I don't know if you have access to the
Hikari line of tropical fish foods, but they
have some varieties suitable for smaller
fish, like their Micro Pellets and Micro
Wafers (new). I have C. pygmaeus and
C. habrosus in a community tank and
typically add some Hikari daphnia and
tubifex worms. I figure the big fish can't
get everything in a planted tank. There's
plenty of flake food and larger sinking
wafers for them, as well as treats of
frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp.

I had 4 C. pygmaeus and 1 C. habrosus
in the tank before I redid the substrate.
Lost two of the pygmys, but bought
5 more and got 5 more habrosus. So far
they're all doing well on the diet.

I doubt your four year old caused that
much of a problem.

Gail