Sometimes your aquarium feels a bit monotonous with just fish in it. Although they come in an infinite variety of shapes and colors, fish are … just fish.
That is why many aquarists are looking to spice things up with small aquatic invertebrates in their aquariums.
Aquatic invertebrates, or inverts as fondly called by aquarists, look and behave differently from fish. They make your aquarium way more interesting.
Exploring the world of invertebrate pets will be amazing. But since you are entering unchartered territory, it would be wise to learn a little about these invertebrate aquatic animals before you head to your local pet store.
We’ll go through some general information on taking care of freshwater invertebrates for aquariums and give some good examples of pet invertebrates you can keep.
Let’s get started.
What Are Invertebrates?
Invertebrates are animals without a spine – in the literal sense. In terms of numbers, they dominate the earth, comprising 95% of all known species.
Despite being everywhere, you wouldn’t notice them easily, because they tend to be small. Invertebrates are a large class of animals and include insects, but for the purpose of this post, we’ll only be talking about invertebrates for freshwater tanks.
Freshwater Aquarium invertebrates can be divided into two main groups: mollusks and crustaceans. Mollusks include snails, slugs and octopus , while crustaceans include shrimps, crayfish, carbs, etc.
Aquarium invertebrates have the reputation of being great tank cleaners, diligently getting rid of algae and leftover food by eating them. In fact, many aquarists get them as cleaning agents for their tanks.
They are generally easy to keep, but sometimes their requirements can be a bit tricky. For instance, some inverts require brackish water, while some prefer colder temperatures.
Their feeding habits are also vastly different. Some are scavengers while some are filter feeders. And some, especially snails, can go to work on your beautiful aquarium plants, while some can even feast on fish that is small enough.
How to Care for Freshwater Invertebrates
Of course, each species has its own requirements, but there are a few general things to keep in mind when caring for invertebrate pets.
First off, calcium is a much-needed mineral for crustaceans and snails. Without sufficient calcium, their shells will not grow properly.
As you may know, crustaceans molt their exoskeleton periodically; if they don’t have enough calcium they may not molt properly, leaving them vulnerable and maybe even killing them.
Lack of calcium in snails can lead to shell erosion, which can be quite ugly – worse still, the damage is permanent.
To prevent this catastrophe you can add calcium to your tank, anything from cuttlebone pieces, and calcium mineral rock, to crushed coral. Calcium-enriched fish food can also do the trick.
Something you should NOT add to your invertebrate tank is copper. Copper is lethal to these critters, so make sure any food or medication you use is free from it.
Also, small aquatic invertebrates are, well, small, so powerful filters are not a good idea as they can get sucked in. Use an air pump filter with a sponge as it is safer.
Crustaceans are vulnerable right after molting, so make sure you give them plenty of hiding spots where they can feel safe.
And lastly, unlike fish, some of these guys can walk, so keep a lid on your tank to prevent them from taking a stroll to the outside world.
Getting Snails for Your Aquarium
Snails are tranquil animals that won’t cause much disturbance to your aquarium – the only exception is when you get snails that see your aquatic plants as food, not décor.
Another thing is some snails are hermaphrodites, which means they possess both male and female sexual organs. So if you’re not careful, they can overpopulate your tank very easily.
Snails need hard alkaline water with a lot of calcium to stave off shell erosion, which can cause permanent damage.
Here are some good snail invertebrates for freshwater tanks.
Nerite Snail
Nerite snails are a good pick if you have live plants in your aquarium, as they are one of the only few snails that will leave them alone.
They are less than an inch in size with a round shell; they feed on algae, diatoms, and dead plants.
Like most snails, they are docile and easy to keep. You have a lot of options including Zebra Nerite, Tiger Nerite, and Horned Nerite Snail.
Assassin Snail
Also called the bumblebee snail because of its similar colors, the assassin snail sports a conical shell that is adorned with yellow and brown stripes.
As you may have guessed, they are called assassin snails because they are voracious predators. Being carnivores, they will leave your plants alone, but other snails are not so lucky, so you can’t keep any with them.
They also eat fish eggs and dead flesh, which help tamper down unintended breeding and keep your tank clean.
Getting Shrimps for Your Aquarium
There is no doubt that shrimps are interesting creatures for your aquarium – they are more active than snails at least.
There are two types of shrimps you can get: Caridina and Neocaridina.
Caridina shrimps have specific requirements, while Neocaridina is capable of adapting to a wide range of conditions. Both types are sensitive to changes in water conditions.
Shrimps can eat almost anything and have a very low bioload, which means you can stock many in a small tank.
Amano Shrimp
These are also called algae shrimp, and for good reason: they eat algae like there is no tomorrow. So it’s a good pick if you have an algae problem in your tank.
These peaceful shrimps just need 10 gallons of water. They also don’t breed easily, which is a good thing if you want to keep the population under control.
However, being tiny, they are at risk of being eaten by fish that is large enough.
Cherry Shrimp
The cherry shrimp is one of the most popular choices around for aquarists. They come in a wide range of pleasing colors.
They are also easy to care for – you don’t have to be an expert to have them. A tank size of 5 gallons is enough for these tiny critters.
Cherry shrimp feed on biofilm, which means they can clean your tank and prevent things like protein foam.
Brine Shrimp / Sea Monkeys
Brine shrimp and sea monkeys are basically the same thing – the only difference is that sea monkeys are genetically engineered to be bigger and live longer than brine shrimp.
Brine shrimp need saltwater and are mainly bred as food for fish, but since you are in pursuit of something different, you can grow them as invertebrate pets.
Conclusion
Getting freshwater invertebrates for aquarium is a sure way of increasing biodiversity in your tank and making things more interesting.
While invertebrates are generally easy to care for, there are a couple of things you need to be mindful of.
You need to be especially careful if you are going to put them in tanks with existing plants or fish. And keep a lid on top to prevent them from escaping.
Good luck exploring the world of small aquatic invertebrates – it will not disappoint you.
Thanks for reading.
Sources
https://www.liveaquaria.com/article/259/?aid=259
https://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwinverts.htm