Caresheet: White Cloud Mountain Minnow | Tanichthys Albonubes

Mari

Mari

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White Cloud Mountain Minnow

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White clouds mountain minnow are a unique and hardy species of fish. Although you will usually find them next to tropical tetras, they are actually a type of peaceful minnow that is able to withstand cold water temperatures. Their docile nature and unique adaptability make them a great fish to keep in the aquarium setting.

This care sheet was written by the lovely Scalestails, Tumblr’s favorite pet expert!

Minimum tank size15 gal (57 L), long
TemperamentPeaceful
DietCarnivorous
Temperature60-72 °F (15-22 °C)
pH6-7
kH5-20 °H
Length1-2″ (~3cm)
White Cloud Mountain Minnow

Name

Tanichthys albonubes is commonly known as white cloud fish, white cloud mountain fish, and white cloud mountain minnow. In some places, they may even be referred to as canton, cadrinal fish, or China danio; however, while both Tanichthys albonubes and Danio sp. are part of the carp family,  Cyprinidae, the ‘danio’ name is not interchangeable between the two species.

Natural Habitat

The cloud mountain minnow was first discovered in 1932 and was known to inhabit the streams of Mount Baiyun, north of Guangzhou, and Guangdong Province, China. Eventually, their native waters became polluted and the wild species was considered extinct. In 2007, an additional population was found on Hainan Island, a large island south of China and east of Vietnam, far away from their original place of origin.

White cloud mountain minnows are found at high elevations in cool waters with an ideal temperature range of 64–72 °F (18–22 °C), but have been known to survive 41 °F (5 °C) water conditions. They prefer areas with plenty of plants, rocky substrates, and low to medium water flow, and can be expected to live 4-5 years.

Identification

White cloud mountain minnows have a typical torpedo-shaped body that only reaches about 1.5 inches (2.5 cm) in size when fully grown. They have a pink/white iridescent line running the length of their green/silver body that ends with a black dot at the base of the tail.

Males have a splash of red on their dorsal and caudal fins, as well as a hint of color on their mouths. Females are slightly larger, lack any red color, and have rounder torsos. Males typically have nicer colors overall and can be seen displaying and sparring with each other.

While there are only one species of Tanichthys albonubes, there is some variety in shape and color available in the aquarium hobby:

  • Longfin white cloud/Meteor minnow: a white cloud mountain minnow with longer fins; a product of captive breeding.
  • Golden white cloud: has a white lateral line across the length of its gold body and does not have any hints of red on the snout.

White cloud mountain minnow requirements

Because of the conditions found in their natural habitat, these fish give us the unique chance to recreate their environment in a small unheated tank. The most common fish species that can go in unheated tanks are goldfish. However, their large waste output and adult size make them impossible to keep in small tanks. On the other hand, the white cloud mountain minnow tank size is much smaller at only 15 gallons (57 L) and can accommodate a full school (5 fish).

If you want to mimic their wild environment, imagine this when planning your tank: a long shallow aquarium with moderate water flow, and a substrate of sand and smooth pebbles that are preferably grey-black. Large water-worn (smooth) stones can be the main decor, with possibly a few interspersed pieces of driftwood. Plants should be free to grow and able to withstand a lower temperature range. However, since they are such adaptable fish, they will also do perfectly well in a normal aquarium with stable water quality. Still, a dark substrate brings out their color and an abundance of plants will provide them with much-needed cover.

Tankmates

Just because these fish are used to a lower temperature doesn’t mean that your white cloud mountain minnow tank needs to be boring with just one species. These easy fish are incredibly hardy and are known to do well in just about any community tank. In the wild, they naturally live with many peaceful species like odessa barbs, rosy barbs, golden barbs, and paradise fish (Macropodus opercularis). Aggressive fish, such as cichlids and betta fish, should not be kept with white cloud mountain minnows as they will quickly become food!

White clouds may also be successfully kept with smaller invertebrates, like shrimp and snails. However, it is important to take note of which type of white cloud mountain minnow you have. If you have the longfin/meteor variety, they are more likely to have their fins nipped at by other fish. This means that you need to be more selective with what you are going to put in your tank, especially if you plan on keeping barbs that are notorious for picking at fins.

