A hand-held submersible aquarium power cleaner (10) for cleaning debris from an aquarium, includes an elongated housing (12) having an intake compartment (25) and a filtering compartment (27) therein. A nozzle (61) is positioned at a front end of the housing (12) and is in fluid communication with the intake compartment (25), wherein a selectively openable channel (26) is provided between the intake compartment (25) and the filter compartment (27). A filter (70) is disposed in fluid communication with the filter compartment (27). A water pump assembly (30) has an impeller (36) rotatably connected to an electric motor (32), wherein the impeller (36) is in fluid communication with the intake compartment (25). A power switch (52) controls power to the electric motor (32) so that rotation of the impeller (36) draws aquarium water and debris through the nozzle (61) and into the filtering compartment (27), where the debris is captured and retained by the filter (70) and cleansed water is discharged into the aquarium.
