# White Cloud Mountain Minnows



## apc789 (Jan 7, 2010)

Hi All! I have 7 of these little guys in my unheated 3.5g ADA cube garden mini S. I use a RedSea HOB nano filter and a 9w CF light. I'm way up north in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, so these are some of the only small fish I know that can handle an unheated aquarium. I picked them up at a smaller independant pet store for only 57 cents each(not to mention I saw them at Big Al's just yesterday for $4.99. LOL what a joke)! I originally bought them to cycle the 3.5g so I could put some Amano shrimp in there but I have since started to really like them. After feeding them a good varied diet of NLS .5mm sinking pellets, live baby brine shrimp, and crushed flake they have started to show beautiful colors.
I know they are adapted to live in cold water, but will they thrive in warmer water around 78F? I have been considering moving them to my 50g planted tank and buying a big school of them since they are so cheap and I would really like to have a large school of peaceful fish. 
Also I had a second thought. If they are not advised to keep in a warmer tank would it be a bad idea to add more to the 3.5g? I do 30% water change every 2 days and the tank has been 'cycled' for about 2 weeks now. Is the space really a concern or am I more worried about the biological filtration and water quality?

If anyone has experience with these fish it would be greatly appreciated to have your input. Thanks!


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## Vadimshevchuk (Jul 5, 2009)

I have white cloud minnows in my 29 gallon. The temperature is 76 F. I guess you could.


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

I think 78* is over the limit of what they can really handle. Even 76* is pushing it, but workable. Could you lower the temperature a bit in the 50 gallon? What is in there?

I would not try to keep these fish in a tank as small as 3 gallons. They are too active.


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## Daniil (Oct 30, 2009)

I have 6 of them in my 55 g. and temp. is 75. They are doing wonderfully.


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## apc789 (Jan 7, 2010)

I don't know if I can lower the temperature in the 50 gallon. Will my plants be ok in the low 70's range? Currently there are 15 zebra danios in there, which I bought for the purpose of cycling the tank, and a bunch of plants.

Hmm maybe I will move the Mountain minnows to my 10g that is sitting around. I guess I could just move the substrate and filter media over and it would be good to go! I was planning on using it as a quarantine tank for once my 50g is well established though. AHHHH I need a hundred tanks LOL. Time to get out the ol' 20 Long from my moms basement LOL.


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## apc789 (Jan 7, 2010)

Ok I set up the 10gallon and transfered them over along with the substrate and filter media. I hope they enjoy this tank more. They definitely have more room to swim and are already a bit more lively. I am going to go and pick a few more up tomorrow.


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## NatalieT (Mar 20, 2007)

tigerbarb420 said:


> I don't know if I can lower the temperature in the 50 gallon. Will my plants be ok in the low 70's range?


That depends on the plants  I would expect any of the "common" kinds of plants to be fine in the 70s and maybe lower yet--some common plants are actually temperate rather than tropical anyway. You can look up info. about the individual plants to be sure, or do a google search for something like "plants goldfish aquarium." That should give sites listing plants that do fine at "room temperature" (usually around 70 degrees.)



tigerbarb420 said:


> Currently there are 15 zebra danios in there, which I bought for the purpose of cycling the tank, and a bunch of plants.


I found at least 2 sites suggesting that zebra danios should also be fine if you lower the temperature. One says 64-75 degrees: http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/cyprinids2/p/zebradanio.htm Meanwhile, another site says 65-78 degrees: http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile54.html Maybe they don't need a heated tank either!

Perhaps you can just drop the temperature in the 50 gallon tank and put the minnows in with the danios (unless they're incompatible for some reason other than temperature. I didn't bother reading ALL about either of those fish.)


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## rich815 (Jun 27, 2007)

I had them in an unheated 5 gal for a spell where it got down to about 70, usually was 72-74. Put them in my heated 72 gal where it was 78 and they did fine....


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## Hedgie (Dec 18, 2007)

I keep Zebra Danios outside in the pond. It got down to 4c or, 39F during winter and they are fine. Getting damn big too.


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## MoonFish (Feb 12, 2006)

I unplugged my heater last year sometime. I checked last week and the lights warm the tank up to 70. It sure isn't growing common plants and goldfish..................................................................


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Zebra Danios are fine in room temperature tanks, unless you need your jacket on inside the house! 
Most aquarium plants seem to do better for me in the mid 70s rather than much warmer. 
Zebra Danios are compatible with WCM. 

Do a fishless cycle, do not cycle with live fish.


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## S-KGray (Nov 29, 2008)

I have Gold White Clouds in my 55g that gets in the low 80's during the hotter times of the year and they seem to be doing fine.


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