Description:
The White Cloud Mountain Minnow (Tanichthys albonubes) is a small, peaceful freshwater fish native to the cool, fast-flowing streams of White Cloud Mountain in southern China. Prized for their shimmering silver bodies and striking red, gold and black highlights, these minnows are a favourite in the aquarium hobby for both their hardiness and beauty. Their graceful schooling behaviour and colourful appearance make them a delightful addition to planted and community tanks.
Males typically display more vibrant colouration, with brighter red caudal fins and a more streamlined body. Females, while slightly plumper and less intensely coloured, are equally charming and provide balance within a group. When kept in larger schools, their social interactions and coordinated swimming bring movement and vitality to any aquascape.
White Cloud Mountain Minnows are particularly well suited to unheated aquariums and ponds, thriving in cooler temperatures where many tropical species cannot. Their adaptability, peaceful temperament, and modest care requirements make them an excellent choice for beginners and experienced hobbyists alike.
Temperament:
Known for their gentle and social nature, White Cloud Mountain Minnows do best when kept in schools of six or more. They are ideal community fish, coexisting peacefully with other small, non aggressive species. Their calm disposition and active mid water swimming make them perfect companions for similarly sized fish that prefer cooler water conditions.
Diet:
White Cloud Mountain Minnows are omnivorous and readily accept a variety of foods. In the wild, they feed on small insects, larvae, and plant matter. In the aquarium, they will thrive on a balanced diet of high quality flakes or micro pellets, along with occasional treats of live or frozen foods such as daphnia, brine shrimp, and micro worms. Supplementing their diet with finely chopped vegetables or spirulina-based foods will enhance their health and colouration.
Breeding Behaviour:
White Cloud Minnows are egg-scatterers with simple yet fascinating breeding behaviour. Mature males become more brightly coloured and may chase each other briefly to court females, while females develop a rounder body when carrying eggs. Spawning usually takes place among fine-leaved plants, moss, or spawning mops, where the female scatters eggs and the male fertilises them as they fall.
Some of the eggs may be eaten by other fish, so providing materials such as coconut husk, leaf litter, or other substrates on the bottom of the aquarium can help. The eggs fall into and underneath these materials, keeping them out of reach until they hatch. Once the fry are old enough and large enough to avoid being eaten, they will rise above the husk and begin swimming freely.
After hatching, the tiny fry initially feed on microscopic foods, gradually moving onto baby brine shrimp or finely crushed food as they grow. To encourage breeding, provide dense plant cover, maintain clean, slightly cooler water, and feed adults a varied, high-quality diet to keep them in top condition.
Care Guide:
- Species – Tanichthys albonubes
- Common Name – White Cloud Mountain Minnow
- Origin – China
- Temperament - Peaceful
- Diet – Omnivore
- Minimum Tank Requirement - 40 litres for small group
- Tank Level - Top Dwellers
- Care Level - easy
- PH Range – 6.0 – 8.0
- Temperature – Cold & Tropical 15°c – 24°c
- Breed Type – Egg Scatterers
- Size – approximately 4cm
- Sex – Un-sexed
Acclimation Guide:
- Float the Bag: Place the unopened bag in your tank and let it float for 15–20 minutes. This lets the water inside the bag slowly match your tank’s temperature.
- Turn Off the Lights: Keep the aquarium lights off during this process. It helps keep things calm and prevents sudden temperature changes.
- Add a Bit of Tank Water: After floating, carefully open the bag and pour out about half the water into a sink or bucket (not into your tank). Then, slowly add small amounts of your tank water into the bag over 15–20 minutes. This helps your fish adjust to the new water conditions.
- Gently Move the Fish: Use a fish net to gently move your fish from the bag into the tank. Try not to pour the bag water into your tank — this helps keep your aquarium clean and healthy.
- Watch and Wait: It’s normal for fish to hide or act a bit shy at first. Keep an eye on them, and avoid doing a water change for the first 24 hours to give them time to settle in.
- Feeding Behaviour: New fish may not eat any food for the first 12-24 hours whilst it is settling into its new environment, please allow some time before feeding as the food may go to waste.
For more detailed steps and tips, feel free to visit our Acclimation Guide in our Education tab to help make the transition as smooth as possible for your new fish.
White Cloud Mountain Minnow
White Cloud Mountain Minnow
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Is Your Tank Ready? — Tank Checklist Before Buying
Is Your Tank Ready? — Tank Checklist Before Buying
⚠️ Important: Please ensure your aquarium is fully cycled before introducing any new fish. A cycled tank provides a stable, healthy environment and helps prevent stress, illness and even death of your new fish! If you’re unsure what this means, visit the Education section of our website and read our page on The Nitrogen Cycle.
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How We Ship Your Fish — Watch Here
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