Do white cloud mountain minnows need a heater?

As mentioned before, these peaceful fish prefer a lower temperature range of 64–72 °F (18–22 °C) and do not require a heater. The only other widely available species of fish that prefer these conditions are goldfish. However, just because they both prefer a cold habitat does not make them compatible; goldfish are too big and too dirty for your white clouds!

That being said, your white cloud mountain minnows will do just as well in a heated aquarium than in one that is not.

Diet

These fish are micropredators in their wild habitat, often feeding on the little aquatic invertebrates that swim throughout the water column. In an established tank, they also have a wide diet and will readily accept flakes, crisps, frozen foods (bloodworms, daphnia, etc.) and freeze-dried foods. You can also consider live foods like brine shrimp, which you can breed yourself in a separate aquarium.

Behavior

These fish are a very peaceful addition to the aquarium when kept correctly, making them excellent choices for keeping with other species with long fins. Again, they will not bother any bottom-feeding fish, algae eaters, small invertebrates (unless they are shrimplets), or community fish. They may be eaten or bullied by larger more aggressive fish though, so they shouldn’t be readily mixed with South American cichlids, African cichlids, or large semi-aggressive fish like Congo tetras.

They are decidedly schooling fish species with males displaying to females by opening their colorful fins. They may display to other males and occasionally “fight,” rarely resulting in injuries. Keeping them in a group of 8 or more is ideal for them to safely school. White cloud mountain minnow prefers the middle and upper parts of the aquarium, where they will actively swim and display their colors.

For such an easy fish, these minnows make a beautiful addition to any tank.

Breeding

This species of fish are egg scatterers, with breeding and spawning coming easily to healthy specimens. If you are looking to breed:

  • Get a school of 8-10 fish in a “conditioning” tank. This is the tank you will prepare the breeders in. You will want to feed them heavily while keeping the tank clean and slightly warmer than usual. A 15 gallon (57L) tank will work fine.
  • Make sure you have a good amount of females (at least half of the school); females are slightly rounder and do not have red on anywhere their body, dorsal, or caudal fin. See above for sexing.
  • Feed these fish a high-quality diet, 3-5 times a day while steadily raising the temperature to 72F (22 °C). As the conditions change, so should the fish: a female will begin to swell with eggs. Once this becomes noticeable, put the female and two males in the “breeding/spawning” tank.
  • This breeding tank can be a 5-10 gallon tank (18-38L) with a special substrate. A common method is to use ~2 inches (5 cm) of glass marbles or low plants, such as pygmy chain sword. This acts as something for the eggs to fall into so the parents can’t get to them and eat them. Fill the tank only about an inch above the substrate–you want it very shallow–and add a small air stone.
  • Add the female with eggs and the two males. They will often breed overnight; if they don’t, do a small water change every day until they breed. Take the parents out and fill the tank with more water (the aquarium doesn’t have to be filled all the way).

In 48-60 hours, the eggs will hatch and the fry will become free-swimming. They are often too small for conventional foods so they need to be fed infusoria when first hatched. The simplest way to supply this is by adding more plants; the infusoria should show up after a few days. However, it will be important to make sure there is some in the tank so buying some beforehand is recommended.

As they get older, feed them microworms, then baby brine shrimp, then daphnia, then brine shrimp/bloodworms/etc. and eventually flakes and other frozen foods. Successful spawning will result in a new fish that could stay with you for the next few years!

Conclusion

This small bright fish species is perfect for indoor tanks or outdoor ponds (that are properly secured and regulated!); they can be quite an efficient mosquito control. However, special care should be taken so that they do not reenter native waterways. They are an underrated fish, with interesting behavior and attractive colors and fins.

Note from Mari: Thank you so much for this wonderful care sheet, Scalestails! I, too, would definitely recommend these lovely little fish to anyone who is interested in an unheated aquarium. Their display behavior is fascinating to watch and their natural habitat is easy to imitate, plus they are widely available in many pet stores!

Happy fishkeeping!

