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Longfin White Cloud Mountain Minnow - LWCMM

Hobbyist Bred and Raised in Europe

Tanichthys albonubes

Natural Range: White Cloud Mountain, China

Source: Hobbyist Bred and Raised in Europe

Max Size: around 1.5-2"

Sold as: Unsexed

Overview:

When young, these look very much like wild White Cloud Mountain Minnows. However, with time and maturity, they develop greatly extended fins which add an extra level of elegance and beauty.

Due to its beautiful colors, peaceful nature, active disposition, and manageable size, White Clouds have been one of the most popular aquarium fishes for several decades. They are also very easy fish to breed, making them very popular with aquarists who enjoy raising fish.

Because they sport a bright glowing stripe that runs horizontally along the body and do not require an aquarium heater or other expensive equipment, they were traditionally referred to as the "poor man's neon tetra." In fact, they are not tetras at all. They are Cyprinids...closely related to the rasboras, danios, and other Asian minnows.

This fish was first discovered by a group of boy scouts in the 1930s. By the 1970's, it had become the 9th most popular aquarium fish and was bred by the millions on fish farms. At the same time its natural habitat was being degraded and, by the 1980's, it was no longer found it the wild. However, in 2003, a small and isolated population was found in the wild in a mountain puddle. Since then, efforts have been made to reintroduce it to its native habitat in Guangzhou, China.

Setup Considerations:

In the wild, this species inhabits small, slow moving streams with abundant plant growth. In the aquarium, this is one of the hardiest, most undemanding fish. They can be kept in the simplest of bare-bones setups, but are also very popular in high end aquascapes because they add an element of action without damaging the plants.

They have been documented living at temperatures as low as 41F, so they are an ideal candidate for an unheated aquarium.

Here at Dan's Fish, we find that they enjoy playing the water flow, which is a ton of fun to watch. We recommend providing some water movement so this behavior can be enjoyed.

Diet: Omnivore

In the wild, it feeds on plankton, small invertebrates, and insect larvae. In the aquarium, it readily takes flakes, pellets, and other standard fare. We give our White Clouds an occasional feeding of algae wafers or spirulina flakes in order to make sure they are getting a well balanced diet.

Current Price: $9.99

Stock Level: 7

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