Southern Pygmy Perch 3.5cm

Southern Pygmy Perch

Pygmy perch are quite possibly one of the most underrated native Australian fish and easily one of the best beginner aquarium fish ever. Their small growing size, colours, hardiness, and coolness factor make them a great fish for those who are looking to enter the aquarium hobby or an experienced aquarist looking for a fantastic and unique fish to keep. Due to the lack of awareness about this phenomenal fish, they are not commonly available in the aquarium hobby but are certainly one of the best fish you will come across. 

Pygmy perch can be found all over Australia and have regional variants that can differ in colours and aesthetics. One of these variations is the southern pygmy perch which grows to a maximum size of 6cm and has some beautiful colours when mature. They have an olive-green base colour with darker tints on the tip of the scales. The southern pygmy perch also have a much lighter underbelly compared to other variants and red tinges through the fins and a streak through the length of the body. The southern pygmy perch are also extremely hardy and can tolerate a temperature range from 8-26 degrees meaning they can be kept in ponds, cold water, and tropical aquariums which should showcase how hardy they are. 

These pygmy perch would be a great addition to community aquariums due to their peaceful nature and small mouths meaning they may only eat incredibly small tank mates. They would make for a great alternative to something like an Apistogramma or ram cichlid due to their similar size and body shape. Southern pygmy perch are also fairly easy to breed and are commonly bred in dams and outdoor ponds. They should however breed in a well-planted or dedicated breeding aquarium where the females will lay non-adhesive eggs in dense plants. Males should be slightly brighter than females in colour however there are not any directly obvious dimorphic traits between males and females. These fish are commonly found throughout the lower parts of Australia.

Tank Recommendations for your Southern Pygmy Perch

Because of how hardy and versatile the southern pygmy perch is in terms of aquarium setting these fish can be kept in aquariums as small as 60 liters. This tank size would be a great minimum baseline as it allows for a small group of pygmy perch to be kept. Southern pygmy perch will only reach a maximum size of 6 cm and will be great in planted community aquariums or a dedicated biotope aquarium. 

The choice of substrate is not a large concern for these fish however it will be great to provide points of cover such as rock caves and driftwood that the fish can interact with. Plants will also be great as they will highlight their stunning colours and be a great breeding environment. This species is most active when lights are turned on during the day

Suitable Tank Buddies

The southern pygmy perch is a fairly peaceful fish with the only light aggression being displayed amongst other males. They can be kept with smaller aquarium fish commonly found in the hobby however it is best to avoid anything that is smaller than their mouth. 

Usually Compatible

Rainbowfish, galaxies, black phantom tetra, gourami, angelfish, Corydoras, and peaceful dwarf cichlids. 

Sometime Compatible

Semi aggressive fish such as severums, silver perch, or anything which could outcompete the mostly bottom-dwelling pygmy perch during feeding. 

Rarely Compatible 

large aggressive species such as Saratoga, jade perch, Jack Dempseys, and small prey species such as shrimp.

Feeding your Southern Pygmy Perch
The southern pygmy perch should be a fairly easy fish to feed as they will take to most prepared aquarium foods like flakes or pellets. It would be best to feed them a small sinking pellet that is rich in protein to suit their diet, this can also be supplemented with frozen foods such as miss shrimp or bloodworms and live foods like black worms. Feeding should occur once a day and it is best to do so when the lights are on.