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34 thoughts on “Caresheet: White Cloud Mountain Minnow | Tanichthys Albonubes”

    • Hi Timo!
      26 degrees is a little high. While some hobbyists have been able to keep these fish in a typical tropical aquarium, it isn’t recommended. The places where they naturally come from reach about 26 degrees in the summer, but this is not constant. Keeping them at higher temperatures will most likely shorten their lifespan considerably. If you are able to lower the temperature to about 22 degrees, this would be much better.

      Reply
  1. Not sure why the repeated stipulations about minimum tank size . Much more important are the conditions. I’ve got a single pair of mountain minnows in a 4 litre tank. It has 1″ gravel bottom, plenty of weed, two snails and stands on a window sill, with protection from full sun. I change and clean it completely every 3 weeks. The fish have been alive and healthy for over 5 yrs. They must be happy because this summer we found tiny fry.

    Reply
    • I’m glad to hear this is something that has worked for you but it’s really by no means an ideal situation. Tank size really is an important factor and I would like to urge my readers to follow the advice provided in this caresheet.

      Good luck!

      Reply
  2. I have been reading all the posts on white cloud mountain minnows. I have recently set up my 15Laquarium. We have introduced 5 white cloud mountain minnows into the tank yesterday. Please can I introduce more fish. I was originally thinking of adding 5 Neon Tetras. So 10 fish in total. Or should just keep to the Minnows ,maybe more WCMM or maybe 5 Golden Minnows. I would appreciate any advice.Thanks

    Reply
    • Hello,
      As mentioned in the caresheet a 15L aquarium is much, much too small for white cloud mountain minnows, please return them to the store ASAP! A tank this size is unfortunately not suitable for any type of fish, just maybe some shrimp or snails. So please don’t introduce any more fish and rehome your white clouds. Sorry I don’t have better news!

      Reply
  3. I love white clouds. I have them in two unheated tanks, a 20 gal and a 15 gallon tank, both with substantial water flow. I think that over the years I MAY have noticed that the gold variety may be less sturdy than the normal counterparts. Pairing them up with other sub tropical fish such as blood fin tetras, black skirt tetras, platys, and a local shiner (cold water native that has survived the heat,) has worked well. I definitely would have a pre filter on your HOB to enable collection of the fry.

    Gregg

    Reply
    • None. White clouds are neither compatible with bettas nor are they suitable for a 2,8 gallon tank. They’re also not suitable for a 5 gal like you mentioned in your other comment, and neon tetras and red fire guppies need bigger tanks as well! The minimum tank size is mentioned in the article. Please don’t put white clouds or other fish in such small setups. Sorry I don’t have better news!

      Reply
      • White clouds are compatible with bettas. I have three mixed with our betta, and they do well together. Many sites say they are mixed well together along with pet stores, so I am not sure where you got your info. I do recommend 1 gallon of water per inch of tank. Although, we do have about one more fish required for the size tank we have but have not experienced any problems. A six-and a half gallon houses a betta, three white cloud minnows, and a snail.

        Reply
        • Hello,

          Sure, bettas and white clouds are compatible if it doesn’t matter to you whether your fish are thriving or just surviving. When kept together, both species will be stressed out 24/7, although because they are fish that cannot knock at the tank lid to tell you this you often won’t see visible signs. There are however a few factors that should make it clear why they don’t work together.

          – White clouds require a temperature between 60-72 °F, they are coldwater fish. Although they will do okay at higher temperatures for a short time, it will severely shorten their lifespan. Bettas require a temperature between 77-83 °F and will become lethargic when kept at anything lower. There is no overlap.
          – White clouds have brightly colored fins and your betta will see them as competition. The constant presence of what he perceives as possibly other bettas stresses him out 24/7.
          – White clouds are prey fish that naturally live in groups. When kept in groups that are too small (<6), they will feel vulnerable to predators and be stressed out. Yes, they can kept in small setups if you don't care about their natural behaviour and activity level.
          -As you mentioned, even with the (outdated and inaccurate) 1 gallon rule your tank is overstocked. The beneficial bacteria in your filter are likely not able to handle the waste of your fish and the snail, which means frequent cycle bumps and spikes in ammonia and nitrite as well as probably high nitrate levels. This, along with the as well as the overcrowding, stresses your fish out greatly. A betta and a snail would be perfect stock for a 6.5 gallon.

