Coral Care Hub Cleanup Crew Choose the right workers for the job: algae grazers, leftover-food scavengers and sand-surface feeders have different needs.
Useful : a practical addition when properly fed. Caution : specialist care or compatibility risks. Start small and add only what your reef can sustain; cleanup animals recycle waste rather than exporting nutrients. Maintain filtration and routine cleaning.
Adult sizes are approximate: snail sizes describe shells, crab sizes state the measurement used, and star sizes include arms. Confirm the supplier’s species, acclimate to matched conditions and quarantine appropriately; do not use coral dips on cleanup animals.
Written by Christian, Signature Frags · Last reviewed: 13 October 2026
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Hermit crabs
Snails & conches
Crabs & shrimp
Urchins
Sand & specialist
Small cleanup fauna
Showing 25–31 of 31 cards · Page 3 of 3
Wedge sea hare reference photograph.
Wedge sea hare
Caution
Dolabella auricularia
Specialist algae grazer; plan its long-term food supply.
Quick ID Soft mottled body with short head tentacles and a distinctive flattened rear.
Typical adult size Can reach around 20–30 cm overall; juveniles are much smaller.
Useful work Consumes substantial filamentous algae where the species and algae are compatible.
Feeding & care Guard all intakes and arrange ongoing algae food or responsible rehoming; never buy solely as a disposable treatment.
Best fit Spacious, algae-rich established reefs with protected equipment.
Watch out for Can starve after algae clears; vulnerable to pumps and may release ink if stressed. Not a universal Bryopsis or cyanobacteria solution. Research sources
Black sand-sifting cucumber reference photograph.
Black sand-sifting cucumber
Caution
Holothuria atra
Experienced-care deposit feeder; requires a large, mature sand resource.
Quick ID Black elongated body, often partly dusted with sand; collects sediment with feeding tentacles.
Typical adult size Commonly 20–30 cm; can grow larger.
Useful work Ingests surface sediment and extracts associated organic food before passing cleaner sand.
Feeding & care Provide extensive fine sand, protect pumps and avoid predators; handle gently and monitor feeding.
Best fit Larger mature sand-bed reefs; not a default beginner purchase.
Watch out for Can starve in immature tanks. Injury or severe stress can release harmful compounds; species identification is essential. Research sources LiveAquaria — Holothuria atra care and suitability
Published case report — apparent holothurin toxicosis in a home aquarium
Banded serpent star reference photograph.
Banded serpent star
Useful
Ophiolepis superba
A sheltered scavenger needing real food.
Quick ID Small central disc with five long, clearly banded flexible arms.
Typical adult size About 20–25 cm across fully extended arms; disc is much smaller.
Useful work Reaches into crevices for food particles and meaty leftovers, especially after dark.
Feeding & care Offer small meaty marine foods near its shelter and maintain stable salinity; never lift by an arm.
Best fit Established reefs with caves and room for arm spread.
Watch out for Large green brittle stars are different animals and may catch fish. Do not buy an unidentified “brittle star” as an equivalent. Research sources
Sand-sifting starfish reference photograph.
Sand-sifting starfish
Caution
Archaster typicus reference; Astropecten spp. also traded
Specialist sand feeder; usually a poor choice for small or young reefs.
Quick ID Pale patterned five-armed star that spends much of its time in or on sand; several species share the retail label.
Typical adult size About 10–15 cm arm span for common traded forms; species vary.
Useful work Works surface sediment while feeding on organic material and, in some species, small sand-bed animals.
Feeding & care Confirm species, require a broad mature sand bed and verify a sustainable food supply before purchase.
Best fit Specialist established systems; a conch or modest snail crew is often easier to sustain.
Watch out for Food depletion and slow starvation are major risks. Astropecten can consume useful worms, molluscs and other sand fauna. Research sources
Ophiactis savignyi: a small brittle-star example.
Mini brittle stars
Useful
Small Ophiuroidea; Ophiactis-type forms
Useful small crevice workers; frequently shared with seeded rock.
Quick ID Tiny central disc and slender arms protruding from rock holes; some species have six arms.
Typical adult size Usually millimetres to a few centimetres across the arms.
Useful work Collects tiny food particles and organic material in crevices and beneath rock.
Feeding & care Provide mature rock, refuges and normal particulate feeding; no need to overfeed to grow a population.
Best fit Established reefs and refugiums; often exchanged by hobbyists.
Watch out for Not interchangeable with large predatory brittle stars. Dips and unsuitable transport can damage them. Research sources
Magnified female Tigriopus sp., possibly T. japonicus, carrying eggs; one harpacticoid example.
Cultured copepods
Useful
Tisbe, Tigriopus, Apocyclops and other cultured genera
Small food-web helpers; choose a culture suited to your reef.
Quick ID Tiny moving dots on glass or under magnification; body shape depends on the genus.
Typical adult size Roughly 0.3–2 mm for common cultures; species and life stage vary.
Useful work Some consume microalgae, biofilms and fine organic particles; also supply live food.
Feeding & care Buy an identified marine culture; provide refuges and the supplier-recommended food, avoiding excess nutrient input.
Best fit Refugiums, rock crevices and systems supporting pod-eating fish.
Watch out for A bottle does not guarantee a lasting population. Fish predation and unsuitable habitat can quickly reduce numbers. Research sources
Gammarus locusta: a marine amphipod body-shape example; not an identification of every reef “pod”.
Cultured amphipods
Useful
Marine Amphipoda; supplier-identified cultures
Useful scavengers and live food when their population has refuge.
Quick ID Small sideways-flattened, shrimp-like animals that crawl or hop through rubble.
Typical adult size Often 2–10 mm for traded cultures; species vary widely.
Useful work Consumes organic scraps and, depending on species, algae and detrital material.
Feeding & care Provide rubble, macroalgae or a protected refugium; use a marine culture rather than freshwater pond animals.
Best fit Refugiums and established rockwork as part of a varied food web.
Watch out for Many fish eat them. Large populations indicate available food; not every wild amphipod has the same feeding behaviour. Research sources
