4 Tank Mates for White Cloud Mountain Minnows: Compatibility Guide 2024
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The White Cloud Mountain Minnows are popular fish for aquarium tanks due to their colorful appearance and friendly temperament, which makes them ideal community fish. They are small, reaching 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) by adulthood. They can vary in color, but the common variety is silver and green, with pink and black lines running the length of their body.
Their snouts and caudal fins are red-tipped, with white-tipped red dorsal and ventral fins. White Cloud Mountain Minnows are low maintenance in their tank needs and will live approximately 5–7 years if taken care of properly. They can also live with a handful of other tank mates. Let’s check them out below.
The 4 Tank Mates for White Cloud Mountain Minnows
1. Zebra Danio (Danio rerio) – Highly Compatible
| Size | 2–2.5 inches (5.08– 6.35 cm) |
| Diet | Omnivores |
| Minimum tank size | 10 gallons (37.85 liters) |
| Care Level | Easy |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
Zebra Danios is a shoaling (schooling) fish and does well with other shoaling fish, such as the White Cloud Mountain Minnows. They are silver or gold, with five blue stripes down their bodies. Zebra Danios shoals should consist of at least five fish, but avoid a large group unless you have the tank to accommodate the active fish.
Zebra Danios prefer the same cooler waters as the White Cloud Mountain Minnow, making them an ideal tank mate. They are very playful, and you’ll often see them darting around the tank. They prefer the middle to the top of the aquarium but will often explore the bottom of the tank.
2. Swordtails (Xiphophorous hellerii) – Colder Water Companions
| Size | 5.5–6.3 inches (13.97–16 cm) |
| Diet | Omnivores |
| Minimum tank size | 20–30 gallons (70.7–113.5 liters) |
| Care Level | Easy |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
As one of the “Big Four” livebearer fish in the aquarium world, Swordtails are peaceful fish and common tank mates for the White Cloud Mountain Minnow. Swordtail fish come in various colors but often have red or green tails.
They do well in the cooler temperatures needed for White Cloud Mountain Minnows. They are social and enjoy spending time with other fish in the middle to upper section of the tank. A larger tank is recommended if you get these fish as tank mates because they are very active and need space to swim.
- Related Read: 10 Best Tank Mates for Swordtail
3. Bloodfin Tetra (Aphyocharax anisitsi)
| Size | 1.5–2 inches (3.81–5.08 cm) |
| Diet | Omnivores |
| Minimum tank size | 30 gallons (113.5 liters) |
| Care Level | Easy |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
Bloodfin Tetras are peaceful fish that do well in the cool freshwater tank conditions that the White Cloud Mountain Minnow enjoys. These small fish have a silver body with a distinct red dorsal, adipose, anal, and tail fin. Bloodfin Tetras are shoaling fish and like to be social, doing well in large community tanks.
They also enjoy live pants like the White Cloud Mountain Minnow, often seeking shelter or taking time away from sunlight within the plants. The Bloodfin Tetra enjoys swimming in the middle to upper areas of the tank with its school.
4. Odessa Barb (Pethia padamya)
| Size | 3 inches (7.62 cm) |
| Diet | Omnivores |
| Minimum tank size | 30 gallons (113.5 liters) |
| Care Level | Easy |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
The Odessa Barb is a peaceful, active fish that makes a good tankmate for the White Cloud Mountain Minnow. It is very colorful, with a silver body, a reddish-orange line running down the body, and a couple of black streaks on its side and near its dorsal fin.
It enjoys slightly warmer temperatures than some of the cooler waters preferred by the fish previously mentioned, but it still falls within the range needed for the White Cloud Mountain Minnow. The Odessa Barb enjoys swimming through live plants and will explore all levels of the tank.
What Makes a Good Tank Mate for White Cloud Mountain Minnows?
What Makes a Good Tank Mate for White Cloud Mountain Minnows?There are a few requirements to be good tank mates for White Cloud Mountain Minnows. Tank mates must be peaceful in their temperament, which ensures they will get along with a shoal of White Cloud Mountain Minnows.
Other schooling fish are also ideal due to the social nature of White Cloud Mountain Minnows. They should not be much larger than the White Cloud Mountain Minnow because larger fish will eat them in a community tank. Tank mates should also enjoy the cooler temperature waters this minnow prefers.
Where Do White Cloud Mountain Minnows Prefer to Live in the Aquarium?
