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@Subtlefly,You are not going to need a clean up crew ... yet. Don't trust SAE's with shrimp. The first signs of algae you will see is brown diatoms. Diatoms are best handled by snails or Ottos. Or just scrub it off ! you don't need a clean up crew for diatoms. Any diatoms you scrap off the glass will be eaten by the shrimps. SAE's are great at cleaning up green hair algae, and black beard algae. But SAEs can't get at diatoms. And as I said, don't trust them with shrimp. But don't get them until you see signs of loosing the battle with algae. What algae you have will determine the type of fish you can use to combat it.

Copper is an essential element for shrimps in trace amounts. Too much exposure to copper will "burn" their gills. But this is with algae treatments <edit> - Or fertilisers, that use chelated copper. . You will be fine with copper found in seaweed. I feed my shrimps Nori sheets, occasionally.

None of the aussie natives will interbreed with anything, so ur good for that. Typus (aussie amano) can be freaking expense ($25 ea at my LFS) cuz they're not in demand. Riffles can be bred in fresh, as can DRN, i think ninjas/chameleons, paratya (ghost/glass), and blackmore river shrimp. DAE won't breed in freshwater, nor will NQ algae shrimp afaik. Most snails will breed out of control, but I have MTS and don't mind them (I also have a dense carpet tho). You could also have fish for your cleanup crew. My favourites are SAE (true SAE tho), otto cats and cories. All very easy to source, and super cute imo. My SAE nibbles on my fingers whenever my hands are in the tank for maintenance - he's a very personable fish. To be honest though, you could just get 5 or so nerites (micro aquatic shop probably has a deal) and they could handle the whole tank. They're tiny, but they demolish algae. Hope that helps. My favourite resource for the shrimp is Aquagreen, and particularly this document they've produced. https://www.aquagreen.com.au/files/Freshwater_Shrimps_of_NT.pdf Unfortunately we don't have them here in Aus.

Quick update. Treatment over in two tanks and there were no further casualties. Well, I haven't been able to count all shrimplets since there are so many hiding places that there is possibility that all have not survived but Im more than happy with this treatment. At some point I already had a feeling that I'm going to loose everything I have worked so hard for. I also cleaned sponge filters from one tank and canister filter from the other. I did not have any activated carbon currently to use. Tomorrow I will clean the last treated tank and hope the infection does not return.

I would just see how it goes and let the tank settle before adding anything other than the blue dream and snails. You could add a couple of amano but they will be dominant over the smaller neocaridina so don't get more than a couple, but that will add another dimension/interest! I have only ever had an algae problem when I have a new or recently set up tank, once settled I have never had a problem with algae? I don't think you will be able to breed the ninja shrimp as they have larvae in brackish water according to my book? Simon