Aquarium Cleanup Crew Species?

[AidanD]

I’m getting closer and closer to finishing my aquarium project and am currently looking into stocking fauna. Aside from the trio of T. dobrogicus that will be added, does anyone have CUC recommendations? The tank is a 20 gallon high with neutral pH, sitting around 68-72 degrees. I’m looking for shrimp, snails, and algae eating fish. Thanks!

 

[AuSu]

Fish is not a good idea with newts! They might seem to get along but both can interrupt each other and even do harm (sickness, skin issues, newts reluctant to go to water...). I have shrimps in my tanks, japonica with japanese firebelly newts and domestic shrimps (mixed cherry etc.) with others. Also there are snails, mostly because they've come in with plants in secrecy...

 

[Salamanz33]

Agreed. I have Shrimp and snails in my tank. It has worked out well so far. Cherry shrimp, Inca snails

 

[MnGuy]

To the people who keep shrimp with their newts: Your newts don't eat them? I have a tank of red cherry shrimp and have been thinking about introducing some into my newt tank. Do you do anything special to set up shrimp hiding spots?

I would never add an algae eating fish to a newt tank. I'm a longtime fishkeeper and I don't even like them (the most common ones, anyway) for fish-only tanks. Plecostomus fish are poop machines whose poop output will far outweigh any benefit they provide by eating algae. Otocinclus algae eaters are super cute but are mostly wild-caught and really don't put a dent in algae. Siamese algae eaters get huge.

Other fish that eat algae but are not often considered part of algae clean-up crews are rosy barbs, flag fish and mollies. Those are way too robust to keep with any newts.

 

[AuSu]

Caridina multidentata (japonica or algae shrimp, I'm not sure what name is correct in English...) are so big, brave and proud japanese firebelly newts haven't catched any - they're (shrimps) already at least six years old! In spring I bought some new but they've been on quarantine & growing for four months, they were a lot smaller. But then domestic shrimps (cherry shrimp size) with swordtail firebelly newts must occassionally end up being eaten. The population is never totally down but it won't grow as much as it could in an aquarium space enough for a huge crowd. So, I wouldn't put (all) the cherry shrimps with newts if you're not ready to possibly lose them! SFN are stronger built than JFN and I haven't tried japonica with them but they might work - which newt were you thinking with the shrimps, MnGuy? My tanks have quite a lot of plants, else I haven't done any special hiding places for the shrimps.

 

[MnGuy]

Caridina multidentata (japonica or algae shrimp, I'm not sure what name is correct in English...) are so big, brave and proud japanese firebelly newts haven't catched any - they're (shrimps) already at least six years old! In spring I bought some new but they've been on quarantine & growing for four months, they were a lot smaller. But then domestic shrimps (cherry shrimp size) with swordtail firebelly newts must occassionally end up being eaten. The population is never totally down but it won't grow as much as it could in an aquarium space enough for a huge crowd. So, I wouldn't put (all) the cherry shrimps with newts if you're not ready to possibly lose them! SFN are stronger built than JFN and I haven't tried japonica with them but they might work - which newt were you thinking with the shrimps, MnGuy? My tanks have quite a lot of plants, else I haven't done any special hiding places for the shrimps.

I’ve got three alpine newts. Thank you for the input.