficient amount of detritus and other food. Like many invertebrates, they are very sensitive to water parameter differences when introduced so a drip acclimation is recommended.
Tiger/Fighting Conch
The conch is a wonderful addition to a larger reef system. These critters spend all of their time grazing on the surface of your sand bed. They are omnivores and will consume just about any food they can find. They do a great job of keeping your sand nice and clean and will burrow partly into the sand once it is done grazing. The biggest problem with the fighting conch is that it will reach about 4″ in length at full size.
Trochus, Astrea, Nerite Snails
These snails are different but I clumped them together because they have very similar jobs. They are all fantastic at consuming hair algae on live rock and also nibble on cyanobacteria that may be present in your aquarium. These three snails do not get as large as the Mexican and zebra turbo snails but can still pack a punch! They’re also a little showier because of their coloring and shell shapes. They’re great for all types of hobbyists.
Fish
There is a handful of fish that happily assist in keeping your aquarium clean and free of algae. There are a few more requirements to keeping certain fish such as aquarium size and experience levels but I will go into more detail below.
Tangs/Rabbitfish
I love having tangs and rabbitfish in my reef aquarium. They’re remarkable grazers and just a joy to have around. The problem with these fish is they need a large aquarium due to their size, feeding habits, and active personalities. Except for the Tomini tang, I would not recommend keeping tangs in an aquarium smaller than 125 gallons. Yellow Tangs spend much of their day grazing and actively swimming around so having quite a bit of space for them is a must.
Certain species of rabbitfish will be fine in 75 gallon aquariums but I would also not keep most of them in an aquarium smaller than 125 gallons. Rabbitfish also have a venomous barb in their dorsal fin. So please be mindful of their ability to sting you! Lastly, the rabbitfish can occasionally eat LPS as well as soft coral so be mindful of keeping them with those types of corals. Otherwise, they are fantastic to have and a thrill in an aquarium.
Gobies
Gobies are great at keeping a sand bed spotless! Due to their varying sizes, certain species are great for large aquariums but others can be put into Nano fish tanks. For example, a large sleeper goby would be great for a big reef tank and a Yasha goby is fantastic for a much smaller system. Keep in mind that a sandy substrate such as CaribSea Arag-Alive Sand and a deep sand bed should be used if keeping gobies. Also, these fish are notorious jumpers. A closed lid is recommended for these fish because of their ability to launch out of the fish tank.
Blennies
The main species of blenny I will mention is the lawnmower blenny. If there is an algae problem in your system, these fish will clear it up quite quickly. I would normally recommend only one blenny per aquarium unless your fish tank is incredibly large. These fish are usually quite peaceful but will fight with other fish that are similar in shape. They can occasionally nip on stony coral and clams so please be mindful of that! They will grow to approximately 5″ when they are fully grown and should be kept in aquariums of 30 gallons or more!
Crabs/Shrimp
This category of inverts can go be talked about for quite some time. I will provide as much information without adding too much unnecessary detail.
Scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp are fantastic at cleaning your fish. They will hang out on rocks and wait for fish to stop in for quick cleaning. Many fish will allow this shrimp to climb on their body to find dead skin. They’re especially fantastic for larger fish. The only downside is they may try to snatch food from coral when feeding.
Peppermint/camel shrimps are incredible at removing nuisance aiptasia from your reef tank. Give them enough time and the pests will be gone. Be careful though because once the aiptasia is gone, this invert may turn and eat up some of your coral! I personally do not add these into my system unless I have a big aiptasia infestation.
Emerald crabs are very good inverts at removing bubble algae. They are normally green in color and lay pretty flat with the rocks and spend most of their day grazing on bubble and hair algae. Just like peppermint shrimp, be mindful because they can cause damage to coral!
Hermit crabs are great because they will spend all day grazing and looking for food. They will eat just about anything offered. Remember that not all hermit crabs are reef-safe! They will fight one another as well as kill snails for their shells. It is recommended to have different-sized empty shells available for your hermit crabs to use.
Final Thoughts
Many different types of cleanup crews can be used in a reef aquarium. Do your best to fill every niche to maximize the efficiency of your cleaning squad! It will help make the healthiest and most stable aquarium. Living cleanup crews, water changes, and things such as Chemi-Pure Elite, media pads, and protein skimmers such as the Reef Octopus Classic 110 can help keep reef systems spotless!