White Cloud Mountain Minnow Care: Size, Diet, Tank Mates and Breeding
If you are a fish-keeping enthusiast, you would have heard of White Cloud Mountain Minnow. They are gorgeous, attractive, and colorful freshwater fish species. Their appearance makes them an excellent choice for a freshwater aquarium in your home.
Their impressive appearance will help enhance and complement the décor of your room. This fish species was once considered extinct in the 1980s, but after around 20 years, they were still available.
In some regions like China, they are considered endangered species. Luckily, these fish species are available in captive-bred that you can rare in your aquarium. Caring for these fish is quite simple and easy since they are somehow hardy.
In this White Cloud Mountain Minnow care guide, we are going to provide you the information for caring about them alone with and species profile. Additionally, most of the questions you may have about these fish species are discussed at the bottom of this article.
We are also going to offer you an insight into why you should have White Cloud Minnow fish in your aquarium.
Species Overview
White Cloud Mountain Minnow is sometimes referred to as White Cloud Mountain Fish, Cardinal Fish, White Cloud, Chinese Danio, or Canton Danio.
The scientific name for White Cloud Minnow fish is “Tanichthys albonubes“, and it is a freshwater fish species from the family of Cyprinidae.
The fish was discovered by a little boy called Tan hence the name “Tanichthys”.
Once fully grown, this fish species can be around one and a half inches in size (1.5 inches). If you take good care of White Cloud Minnow fish, they can live for around three to five years or even seven years on some occasions.
These fish species are very peaceful, and it is pretty easy to care for them in an aquarium. Due to pollution, it was believed that White Cloud Mountain Minnow had become extinct in the wild.
However, some did survive in some areas far from the “White Cloud Mountain” in a large island located in the south of China known as Hainan Island and east of Vietnam, and they were found in the early 2000s.
White Cloud Mountain Minnow Size
White Cloud Mountain Minnow size is generally very small. When fully grown, their average size is around 1.5 inches (around 4 centimeters). Because of their very small size, White Cloud Mountain Minnow can easily thrive in a small aquarium.
Since they do not occupy much space hence make them excellent aquarium creatures. The female White Cloud Minnow fish is slightly larger than rounder torsos than the males, which are slenderer and more colorful.
White Cloud Mountain Minnow Lifespan
Good care and health are what determine the White Cloud Mountain Minnow lifespan. When you take good care of it and keep them in good water conditions, White Cloud Mountain Minnow lifespan can be 5 to 7 years.
White Cloud Minnow fish needs optimal conditions to stay healthy and live longer. For example, the water in the aquarium should have cooler temperatures for the increased lifespan of White Cloud Mountain Minnow.
Appearance and Colors
This fish is top to middle water-dwelling fish, and therefore you will rarely find them at the bottom of the aquarium. Additionally, they feature an upward slanting mouth with a slightly protruding lower jaw.
Their body is shaped like a dart with pointed snouts and slim streamlined. Further, the dorsal fin and ventral fin are triangular, and they point backward from their head.
On most occasions, you will find the upper section of the body much wider than its tail side. The edges of these fish fins have a hint of white.
You may find them with red-tipped snouts and caudal fins, and at the base of their tail, there is a black dot.
Other common varieties of White Cloud Minnow fish that you may come across are:
- Hong Kong: they do not have white tips. They have pale gold scales with blue band lateral lines.
- Gold White Cloud Mountain Minnow: they are cream in color. White bands along the lateral lines. Golden White Cloud Mountain Minnow has identical fins as White Cloud Minnow but does not have the red dot on its stout.
- Meteor Minnows: they feature long trailing fins. Body colors same as the standard form but with yellowfins or deep red shades.
The male White Cloud Mountain Minnow has a splash red on the dorsal and caudal fins, plus a hint on the mouth. Besides, the males have more admirable and impressive colors than females.
The female White Cloud Minnow fish is slightly larger, does not have any red color, and has rounder torsos. You can easily differentiate the female and the male since the male fish have a slender profile with a more vivid coloration in their bodies.
Due to their beautiful and impressive aesthetics, they are good fish to have in an aquarium in your room since they will help in improving your room’s décor.
Behavior & Temperament
White Cloud Minnow fish are very peaceful creatures. However, during mating season, the males become aggressive and territorial when they are competing with mates.
Outside mating season, White Cloud Mountain Minnow is always cooperative, and you will find them swimming and feeding in shoals, whether in their natural habitat or the aquarium.
Additionally, when kept alone, this fish can be timid, shy, and uncomfortable. However, when they are in schools of around 5 to six individuals, they are less timid.
In a group, they feel safe and comfortable, and if you are keen, you may see them showing off their bright colors in the middle of the aquarium.
Further, when kept with other aquarium creatures in the same tank, they will not compete or harass them. While in the aquarium in a group, you will not find them hiding. However, they require rocks and plants for additional shelter while in the aquarium.
If White Cloud Minnow fish is kept alone, it will lose its color, and you will find it hiding most of the time in the aquarium. It may not feel safe and confident alone, and its lifespan is significantly reduced.
