All fish / Cyprinidae

White Cloud Mountain minnow

Tanichthys albonubes

Also known as white cloud, white cloud minnow, white cloud mountain fish, golden white cloud, meteor minnow, long fin white cloud, poor man's neon, canton danio, ปลาคาดินัล, アカヒレ, ikan white cloud, 唐鱼

A small, slender minnow with a bronze-green back, a shimmering gold and blue lateral line and red-tipped fins. It is popular because it is hardy, peaceful and happy in cool, unheated tanks, making it a good choice for beginners and coldwater community setups.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

3.5 cm

Temperature

14 to 24 °C

pH

6.5 to 8

Smallest tank

40 litres

Keep as

Shoal of 8 or more

Diet

Omnivore: quality flakes, micro pellets, frozen or live daphnia, brine shrimp and bloodworm

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Southern China (Guangdong, Baiyun Mountain area) and northern Vietnam

Breeding

An egg scatterer that spawns readily among fine-leaved plants or moss, and adults seldom eat their own eggs or fry if well fed. Breeding is easy, and fry often appear in well-planted tanks without any special effort.

Good to know

Avoid keeping it warmer than about 24°C for long periods, as this shortens its life, and keep it away from large fish that could eat it. Wild populations are rare and the species is listed as protected in China, but aquarium stock is all captive bred.