White Cloud Mountain Minnow (Tanichthys albonubes)

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White Cloud Mountain Minnow

White Cloud Mountain Minnow 1.jpg
White Cloud Mountain Minnow

Tanichthys albonubes

38 Litres (10 US G.)

2.5-3.8cm (1-1.5 ")

sg

Freshwater

pH

6.0 - 8.0

10 -23 °C (50-73.4°F)

5-19 °d

1:2 M:F

Omnivore
Pellet Foods
Flake Foods
Live Foods

2-4 years

Family

Cyprinidae

This animal is available captive bred



Additional names

Meteor Minnow, Golden White Cloud, White Cloud Mountain Minnow, Chinese Danio

Additional scientific names

Aphyocypris pooni


Origin[edit]

First discovered in China on white cloud 'mountain' (hence the common name), actually a set of about 30 peaks in Guandong province, but is now extinct there. More recently, small wild populations have been found in other parts of coastal Guandong as well as neighboring Vietnam; several closely related species have also turned up in Vietnam. Often found in slow flowing streams with dense vegetation.

Sexing/Breeding[edit]

Males are slimmer and more brightly colored than females, and will regularly display to rivals and potential mates by erecting fins and wriggling. The female have a fuller abdomen when in good condition. This fish is quite easy to breed, often spawning daily when in good condition; one way to reliably spawn these fish - and many other egg laying species - is to separate the sexes for a week, feed heavily, and then put them together in one tank for 1-3 days. While not as ravenous an egg eater as many small cyprinids (IE danios) it is still best to remove the adults after spawning. The fry will hatch in 2-3 days and will likely need infusoria for the first few days before they can take microworms and baby brine shrimp

Tank compatibility[edit]

An excellent community fish as long as its tank mates will not eat or attack it, but white cloud minnows are best kept with species that enjoy lower temperatures; while paradise fish, for example, are found with these minnows in the wild and can thrive at the lower temperatures they prefer, they will kill and eat these minnows if given the chance and should not be mixed with them. Like all shoaling fish, they should be kept in numbers; ideally 10 or more of these minnows should be kept.

Diet[edit]

An omnivore that will eat virtually anything offered, but like most fish these minnows benefit from regular additions of live and frozen foods to their diet.

Feeding regime[edit]

Nothing unusual, one or two small feedings a day work for these minnows.

Environment specifics[edit]

Not overly picky about its tank setup as long as cover (ideally plant life) is provided, the white cloud minnow does best in unheated tanks and can be kept outside in a water garden during the warmer months. As these fish hail from moving water, the tank should be well oxygenated; they do well in many riverine setups, such as those designed to accommodate hill stream loaches.

Species notes[edit]

This fish's ability to survive (and breed) over a wide range of temperatures and water parameters, coupled with its low price, mean that this is an excellent choice for a novice fish keeper.
This fish is sensitive to copper in the water; any treatments containing copper should be used very carefully to avoid accidentally poisoning them. The young fry are especially intolerant of copper, and can easily be killed by an overdose.
It's latin name Tanichthys albonubes literally means "Tan's fish, white cloud", referring to the boy scout leader who discovered it in the 1930s.[1]


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