Burmese mini moth catfish

Hara minuscula

Also known as Erethistes minuscula

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 68–79°F (20–26°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 1.2 in (3 cm)
Minimum tank: 11 gal (40 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Rakhine streams, Myanmar
Family: Erethistidae

Overview

The Burmese mini moth catfish is a thumbnail-sized, harmless bottom dweller that spends the day motionless in cover and comes out to forage at night, so it is easy to lose track of. It is peaceful and gregarious, so keep several together, and give them small, calm tankmates that will not beat them to food, or a quiet species tank. Because they are so tiny, an invert-safe nano where food actually reaches the floor suits them best. Feed fine sinking foods after dark, such as microworm, cyclops, baby brine shrimp and crushed sinking pellets. A gently filtered tank of about 40 liters with fine sand, leaf litter and shade is plenty for a small group.

In the wild

It lives in small, clear coastal-range streams of Rakhine in western Myanmar, resting among sand, gravel and leaf litter in gentle current. Recreate that with a fine sand bottom that will not damage its barbels, plus leaves, roots and smooth stones for cover, and steady, well oxygenated flow. Keep the water soft to medium and close to neutral, about pH 6.0 to 7.5, at 20 to 26 C, with dim lighting.

Good to know

Hara minuscula is one of the smallest catfish in the family Erethistidae, the moth catfishes, staying around 3 cm. It was described in 2007 by Ng and Kottelat during their review of the genus Hara, and the Latin name minuscula means very small. Its breeding is not recorded in aquaria, and like its relatives it is valued as a curiosity rather than a breeding project.

Did you know

Full grown, it barely covers a coin. Among the smallest catfishes anyone keeps, the Burmese mini moth catfish is so cryptic and still that owners often have to hunt through the leaf litter just to find it.

Tank mates

Burmese mini moth catfish is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.