An individual of these minnows kept alone may become timid and lose its bright color.
They are schooling fish, and feel most comfortable in a group of at least five. They are often sold as ideal "starter fish" for cycling a new aquarium, however it is kinder if they are introduced to an already cycled tank. White Cloud Mountain minnows are considered good fish for beginners, as they are extremely forgiving with regard to aquarium temperature and water quality.
The male generally has brighter colors and a slimmer body. In addition, there is a long-finned variety and a golden variety. Several varieties are known, one with bright light edges to the dorsal and anal fins and one with red edges to those fins. This species grows to approximately 1.5 in in overall length, and is silver-green in color with a bright red caudal fin. They are bred in farms and are easily available through the aquarium trade or this site. It was believed to be extinct for some years, but an apparently native population of this fish was discovered on "Hainan Island", well away from the White Cloud Mountain. The White Cloud Mountain Minnow is practically extinct in its native habitat. It is a member of the carp family (family Cyprinidae) of order Cypriniformes, native to China. Ensure you do not overfeed your fish and remove any leftovers the following day.The White Cloud Mountain minnow(Tanichthys albonubes) is a hardy, species of freshwater fish and coldwater fish often kept in aquaria.These creatures are brilliant for children as very easy to look after. Although most modern fish foods take this into account and include them in their products, you can still supplement your fish's diet with blanched vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, and zucchini. This fish is an omnivore in the wild, meaning it will consume some vegetable matter. It should be noted that bloodworms should only be given as an occasional treat and should not be used as the staple diet as they are difficult for fish to digest and can potentially cause blockages. Providing additional foodstuffs such as live, frozen, and freeze-dried meals such as bloodworm, daphnia, and tubifex once or twice a week will provide additional benefits to your fish's health and well-being but is not a must for this fish. These modern food products have been developed to provide all adequate nutrition to maintain your fish's health and dietary requirements. In the home aquarium, the Long Finned Tetra will readily accept most good quality dried foods such as granules, flakes and sinking pellets. These Tetras also display short yellow-orange and black bands on the caudal peduncle, and males develop an exquisite dorsal fin extension with maturity.
The Long-finned Tetras have an overall silver body but develop very noticeable greenish-gold iridescent colours on the dorsal surface as they mature. Make sure you buy a group of at least six individuals as these fish fare much better when in the company of their own kind. The Long-finned Tetra makes an ideal shoaling fish for big tanks containing South American Cichlids such as Satanoperca, Uaru and Geophagus. Other tankmates could include Cichlid species such as Pelvicachromis or Hemichromis and Synodontis Catfish. Ideally, it would be best if you kept these Tetras in a dedicated West African setup, with other Characins such as African Red-eyed Tetras or Congo Tetras. Long-finned Tetras make an excellent addition to the larger community aquarium, although small or slow-moving species may feel intimidated by its constant activity and size. Still, they are very peaceful and outgoing fish. The Long-finned Tetra grows more extensive than many other well-known Tetra species.