          Stress in fish shortens their lifespan and makes them vulnerable to disease. So yes, they are compatible in the sense that they won't kill each other, sure, but while they may apppear 'fine', it's clear they are not thriving, healthy or 'happy'/stress-free. I hope the reasons I listed made you reconsider and bring your white clouds back to the pet store or rehome them to another aquarist. Even if you choose not to, I really want to ask you to please not spread the belief that these fish are compatible any further. Thank you and good luck!

          Reply
          • Wrong. I have a betta and 4 white clouds in a 10 gallon tank (I plan to add more white clouds). I’ve seen my Betta flair up only twice, other wise he and the white clouds are completely docile. Yes, white clouds prefer cooler waters but mine seem to very happy with what I have. They are colorful, schoaling, and eating vigorously. Really, it depends on the temperament of your Betta. I am sure that if my Betta was overly aggressive, the white clouds would be stressed.

          • Please do not add more white clouds in such a small tank, and please separate these fish so both can live in a suitable environment. They’re just not compatible and white clouds really need a larger tank with cooler water. Just because it seems to be working doesn’t mean it is! It’s like saying smoking is fine because your grandfather smoked and lived to be 95.
            I hope you’ll consider taking my advice.

          • Also, my nitrate and ammonia levels are spot on because I take care of my fish tank. I have never had a fish die prematurely. In the end, it depends on the owners care of the tank and the fish’s temperament.
            You probably will say I don’t know what I am taking about and that my white clouds really are stressed, but honestly, they have not changed their behavior since I added the betta to their tank. Thank you for your concern.

      • “making them excellent for keeping with fancy guppies, bettas, and other long finned fishes”
        That’s what it says about these fish in this article. So are they compatible or not?

        Reply
        • I hadn’t noticed that while editing, this is a guest post. They can be combined with guppies as far as I know, but I really wouldn’t recommend any schooling fish with bettas – white clouds especially due to the temperature difference. I think the author may have forgotten about that. Thanks for bringing this to my attention, I’ll change it to avoid confusion.

          Reply
          • Guppies are also kept at temperatures of 77- 80 degrees Fahrenheit: the same temperature as bettas, I keep a peaceful Betta, some guppies, and some White Cloud Mountain minnows in a tank for about 2 years now, and haven’t had ANY problems with fin nipping or dieng fish, BUT, you need a REALLY peaceful Betta to put with guppies or any schooling fish

          • Guppies and Bettas don’t pose temperature issues, the white clouds definitely do – they’re just not suitable for those high temps. I would still really recommend against combining guppies and Bettas as the guppies will stress the Betta out and might also be fin nippers. Glad to hear things have gone well for you so far though.

      • Not even a small school of 3 – 5 maybe? I highly doubt many companies would spend time making 5 gallon tanks if you can’t even put fish in them.

        Reply
        • Hi Jake,
          White cloud mountain minnows are small fish and find safety in numbers. In the wild, they school in very large numbers and are actually very active swimmers. Companies sell 5 gallon tanks because people buy them; as long as there is a demand, they will be sold. Unfortunately, most people also still believe that goldfish can be kept in bowls and then wonder why their fish is dead after a couple of days. That isn’t to say that 5 gallon tanks have no real purpose. Plenty of hobbyists make beautiful nano setups with an assortment of plants and dwarf shrimp.

          Reply
  4. Are White clouds compatible with red fire guppies and neon tetras?
    I am planning to own a 5 gallon tank. Is it fine if i put 5 or 3 white clouds in the tank?

    Reply
  5. HELP!!! White clouds ragged fins, the only fish not with ragged fins is my glowlight tetra who was given to me accidentally when I bought my white clouds. The glowlight tetra used to be the one chased around, but now it is chasing and nipping my minnows incessantly. The minnows also chase and nip eachother. I know I should have returned my glowlight tetra to the fih store ages ago, but I never had time to, nor did I keep the bags my fish came in. The minnow with the brightest colours, which I assumed was the alpha male even has a huge chunk bitten out of his fins. My smallest minnow has been most affected and only has less than a third of a tail left, and only half a dorsal fin. I think its because I have too many males, I don’t know which are males or female, but most are skinny, and all of them except for my smallest one chase eachother around . Its as if I bought a school of fighting fish!

