A
bottom feeder is usually an aquatic animal that feeds on or near the bottom of a body of water. The body of water could be the
ocean, a
lake, a
river, or an
aquarium. Bottom feeder is a general term which is used particularly in the context of
aquariums. Biologists often use the term
benthos, particularly for invertebrates such as
shellfish,
crabs,
crayfish,
sea anemones,
starfish,
snails,
bristleworms and
sea cucumbers. However the term benthos includes all aquatic life that lives on or near the bottom, which means it also includes non-animals, such as plants and algae.