What they lack in size, they make up for in numbers. The newest residents of Lake Burley Griffin, 29,000 Murray cod fingerlings, were introduced to a murky and potentially deadly world on Friday.
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Some will make an easy meal for the lake's established residents, mature redfin and carp.
But in two to three years, the survivors are likely to be abundant - and big enough to hold their own and become predators themselves.
That will have the twin benefits of creating a more diverse ecosystem and a better place to fish for Canberra's recreational anglers.
And there was more good news for anglers who use Lake Ginninderra, which welcomed 39,000 cod fingerlings on Friday.
The release at both sites was part of a shared effort by the National Capital Authority, the ACT's Environment and Planning Directorate and the Canberra Fisherman's Club.
The club chipped in for the latest release with money it raised from the annual Canberra Carp-out competition held in March, in which 1.4 tonnes of the pest fish were removed from Canberra waterways.
The EPD only records fish stocks every two years, but aquatic ecologist Mark Jekabsons says regular releases of fingerlings like this are having an impact.
"Good fish are being caught in all of the urban lakes, which is a success story," Mr Jekabsons said.
NCA chief executive Malcolm Snow helped release some of the fish, which he hoped would entice more Canberrans to consider fishing in their home waterways.
"Recreational fishing is worth millions of dollars to local communities," Mr Snow said.
The release marks the start of the three organisations' next joint five-year fish stocking plan to help deal with pest fish.
Since the mid-1990s the three groups have released about 1.5 million native fish into Canberra waterways.
The February release of 44,000 golden perch fingerlings was the last major release of fish stock.
The NCA hopes their new Love Lake Burley Griffin campaign can also help maintain the water quality, habitats and ecosystems of Canberra waterways by educating the Canberra community about what not to put down their drains.
