What is a better clean up crew for a community tank; shrimp or snails?

[TXaggie]

I was wondering about what type of inverts to put in a community tank I'm working on. 29 gal moderately planted (low light/low tech) with driftwood, rocks and gravel.

Community species that I want for my tank:
corydoras habrosus
gertrude's rainbowfish
peacock gudgeons
honey gourami

I was originally thinking about adding RCS after I get some of my fish established and make sure my cycle is stable enough for them. However, after reading more it seems like they may just get eaten by my fish. I also like red ramshorn snails, and was already thinking about getting a few of them or some other snail to clean up algae too.

What would be better? Snails or shrimp? Can I do both?

 

[BBradbury]

Clean Up Crew Question

Hello TX...

I keep quite a few different species of Corydoras in my Fancy Guppy tanks and they do a decent job of cleaning up food that falls to the bottom, but you have the decaying plant and fish material too. My Corys won't touch anything like that.

I did get some "Ramshorn" snails quite a while ago and they've done a great job of cleaning up my tanks. They'll eat all kinds of algae and take care of anything not living. I keep large, planted and heavily stocked tanks and the snails really do an amazing job. They are extremely fast breeders and I have little piles of them in the corners of my tanks. I really like them though.

B

 

[DragonFish71]

I prefer ghost shrimp for any leftover food clean up. They are great scavengers. They also help control snail populations, dead fish, and if you have live bearers, they'll thin out the fry.

Not to mention, shrimp are just fun to watch.

 

[Mashpotatoes74402]

I feed my Oscar ghost shrimp.... THat is definately fun to watch

 

[Mashpotatoes74402]

But the shrimp that survive definately are an awesome cleanup crew!

 

[MABJ]

If you're looking straight up for a CUC, go ghost shrimp.

They eat food, plant waste, snails, dead fish, fish waste.

 

[TXaggie]

Awesome, thanks for all the information! Sounds like ghost shrimp are my best bet, plus maybe a few cute snails. : )

 

[EMAN12]

When the peacock gudgeon gets bigger it will eat your shrimp because they are gobys. What ever fits in their mouth they eat them.

The bigger the ghost shrimp gets the more aggresive it will try to attack all your fish.

RCS will be fine without the peacock. I have cherry shrimps in my 100g and I have

40 cardinal tetras
12 kuhli loaches
10 endlers
5 corys
4 cherry barbs
4 assasin snails
4 discus
3 bettas
3 flying foxes
2 clown loaches
A bunch of rams horn snails

My RCS are reproducing like crazy

RCS are good at cleaning algae, left over food and dead fish.

 

[TXaggie]

Wow, I didn't realize the ghost shrimp got so big. They'd be as large as my dwarf corys, I would be concerned about the corys getting bullied by them then! Thanks for the heads up.

Thanks for all the advice, ya'll.