The top half of the aquarium is the preferred territory of the White Cloud Mountain Minnow. In the wild, these small fish live in clear water with vegetation and plants. Boulders and driftwood add shelter when the fish want to hide. It would be ideal to add live plants to the aquarium for these schooling fish so the plants can provide additional shelter for the fish.
Hornwort, Pondweed, Water Sprite, Duckweed, and Swarf Rotala are good plants for a White Cloud Mountain Minnow. These little fish have been known to jump out of their aquarium, so a hood for your tank is advisable.
Water Parameters
White Cloud Mountain Minnows come from the White Cloud Mountain region of the Guangdong Province in China. In the wild, they live in cold water and freshwater environments. In the aquarium, their ideal living temperature range is 62–72°F (16.6–22°C). Temperatures above 72°F (22°C) are stressful for the fish, often leading to a washed-out coloring.
The ideal pH for this hardy fish is 7.0, but it can also tolerate a pH range from 6.0 to 8.0. Your tank’s ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates should be around 0 ppm to keep your fish healthy. These hardy fish are ideal for room-temperature tanks.
Size
The White Cloud Mountain Minnow is a small, hardy fish, measuring about 1.5 inches (3.81 cm). They are a shoaling fish that needs a group of five or six other White Cloud Mountain Minnows. Otherwise, they become timid and lose their bright color.
If you only plan to keep these fish on their own, they can live in a 5-gallon tank comfortably. If you want to add tank mates, you will need a 10-gallon tank or larger. As your tank size grows, adding more White Cloud Mountain Minnows to the shoal would be a good idea to keep them happy and maintain their bright colors.
Aggressive Behaviors
White Cloud Mountain Minnows are peaceful fish and will coexist with other fish with few problems. They are low-maintenance pets and will be content to spend their time swimming through the tank with their shoal. You should keep your shoal size at six or more to avoid behavioral issues that may come with a small school size.
During mating season, the males may become territorial and aggressive. The White Cloud Mountain Minnow may also get aggressive if they defend their spawning sites. Overall, theyare typically peaceful and do well in tanks with other fish.
The 3 Benefits of Having Tank Mates for White Cloud Mountain Minnow
1. Community
The White Cloud Mountain Minnow is a shoaling fish and is social. You’ll ensure your fish are healthy by appealing to their natural desire for a community.
2. Colorful Tank
Adding additional tank mates increases the vibrant colors in your tank. They will be sure to make a colorful display in your home.
3. Activity
The White Cloud Mountain Minnow is an active, playful fish and will benefit from other active schools to socialize within their tank. All this activity will also make for an entertaining aquarium for amateur to expert aquarists.
Breeding
White Cloud Mountain Minnows are relatively easy to breed in captivity. The breeding season lasts from March to October. If you’re interested in breeding your minnows, you can set up a small breeding tank of around 10 gallons (37.85 liters) with spawning mops or plant clumps where the fish can lay their eggs. Add a few colorful males and then double the number of females. Make sure you feed your fish live creatures, such as brine shrimp or mosquito larvae, before you attempt to spawn them.
You’ll find eggs scattered through the tank about 24 hours after spawning begins, and the eggs will hatch within 36–48 hours. Remove the adults when the eggs hatch to prevent the adults from eating the fry. Feed the fry infusoria-based food, liquid fish fry, or powdered egg yolk to help them grow. Within 2 months, the fry will be large enough to add to your community tank.
Conclusion
The White Cloud Mountain Minnow is a colorful, small fish that does well in cool freshwater tanks and is perfect for beginner aquarists. These shoaling fish are social and do well with other schools of small fish when placed in the correct tank to accommodate all their needs. Zebra Danios, Swordtails, Bloodfin Tetras, and Odessa Barbs are all similar-sized schooling fish that make peaceful tank mates for the White Cloud Mountain Minnow.
It is essential to avoid adding larger aggressive fish, such as the Clown Loaches or Tiger Barbs, to your tank since they will eat your smaller shoaling fish. The White Cloud Minnow breeds easily in captivity, and you can try your hand at breeding these colorful little fish if you are interested in doing so.
The small White Cloud Mountain Minnow is a good beginner fish for budding aquarists looking for low-maintenance freshwater fish for their community tanks.
Featured Image Credit: Grigorev Mikhail, Shutterstock
