Do Red Cherry Shrimp Really Keep Your Aquarium Clean?

Red Cherry Shrimp (Neocaridina davidi) are often touted as the ultimate clean-up crew for freshwater aquariums. Many stores market them as a low-maintenance solution to keeping your tank clean and reducing the need for routine maintenance. But how true is this claim? Can Red Cherry Shrimp really take over your cleaning duties and keep your aquarium pristine?

To answer this, let’s break it down into two key aspects: what Red Cherry Shrimp will do to help maintain your aquarium and what they won’t do.

What Red Cherry Shrimp Will Do for Your Aquarium

One of the greatest benefits of adding Red Cherry Shrimp to your aquarium is their ability to consume uneaten food. No matter how careful you are with feeding, some food inevitably drifts away into hard-to-reach areas, such as dense plant growth, behind rocks, or even under filters. Over time, this uneaten food decomposes, releasing ammonia—a toxic substance that can harm fish, stress them out, and even lead to fatalities in high enough concentrations.

Red Cherry Shrimp act as natural scavengers, continuously foraging throughout the day. They quickly track down leftover food and consume it before it has a chance to break down and impact water quality. This not only helps to keep ammonia levels in check but also prevents the associated oxygen depletion that occurs when organic matter decays.

Do Red Cherry Shrimp Eat Fish Waste?

Surprisingly, yes—at least to some extent. While it may not be their preferred food source, Red Cherry Shrimp will consume organic material found in fish waste. Fish poop often contains undigested nutrients, and shrimp will happily pick through it to extract anything edible. This further aids in the breakdown of waste, making it easier for your filter to process. However, this does not mean shrimp can replace proper filtration or water changes.

The Algae-Eating Ability of Red Cherry Shrimp

Another major advantage of keeping Red Cherry Shrimp is their ability to consume algae in its early stages. Algae begins as microscopic single-cell organisms, and shrimp are particularly efficient at grazing on this microscopic growth before it has a chance to develop into a full-blown algae bloom. This makes Red Cherry Shrimp highly valued by aquascapers who want to maintain pristine, algae-free planted tanks.

That said, shrimp alone are not a silver bullet for algae control. While they are great for preventing algae buildup, they are not effective at eradicating large amounts of established algae.

What Red Cherry Shrimp Won’t Do for Your Aquarium

Can Red Cherry Shrimp Remove Established Algae?

If your aquarium is already overrun with algae, Red Cherry Shrimp alone won’t be able to fix the problem. Since they graze on microscopic algae, they simply can’t consume large patches of established growth quickly enough. If you are battling an algae outbreak, you’ll need to take additional steps, such as improving lighting control, adjusting nutrient levels, and introducing other algae-eating species like Amano shrimp, Nerite snails, or certain algae-eating fish.

Do Red Cherry Shrimp Reduce the Need for Water Changes?

This is a common misconception. While Red Cherry Shrimp can help maintain water quality by consuming detritus and organic waste, they do not eliminate the need for water changes. Nitrate—the byproduct of decomposing organic matter—continues to accumulate in the water, and shrimp do not remove nitrates. Partial water changes are still necessary to keep your tank’s water chemistry balanced and healthy.

Will Red Cherry Shrimp Clean Aquarium Glass?

If you’re hoping for Red Cherry Shrimp to clear up the algae coating on your aquarium glass, you’ll be disappointed. Shrimp do not have the correct mouthparts to scrape away green spot algae or brown diatom algae from the glass. For this task, snails (such as nerite snails) or algae-eating fish (such as otocinclus catfish or bristlenose plecos) are much better suited.

Conclusion: Are Red Cherry Shrimp a Good Addition to Your Aquarium?

Red Cherry Shrimp are a fantastic addition to any freshwater aquarium, especially for those looking to maintain a cleaner, more balanced ecosystem. They provide valuable services by consuming leftover food, breaking down organic waste, and preventing algae growth. However, they are not a replacement for proper aquarium maintenance.

To keep your aquarium clean and healthy, Red Cherry Shrimp should be part of a broader maintenance strategy that includes regular water changes, proper filtration, and, when necessary, additional algae control methods.

So, while these tiny invertebrates won’t magically clean your tank for you, they are still an incredibly beneficial—and fascinating—addition to your aquarium community!