During mating seasons, when they become aggressive and territorial, you may witness some fighting, but the fights do not result in serious injuries. In the aquarium, you will witness White Cloud Mountain Minnow in the middle and the upper parts.
These two parts of the tank give them a surrounding that they can actively swim and display their colors.
White Cloud Mountain Minnow Care
It would be best if you looked out for specific requirements to make White Cloud Minnow fish happy and live longer in your aquarium.
White Cloud Mountain Minnow are very hardy fish species when kept in the right temperature range that suits even beginner hobbyists. Caring for this fish species is pretty easy, and they have pretty low maintenance.
They adapt well in a shoal of 5 to 6 since they are shy, lose their color, and even have a short lifespan when kept alone. Additionally, they like cold water with aquarium plants and rocks that they can use for additional shelter.
While in the aquarium, they like the middle and upper parts of the water, where they can swim and show off their colors. If you want White Cloud Minnow fish to be happy and comfortable in your aquarium, you should keep 5 to 6 of them in a 10 gallons tank.
– White Cloud Mountain Minnow Tank Size
White Cloud Minnow fish should be comfortable and healthy for them to live longer. Additionally, it should have other tankmates such as aquarium plants or rocks that it can depend on for extra shelter.
Each White Cloud Mountain Minnow should have around 2 gallons of water since White Cloud Minnow fish is confident, happy, and live longer when kept in a group.
A tank size of 10 to 15 gallons should provide ample space for a shoal of 5 or 6, where they will live without any issues. If you have a minimum space, the minimum size should be a 10 to 15 gallons tank for a group of 5 to 6 fish.
However, you can use even a larger tank since these fish do not mind having a lot of excess spaces.
– White Cloud Mountain Minnow Tank Setup
If you want White Cloud Mountain Minnow to live a stress-free life in your aquarium, you should ensure the environment you have created resembles its natural habitat as possible.
They are freshwater fish that like cold water and dwell mainly in the middle and the upper parts of the aquarium, where they can swim and show off their colors.
In their natural habitat, these fish species live in clearwater bodies filled with plants and vegetation. You should ensure your aquarium has many large, smooth, and sandy substrates where they will feel more comfortable to hide and play.
Additionally, you should add live aquarium plants and rocks that will provide them with extra shelter and make them feel comfortable to hide and play while showing off their colors.
It would be best if you choose dark-colored aquarium sand or fine gravel substrate to make the aquarium look as natural as possible for White Cloud Minnow fish stay. Consider adding driftwood and caves in your aquarium too.
It would be best if you kept subdued lighting since White Cloud Mountain Minnow is not quite sensitive to light, but using a dimmer light will aid in the color of its pop.
– Water Conditions and Parameters
White Cloud Minnow fish is found in cool ponds and streams in the mountains where the water is cold. Therefore, you should ensure the water in your aquarium is controlled using an aquarium water heater to below ranges.
You should get a high-quality water test kit to ensure you get the best parameter for their living conditions in the aquarium to prevent any risk for disease and premature death.
- Water temperature: 57 – 72°F (14 – 22 °C)
- Acidity levels: 6.0 – 8.5 pH
- Water hardness: 5 – 15 dKH
- Water Currents: Medium
You should recycle the water completely to prevent your fish from toxic buildups of ammonia and nitrogen.
– Suitable Plants
Adding plants in the aquarium with White Cloud Mountain Minnow will help add extra shelter for them and provide a conducive environment to play and hide.
The plants you should add to your aquarium include:
- Anubias
- Pondweed
- Hornwort
- Water Sprite
- Duckweed
- Dwarf Rotala
- Java Moss
- Java Fern
- Amazon Sword
- Jungle Val
– Possible Diseases and Prevention
White Cloud Minnow fish is hardy. However, if you do not keep the water condition in the aquarium to the optimal standard, they are likely to get diseases. Additionally, just like other fish, White Cloud Mountain Minnows also have health problems.
This fish species may have;
- Streptococcal infection; with this bacterial infection, White Cloud Minnow fish will swim erratically. They will not be able to hold themselves up towards the surface and therefore sink. Poor maintenance of water conditions in the aquarium causes this problem. The prevention: you should regularly perform water changes and ensure your filtration system is up to date. The water parameters and conditions should also be within range.
- Fin rot: it is caused by poor water conditions and bacterial infections. You can treat this by adding antibacterial meds in the aquarium. You should also perform water changes in your aquarium regularly to keep it clean. The filtration system you are using should also be up to date, plus you should provide them with correct and quality food.
Origin and Distribution
White Cloud Minnow fish was first discovered in 1932 in White Cloud Mountain of Guangdong, China.
After being considered extinct due to pollution and other factors, White Cloud Mountain Minnow was found again after around 20 years in Hainan Island, China, and Quảng Ninh province in Vietnam in the early 2000s.
White Cloud Minnow fish can be found in their wild habitat on both slow and fast flowing water bodies in streams, rivers, ditches, and canals with thick aquatic plants.
Currently, White Cloud Mountain Minnow is very rare in the wild, and it is even considered an endangered species in China. Luckily, captive-bred White Cloud Minnow fish is available in your local aquarium pet shops or online e-commerce websites such as eBay.
