Gold White Cloud Mountain Minnow Care Guide
The Gold White Cloud is a selectively bred golden form of Tanichthys albonubes, a hardy cool-water schooling minnow from China.
Overview
The Gold White Cloud is a golden colour form of the White Cloud Mountain minnow (Tanichthys albonubes) produced through selective breeding. It shares the same care as the wild form: a small, hardy, cool-water shoaling fish that tolerates a wide temperature range and is easy to keep. The Golden Cloud is one of several established ornamental forms of the species.
Taxonomy
- Family: Tanichthyidae
- Genus: Tanichthys
- Scientific name: Tanichthys albonubes var. Gold
- Selectively bred forms: Golden Cloud, Meteor Minnow (long-fin), Pink Cloud
Habitat
The wild species was first found at White Cloud Mountain near Guangzhou in Guangdong province, China, with a later native population on Hainan Island. It inhabits cool, clear subtropical mountain streams. The Gold form does not occur in nature and exists only in the aquarium trade.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 60 L
- Temperature: 16-24 °C (61-75 °F)
- pH: 6.0-8.0
- GH: 5-18 °dGH
- School size: 6 or more individuals
- Lifespan: 3-5 years
The wild form is reported to tolerate cool conditions and can survive temperatures as low as 5 °C, which makes the White Cloud group suitable for unheated and cool-water aquaria.
Diet
It is an opportunistic omnivore. The species feeds on small aquatic invertebrates and insect larvae such as mosquito larvae, and in the aquarium accepts good dried foods supplemented with small live and frozen items, fed about twice daily.
Compatibility
The Gold White Cloud is a peaceful, top-to-middle shoaling fish that is most comfortable in a group of at least six. It suits a calm community of similarly cool-tolerant species and should not be combined with tropical heat-loving fish kept at high temperatures.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Data Deficient. The wild White Cloud Mountain minnow is reported to be practically extinct in its original habitat due to pollution and development, although it is bred in vast numbers in captivity.