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Due to my limited space I've decided to start keeping various species of "micro fish", under about the 10cm mark. Like Killis, dwarf cichlids, small catfish, tetras...and all the rest. Was wondering if anyone keeps similar sort of stuff and has any info to pass on, or perhaps suggest a species.
Thanks.

, and are three that come to mind.

is an Asian bagrid which is one of the smallest predatory catfish. It only grows about two inches long; I used to have a group of ten. There is some debate as to whether it should be called Mystus carcio, but in any case the trade name is tengara.

I love tetras and endlers, but do baby tinfoil barbs count too. But cant keep tetras now tho coz my catfish and tinfoil barbs eat anything smaller than 4-5cm I put in the tank.

Mosquito fish (Heterandria formosa) are the best, after corydoras of course. Other than Cories they are the only fish I have and i have them everywhere. I think mainly because I am jealous of the males. Check them out.

Thanks for the responses guys.

Eupterus, how do you house that collection of corys?! A dedicated room or a rack (or two)? Have always been into corys and they will probably be the main focus of my "small" hobby. Along with breeding a few tetras, killies and Loricariidae.

Don't forget <a href='http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/sp ... ies_id=107' target='_blank'>these guys</a>. I love Otos!

Barbonymus schwanenfeldii or Tinfoil Barbs grow to 35cm in standard length, according to fishbase. Not exactly a candidate for a small aquarium.
Amanda

I agree with Bronzefry, babies of big fish doesn't count as small fish - because they will end up big at some point. Otherwise (just about) all fish would apply, right?

Pencil fish is another, often forgotten, small fish.

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Mats

A small, planted tank stocked with one or two schools of tetras, a group of corydoras, some otos and a pair of dwarf cichlids is a great combination.

Despite the import restrictions of Australia, there are lots of interesting small fish that are allowed in. afaik appistos and corys are pretty much unrestricted in species so there is plenty to choose from.

If you are looking for small catfish (other than corydoras) look into South American bumblebee catfish and North American madtoms, I keep a couple species of madtoms and a bumblebee and love the little guys. I don't have a lot of large tanks either so I keep a lot of smaller species, mostly NA natives like darters and various minnow species.

ok then baby tinfoils dont count. dont many other small fish but how big do blind cave fish grow coz they are quite good, but never seen them over 5cm long.

Fairly soft and slightly acid is my thing, so I keep flotillas of several species of tetras and the houdinis that are Apistos, among the loricaria and coradine catfish, in my heavily planted tanks. If the tanks are established and well planted, six Apistos will become eight or ten, then 12 or 18, add infinitum. Never been able to find where the little buggers are breeding, and that's in years and years of searching.


By the way, though they get great big and stunning as they mature and I like 'em, Tin Foils view planted tanks as salad bars, so they don't get a fin in my tanks.

Dave

Dwarf Cockatoo cichlids are really interesting fish...they are more intelligent than a lot of the others and will be the ones watching you rather than it being the other way round! My female does like to pick on my peppered cory sometimes...just because he is smaller than the other corys!

arc200uk wrote:Dwarf Cockatoo c*****ds are really interesting fish...they are more intelligent than a lot of the others and will be the ones watching you rather than it being the other way round! My female does like to pick on my peppered cory sometimes...just because he is smaller than the other corys!

Keep them in groups of six or more and Apistogrammas, including your 'dwarf cockatoos' are more concerned with finding dinner than picking on corys or anything else.

What's interesting that over time in my tanks, your Apistogramma caucatoides have gotten progressivley more intense in color and finnage in the males and the females, especially the dominant girl, have got more and more yellow to almost an orange or gold over the generations. Odd. Been the same for the other two Apistogramma sp. I keep.

I agree that they are extrordinarly bright for a little cichlid. They seem to know the exact time I come and feed and glide en masse from the plant thickets and wait, the only way to describe it, expectantly, for me to show up and feed them. They eat, and almost as one retire and disappear into the plants.

Dave

Cichlids have got mouths to nip, not eat.. If she has a bad time with her mate, she'll take it out on the smallest cory...he is growing fast though, so it wont be the case for long! the bandits are too big for her to boss about.