Gold White Cloud Mountain Minnow 3cm – Tanichthys albonubes

The Gold White Cloud Mountain Minnow (Tanichthys albonubes) is a beautiful golden colour variety of the classic White Cloud Mountain Minnow. With its warm gold body, bright red fins and active schooling behaviour, it is an excellent choice for cooler freshwater aquariums.

At approximately 3cm, these fish are close to their adult size and are well suited to planted aquariums with plenty of open swimming space.

Gold White Clouds are peaceful, hardy and easy to care for, making them a good choice for beginners as well as experienced aquarists. They are a social species and should be kept in a group of at least six, with 10 or more preferred where aquarium space allows.

Quick Care Guide

• Scientific Name: Tanichthys albonubes
• Common Name: Gold White Cloud Mountain Minnow
• Sale Size: Approximately 3cm
• Adult Size: Approximately 4cm
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Social Behaviour: Schooling
• Recommended Group: At least 6, preferably 10+
• Preferred Temperature: 18–22°C
• pH: 6.0–8.0
• Water Hardness: Approximately 5–19 dGH
• Diet: Omnivorous
• Care Level: Easy
• Breeding: Egg scatterer
• Origin: Golden aquarium strain of a species native to southern China and northern Vietnam

A Peaceful Cool-Water Schooling Fish

Gold White Cloud Mountain Minnows are peaceful and active fish that spend much of their time swimming through the middle and upper areas of the aquarium.

They are most comfortable when kept in a proper school. A group of six is a sensible minimum, while larger schools generally produce more confident behaviour and a more impressive display.

Unlike many common aquarium fish, White Cloud Mountain Minnows do not require warm tropical temperatures. They are best kept with other peaceful species that are comfortable in similar cool to temperate conditions.

Aquarium Setup

A tank around 60cm long or larger provides a good starting point for a school of Gold White Clouds.

They look particularly attractive in planted aquariums with a combination of open swimming space and areas of cover. Suitable features include:

• live aquarium plants
• open swimming areas
• driftwood or natural décor
• gentle to moderate water movement
• good filtration and oxygenation

Darker substrates and green aquarium plants can make their golden colour and red fins stand out particularly well.

Temperature & Water Conditions

Gold White Clouds are a cool-water to temperate species rather than a true warm-water tropical fish.

A preferred aquarium temperature of around 18–22°C works well for long-term care. They can tolerate cooler seasonal temperatures, but permanently keeping them in very warm tropical conditions is not recommended.

• Preferred Temperature: 18–22°C
• pH: 6.0–8.0
• General Hardness: Approximately 5–19 dGH

They adapt to a reasonably broad range of water chemistry, so maintaining stable, clean water is more important than chasing an exact pH value.

Tank Mates

Gold White Clouds can live with other peaceful fish that enjoy similar cooler water conditions.

Suitable companions may include appropriately sized Danios and other peaceful temperate species, provided their water requirements and activity levels are compatible.

Avoid large or aggressive fish that may intimidate or eat them, and avoid species that require consistently high tropical temperatures.

Although White Clouds are sometimes sold as companions for Goldfish, Goldfish grow much larger and can eventually view small minnows as food, so they are not an ideal long-term pairing.

Feeding Gold White Clouds

Gold White Clouds are easy to feed and will readily accept quality flakes, fine granules and micro pellets.

For the best condition and colour, offer a varied diet that can also include small frozen or live foods such as:

• brine shrimp
• daphnia
• small bloodworm
• other appropriately sized aquatic foods

Feed small amounts that can be consumed readily rather than allowing excess food to accumulate in the aquarium.

Male & Female Gold White Clouds

Mature males are generally slimmer and often display stronger colour, particularly through the fins. Females tend to develop a slightly fuller body when mature.

At approximately 3cm, sexing may still be difficult, so fish supplied at this size should be considered unsexed unless specifically stated otherwise.

Breeding

White Cloud Mountain Minnows are egg scatterers and may breed readily in a mature planted aquarium.

Adults provide no parental care and may eat eggs or newly hatched fry, so breeders wanting to raise larger numbers of young generally use fine-leaved plants, spawning mops or a separate breeding aquarium.

Arrive Alive Guarantee

We carefully pack our live fish for transport and back eligible orders with our Arrive Alive Guarantee.

If a fish arrives deceased, please contact us within 2 hours of delivery with your order details and clear photos of the affected fish. Once the claim has been verified, an applicable refund or store credit will be provided for the affected fish.

For full claim requirements, shipping conditions and exclusions, please read our Arrive Alive Guarantee & DOA Policy.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big do Gold White Cloud Mountain Minnows grow?

Gold White Cloud Mountain Minnows usually reach approximately 4cm when fully grown.

Do Gold White Clouds need a heater?

Not necessarily. They prefer cooler water around 18–22°C and can often be kept without a heater where the aquarium remains within a suitable stable temperature range.

How many Gold White Clouds should I keep?

Keep at least six together. Groups of 10 or more are preferred where aquarium space allows and generally produce more natural schooling behaviour.

Are Gold White Clouds tropical fish?

They are better described as cool-water or temperate fish. They tolerate a broad range of temperatures but are best kept cooler than most true tropical aquarium species.

Are Gold White Clouds peaceful?

Yes. They are peaceful schooling fish and work well with other small, non-aggressive species that prefer similar water temperatures.

Can Gold White Clouds live with Goldfish?

They share some temperature preferences, but Goldfish grow much larger and may eventually eat small minnows. For that reason, they are not considered an ideal long-term pairing.

Live fish naturally vary slightly in colour and size. The stated 3cm sale size is approximate.