    Reply
    • This caresheet was a guest post. I unfortunately don’t have personal experience with keeping white clouds, so I’m not sure if I’m the right person to answer questions about their behavior. You may want to contact the writer, Scalestails, they will probably be able to help you out more!

      Reply
  6. HELP! My White clouds have started spawning!!! I had only put had them in the tank for a week and they have already spawned!! I didn’t even know! The eggs must have hatched, as I can see a single tiny newly hatched fry, sticking onto the corner of the tank. I’m making some infusoria or greenwater, but I know it would take a long time to make. I’m worried it will starve to death, get sucked up by the filter intake or get eaten by the adults. What should I do?

    Reply
    • I personally wouldn’t do anything and just let “nature” run its course. I get this question from goldfish keepers all the time. Raising fish can be a lot of work and take quite some time; if you’re not prepared, it’s probably not the right moment. If you want to breed your white clouds be sure to have infusoria ready so you’re prepared next time. That’ll save you a lot of stress. If the current fry do survive, which is possible because there are infusoria on most live plants and white clouds don’t eat their fry all that often, then that’s just extra lucky!

      Reply
      • Thanks for replying, though a bit too late though.The fry I saw is no here to be seen, probably didn’t survive. Oh well, I’ll be better prepared next time.
        Does this look like a fish? >(:)3

        Reply
  7. I just recieved my online order of a mix of golden and standard white cloud mountain minnows today, and they all arrived alive, but extremely pale, even nearly transparent, I could see some of their bones! I drip acclimised them for an hour, using airline tubing, and a control valve, the water dripped at about 2 drops per second, but the water level quickly tripled in an hour. when I released them into my aquarium, all of them but two seemed fine. One seemed like it could not dive down lower, and kept staying at the surface, away from the rest of the minnows. The other one kept staying near the substrate, barely moving, again away from the rest of the minnows. Most of the minnows had already started colouring up and become opaque, but still pale, but the one lone minnow near the substrate, was still extremely transparent and I could clearly see its bones. The shipping took approx 24 hours, and the healthy minnows kept ripping at the java moss, probably eating the biofilm that had grown on it, so I decided to feed a tiny amount of flake food. They swam up to the surface quickly and started eating the flakes, except for the two “loners” I am worried and wondering what I should do, should I quarantine them?

    Reply
    • Fish are usually pretty shaken when they arrive, so that’s normal. I would definitely quarantine the 2 that seem less healthy so they don’t have to compete with the others for food. Keep their stress levels down and the water values pristine! Try feeding them a few times a day, but be sure to remove the food if they don’t eat it.

      Reply
      • They have all coloured up now, and all are doing fine the more unhealthy ones are fine now, except that the staying near the bottom one looks more like some kind of tetra, with rounder snout, shorter tail, bigger eyes and a red stripe on its side as well as red behind its eyes, the rest of its body is transparentish grey. It is constantly chased around by a dominant male minnow, and it seems lonely. This is a coldwater setup, but luckilly it is summer where I live. I wonder what species of fish it is, and I will tell the website I bought the fish from. What should I do? It doesn’t swim to the surface, and I don’t have any sinking foods.I will get them, but only have time in the weekends.

        Reply
  8. What do you think about keeping Goldfish with White Clouds? They seem compatible, but I am kind of worried that goldfish might snack on white clouds. If I do keep them together, what should I feed them? Goldfish flakes or Tropical flakes? Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Goldfish will definitely try to snack on white clouds – whether they will succeed in doing so is something else, especially if we’re talking clumsy fancies! I know they’re kept with goldfish sometimes, but I would personally recommend to only keep goldfish with other goldfish. Their care and requirements are pretty complicated and they could end up harrassing other fish. As for the food, neither! Flakes, especially the brands made for goldfish, are usually not very nutritious at all. It’s better to combine a good quality pellet with frozen foods and, in the case of goldfish, fresh veggies!
      Hope that answers your questions. 🙂

      Reply

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