# Stocking My Microcosm



## kafkabeetle (Oct 11, 2011)

Hello! It's been a few years since I last posted on here, but I'm working on a new project I thought you guys would find interesting.

I've been running a 2 gallon Walstad jar on my kitchen table for about a year, stocked with Malaysian trumpet snails and two female cherry shrimp. The jar in completely cordless, with no heater, filter or lighting. It receives a good deal of natural light, which the plants (java moss, crypt. undulata, pennywort) thrive in and requires only supplemental feeding, since the snails and shrimp always seem to have some algae to graze on. I call this setup Microcosm I. Since it has been such a success, I decided to go a step larger.

About 3 months ago I set up a much larger version of the same style of tank-- Microcosm II. The bowl holds approximately 8 gallons, though probably a bit less once you account for the substrate, driftwood etc. Here is a time-lapse video my friend did of the setup.






I would like to add some fish this time, though I am extremely cautious. My intent with these two tanks has always been to work with nature, instead of against her, and to choose only species which are likely to thrive with little maintenance in this environment. For many years, I had dreamed of something like this with American Flag Fish, however, I think 8 gallons would be too small for their liking. So! I'm here to ask for some help choosing a more suitable species.

Here are my requirements for the fish I would like to stock this tank with:

1. Must be a temperate/coldwater species. The water will range from about 65 to 75 degrees F (room temperature) throughout the year.
2. Must live in still/slow moving waters in their natural environment as there is absolutely no surface agitation.
3. Must be small enough to be comfortable in 8 gallons, including sufficient number of individuals if it is a shoaling species.
4. I would prefer it if the species were an herbivore, or at least an omnivore. I would like the fish to get most of its nutrition needs met within the ecosystem, with only supplemental feeding-- that means I would be happy to see it munching on algae or anacharis.
5. The species need not be commonly available at pet stores...I will go out of my way to find it if it's the right fit.
6. I don't care if it's flashy, just that it will like the home I've made for it.

Also, I would love to hear about other people's experiences with similar "self sufficientish" setups. 

Thanks!


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## Crooks (Sep 26, 2015)

Hey!

Hyphessobrycon amandae is the smallest fish I know, however likes to be kept in a school. I kind of have this theory, that school fishes care for density rather than numbers? But I still want you to know that this is risky business; if you had another tank you could integrate them in, it might be worth a try.


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## Crooks (Sep 26, 2015)

Hey!

Hyphessobrycon amandae is the smallest fish I know however likes to be kept in a school. I kind of have this theory that school fishes care for density rather than numbers? But I still want you to know that this is risky business; if you had another tank you could integrate them in, it might be worth a try.

Actually, I just realized how cold 65 F is: Danio margaritatus? Bit more body mass though!

When I moved out from my parent's I also transferred a tankload of guppy. As usual in a tank like this, it was full of newly born fry that I would've killed even trying to catch them. I decided to let them grow out in that extremely dirty tank. No plants just gravel with a lot of the dirt on top. I feel really bad but I ended up feeding them twice in like the three months I waited. They ended up extremely small, like 1 inch, but radiant in color. Since then I've been thinking about a maybe 26 gal tank or something with guppy that just live off algae and bacterial slime, plus the occasional baby.

Disclaimer: I just told you this under the assumption that you are over 18 and able to tell that my advice should not be followed


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## kafkabeetle (Oct 11, 2011)

Disclaimer understood.  I've been in the hobby long enough and made enough heartbreaking mistakes that I don't take no advice from nobody! Hehe, at least not without doing some of my own research first. Also, I would have to be pretty observant to make sure they were eating well enough, but this bowl has enough creepy crawlies in it that I bet it could support a very small population of something that ate both insects and algae/plants. 

I had considered both of those species before but really worried about the temperature. I found something promising last night, though. Heterandria formosa, sometimes called Lesser Killifish-- I guess it is the world's smallest livebearer and very hardy to all of the challenges of my setup. My only concern is that as a livebearer they may quickly overpopulate...

Anyone have experience with these?


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Endler's livebearers are very hardy in nano tanks, and you can control their reproduction by only stocking males. While they like company, they do not need as big a group as a schooling species.


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## qwe123 (Jun 15, 2011)

kafkabeetle said:


> I found something promising last night, though. Heterandria formosa, sometimes called Lesser Killifish-- I guess it is the world's smallest livebearer and very hardy to all of the challenges of my setup. My only concern is that as a livebearer they may quickly overpopulate...
> 
> Anyone have experience with these?


I was getting ready to recommend that exact fish as I read your original post. Indeed quite hardy and small, and indeed a prolific livebearer. As Michael suggested with endler's, try to stock just males and you'll be fine.


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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

I keep a few of these A puntatum in a ten gallon tank. I feed them just dry food. They reproduce very slowly given the circumstances but they do. 
http://www.fishbase.org/summary/9779


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## kafkabeetle (Oct 11, 2011)

BruceF said:


> I keep a few of these A puntatum in a ten gallon tank. I feed them just dry food. They reproduce very slowly given the circumstances but they do.
> http://www.fishbase.org/summary/9779


Thank you for the suggestion, but the link isn't working. What sort of fish is this? I googled 'A puntatum' and nothing comes up that seems to be what you could be referring to.


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## qwe123 (Jun 15, 2011)

Aphyosemion punctatum, a killifish


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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

Yes well I don't know why the link doesn't work but here is another one. 
http://www.aka.org/wak/Ref_Library/Aphyosemion/A.punctatum.htm


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## kafkabeetle (Oct 11, 2011)

BruceF said:


> Yes well I don't know why the link doesn't work but here is another one.
> http://www.aka.org/wak/Ref_Library/Aphyosemion/A.punctatum.htm


Those are beyond stunning with their iridescent red spots! But the information I'm finding makes their care sound really intimidating. Do you feed live foods? I'd love to see your setup.

I saw some Danio erythromicron at the LFS today and I'm kind of in love. There's something about a fish that seems to notice that you are there. The whole group hid behind a rock when we walked up and my partner at first didn't believe me that they were even in the tank. When we stepped back a ways they came out and schooled together closely. Anyway, I think they are an appropriate size, and their temperature preference seems compatible. I'm doing some research now...does anyone have experiences or opinions as to whether or not I could do right by them in my setup?


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