White cloud mountain minnow

Overview

The white cloud mountain minnow is named after White Cloud Mountain near Guangzhou, China, where it was discovered in the 1930s. It grows to about 1.5 inches (4 cm) and has a slender body with a gold or silver stripe on a greenish-bronze background, plus fins tipped in red and white. Long-finned and golden captive strains are also available.

It is now very rare in the wild, but it has been bred in the hobby for decades and every fish in the trade is captive-bred. It is one of the best fish for beginners: hardy, peaceful, active and brightly colored when kept in a group in cool water. It is perfect for unheated tanks, shrimp keepers and anyone looking for a realistic alternative to goldfish in a small aquarium.

Care and tank setup

A 15-gallon (60 L) tank comfortably holds a school of 8-10, which is when they show their best colors and males spar with fins flared.

• Temperature: cool water. Normal room temperature usually suits them; kept constantly above 75-77 °F (24-25 °C) they fade and live shorter lives. No heater needed unless the room gets very cold.
• Water: very tolerant of pH and hardness; what matters is clean water with 25% weekly changes.
• Decor: plenty of plants (Java fern, elodea, vallisneria, moss) plus open swimming space. A lid is wise, as they can jump.

They are very peaceful and do well with shrimp, snails, medaka, cool-tolerant danios and rasboras and other small temperate fish. Do not keep them with goldfish, which grow large and will eventually eat them, or with tropical fish that need 79-82 °F (26-28 °C). A common mistake is keeping just one or two; they turn shy and lose color.

Feeding

An easygoing omnivore. It takes fine flakes and quality micro pellets and appreciates brine shrimp, daphnia, cyclops and mosquito larvae, frozen or live, which boost its color. Feed small portions once or twice a day. In cooler water it eats less, so adjust the amount to what it finishes in a couple of minutes.

Breeding

One of the easiest fish to breed. It scatters eggs over fine-leaved plants or moss and provides no care; in a densely planted species tank many fry survive on their own because adults rarely hunt them. For larger numbers, move a few adults into a small tank with moss and remove them after spawning. Fry eat infusoria first, then baby brine shrimp.

Compatible tank mates

Species from our database that share water parameters, size and temperament with the White cloud mountain minnow. Calculated from the data in each profile.

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What not to keep it with

Popular species you shouldn’t house with the White cloud mountain minnow, and why.

• Cherry barb: incompatible temperatures
• Betta fish: incompatible temperatures
• Common goldfish: one may eat the other due to size
• Discus: incompatible temperatures
• Angelfish: incompatible temperatures, one may eat the other due to size
• Dwarf gourami: incompatible temperatures
• Yellow lab cichlid: incompatible temperatures, one may eat the other due to size
• Clown loach: incompatible temperatures, one may eat the other due to size

Recommended equipment

What you need to keep the White cloud mountain minnow healthy, checked against Amazon stock.