Smallest fish you would be comfortable keeping?

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There are a lot of tiny fish in this hobby, some even as small as 1/4" in length full grown. Not everyone's tank is suited for this obviously as such small fish are easily sucked into filters, overflows, or powerheads without proper precautions. What is the smallest size you would be willing to take on? For me it would be the 1 inch range. Anything smaller would need a lot more care then I am currently able to provide.

 

[tripdad]

Smallest for me have been juvenile Talbots damsels.

 

[Bob Weigant]

smallest Ive had ( and still do ) is the Pink Streak Wrasse

 

[MontiMike]

Barnacle blennies! Tiny but full of personality

 

[kizzy89]

What fish is 1/4" full grown? I have a pico that I've been wanting a micro fish for or a few.

 

[Michael Hughes]

As far as I know, one of the smallest recorded fish species (Schindleria brevipinguis) averages around 8 mm (about 1/3") and was at one time considered the smallest vertebrate on the planet.

Small fish are more common in freshwater. I'm currently keeping dwarf pencilfish, which barely exceed 1" in length, and my wife has galaxy rasboras that are even smaller. Care is still pretty easy in the right tank.

 

[kizzy89]

As far as I know, one of the smallest recorded fish species (Schindleria brevipinguis) averages around 8 mm (about 1/3") and was at one time considered the smallest vertebrate on the planet.

Small fish are more common in freshwater. I'm currently keeping dwarf pencilfish, which barely exceed 1" in length, and my wife has galaxy rasboras that are even smaller. Care is still pretty easy in the right tank.

Yeah coming from freshwater I've had galaxy rasboras. I just haven't seen any micro marine fish for sale that small. I don't think we can get the one you're refering to. I was gonna get a pair of flaming prawn gobies but they're expensive

 

[Michael Hughes]

Yeah coming from freshwater I've had galaxy rasboras. I just haven't seen any micro marine fish for sale that small. I don't think we can get the one you're refering to. I was gonna get a pair of flaming prawn gobies but they're expensive

I have a pico too (about 3 gallons). Before I turned it into a fishless experimental quarantine tank, I intended to get a perching goby (Paragobiodon echinocephalus) since their sedentary behavior - rather than their size - makes them a good fit for a pico.

Barnacle blennies would be cool for a pico.

 

[kizzy89]

That's what i have too. It's a macro tank very low flow, maybe I'll look into those ones. I Appreciate the suggestions.

 

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What fish is 1/4" full grown? I have a pico that I've been wanting a micro fish for or a few.

Michael already replied with the answer but it's the Stout Infantfish (Schindleria brevipinguis). They are not really available in the hobby though. For other pico fish I would recommend the White Cap Goby, Green banded goby, Mini dart gobies, Eviota Gobies, Panda goby, Yellow-Green Goby (Priolepis Aureoviridis)

 

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Barnacle blennies! Tiny but full of personality

I've never had one personally but those eyes kill me

 

[MontiMike]

I've never had one personally but those eyes kill me

 

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Looks like I'll be adding them to my got to have list for future tank builds.

 

[Mr_Knightley]

I got a group of 5 redhead cleaner gobies and added them to my very busy, densely aquascaped 125g FOWLR. There's a 90+% chance they've been eaten by now, but I love having little critters in the rocks that only show up a couple times a year! I still keep my eyes open for them, there are loads of places that my wrasses can't get to so surely one or two are still around. Besides those though, I'm not super keen on tiny fish. Possum wrasses (of which I have two) are probably the smallest I would consistently go.

 

[MontiMike]

Looks like I'll be adding them to my got to have list for future tank builds.

Some people have trouble keeping them alive long term. If you get some make sure you’re feeding them multiple times a day. And a lid is a must because they shoot out of their holes to grab food. Don’t ask me how I learned this the hard way

 

[saltwaterfish.com Verified Sponsor]

Some people have trouble keeping them alive long term. If you get some make sure you’re feeding them multiple times a day. And a lid is a must because they shoot out of their holes to grab food. Don’t ask me how I learned this the hard way

Lol sounds like a plan thank you for the heads up, I have a full coverage lid and already feed three times a day so hopefully that should be enough. I just have to source out some barnacles for them to live in.