Diet And feeding
In their natural habitat, White Cloud Mountain Minnow eat insect larvae, zooplankton, brine shrimp, and even green algae.
You should provide an equal balance of live prey, greenery, and flake or pellet food for White Cloud Minnow fish in the aquarium. It would be best to get them water fleas and brine shrimp to imitate their natural wild food.
Micro-worms and tubifex will act as a good protein source; hence, you should include them. Additionally, any crushed flake or pellet foods will act as a good source of protein and vegetable content.
Occasion treat should be garden fruits and vegetables. You can also give them blackworms and bloodworms. If you want to keep White Cloud Mountain Minnow pleased in your aquarium, you should feed them 2 or 3 times with a small amount in a day.
Gender Differences
The male White Cloud Mountain Minnow has a splash red on the dorsal and caudal fins, plus a hint on the mouth. Besides, the males have more admirable and impressive colors than females.
The female White Cloud Mountain Minnow is slightly larger, does not have any red color, and has rounder torsos. You can easily differentiate the female and the male since the males have a slender profile with a more vivid coloration in their bodies.
White Cloud Mountain Minnow Breeding
Breeding these fish species is possible in captivity. These fish species breed multiple times throughout the year, making them an excellent introduction to the hobby.
In your home, you can breed White Cloud Minnow fish in a large community tank. But it would be best if you created a separate breeding tank since the separate tank will provide better survival rates for the fry.
When breeding White Cloud Mountain Minnow, you should raise the temperature in the tank to 70°F and add a spawning mop or aquarium plants.
After that, bring several females and a couple of males to the separate tank and ensure plenty of live protein-rich foods are in the tank. The females will scatter their eggs all over the plants or spawning mops during breeding.
Unlike other fish, White Cloud Minnow fish does not possess any parental behavior, and they are less inclined to eat their eggs; hence you can keep them in the breeding tank till the eggs hatch.
The hatching process will take up to 48 hours to complete. As soon as fry emerges, you should remove the adult White Cloud Mountain Minnow from the take and leave the hatch ones alone in the tank.
From there, you should feed the babies liquid food on infusoria till when they are big enough and then transition their diet to baby brine shrimp. After around six months, the fry will reach maturity.
White Cloud Mountain Minnow Tank Mates
White Cloud Minnow fish is peaceful and there, making them excellent community creatures. Here are the best tank mates that you can place in the same aquarium as White Cloud Mountain Minnow.
- Bloodfin Tetra
- Celestial Pearl Danio
- Zebra Danio
- Guppies
- Endler’s Livebearer
- Odessa Barb
- Mollies
- Sunset Variatus Platy (other platies can work too)
- Corydoras
- Crystal Red Shrimp
- Bamboo Shrimp
FAQs
Are White Cloud Mountain Minnows Aggressive?
White Cloud Minnow fish are very peaceful creatures. However, the males are always aggressive and territorial during mating, and you may witness the males fighting for mates.
Can White Cloud Minnows Survive Winter?
In the wild, White Cloud Mountain Minnow is more tolerable of the cold. Additionally, they like cold water, and therefore they can tolerate low temperatures. The optimal temperatures of this fish species are always 57 °F to 72°F.
Therefore, White Cloud Minnow fish can survive winter as long as the temperatures do not go below 57 °F. Make sure you have an aquarium water heater to keep the temperature at recommended ranges.
Do White Cloud Mountain Minnows Need a Heater?
White Cloud Mountain Minnow is peaceful freshwater fish that prefer low-temperature waters. They survive in low water temperatures ranging from 57 to 72 °F (14 to 22 °C).
At this temperature, they do not require a heater in the aquarium.
How Many White Cloud Mountain Minnows Are in A 5 Gallon Tank?
White Cloud Minnow fish is always comfortable in a group of 5 or 6. For them to be more comfortable and have ample space for playing and hiding, each White Cloud Mountain Minnow should have around 2 gallons of space.
A 5 gallons tank should comfortably fit 2 to 3 White Cloud Minnow fish. But we recommend you to go for a 10 gallons tank minimum to make them comfortable swimming.
Where Is White Cloud Mountain Minnow for Sale?
White Cloud Minnow fish can be commonly found in the wild in years in Hainan Island, China, and Quảng Ninh province in Vietnam. If you reside in these countries you will be able to easily buy them in your local aquarium shops.
However, White Cloud Mountain Minnow can be found in other countries you to buy from local aquarium pet stores because it has been commercially bred and distributed around the globe.
How Much White Cloud Mountain Minnow Cost?
A White Cloud Minnow fish school is around 5 or 6 in number, and they can cost around $4 to $6 depending on the region.
Final Thoughts
The White Cloud Mountain Minnow fish is one of the attractive fish species to rare in your freshwater aquarium. Their beautiful aesthetics will help improve your home’s décor.
Caring for White Cloud Minnow fish is straightforward, making them an excellent aquarium choice for an aquarist.
With the information provided above, you will have a leisurely experience taking care of White Cloud Mountain Minnow in your aquarium, even if you are a beginner.
