# White Cloud minnows in warm temperature?



## Complexity

I happened to stumble upon the most beautiful long finned Which Cloud Minnows last week. And, of course, as it always happens when you don't do your homework, I discovered only after the fact that they prefer colder water.

I had hoped to put them in my 29g tank, but the water in that tank generally stays around 80°F which is definitely warm.

Is it possible for them to acclimate to that temperature or would they be doomed in that tank? The QT tank they're in now is cooler, but I don't want to keep them in that tank forever.


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## bannh

They should *survive* but you have to ask yourself it you want them living in a condition that is not ideal for them. A happy white cloud is a beautiful fish, colorful, playful and active. You won't have a happy white cloud in 80F water.

It's not really a case of acclimating them. They are made to live in cool water, days or weeks won't change their evolution.

Here's your excuse for another tank!


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## Rion

I'd agree, they don't do well in warm water at all. They're lifespans are significantly shortened in water that warm, plus they aren't likely to spawn at that temp (if that concerns you).


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## Complexity

Okay, thanks. No, I don't want to put them in warm water if they cannot handle it. That's what I wanted to double check.

Not all of the normally listed parameters are the rule. For example, I have very nice and healthy cardinal tetras in 8.0pH hard water. I think it's because they are now being tank bred which has created more of a natural selection for those that can handle harder water (else, they'd die and not breed).

So given how long White Cloud minnows have been around, I was double checking to see how necessary it is for them to have cool water. Apparently, it's very necessary.

*What's the smallest size tank that would be good for a dozen of them?* Most are males, but I have some females in the group. Breeding is optional. If they do it, fine. It not, fine. It's always fun when fish breed, but then I'd have to figure out what to do with the fry so I won't do anything extra to encourage it.

I'm going to have to find a fish encyclopedia that I can keep in my car so the next time I run into really pretty fish that I'm told do great in our water, I'll be reminded of things such as temperature differences.


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## Rion

Or just memorize everything ; Anyways I'd say at the very least a 10. A 15 or a 20 is preferable though. I'd have to agree with you about a lot of the water parameter stuff but white clouds have come a long way in acceptable temperature but it's still 75 as the max, 80 usually leads to poor health.


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## Complexity

I figured 80 was off the charts, but you never know. I would love to pretend my two main tanks stayed at 76°F tops, but I know better. Bright lighting with canopies leave little chance for cool water.

They're in my old 20L that I've been using to hold plants. It has very poor lighting on it so the temp in the tank is noticeably cooler than my other tanks. However, I really don't want to keep it running. Or if I did, I would need to add better lighting and move it to a different spot.

Hmm... I am wanting to upgrade my 29g to a 50g. Maybe when I do, I could make the 29g a low light/cooler plant holding white cloud minnow loving kind of tank?

Any chance white cloud minnows and RCS could go together? Probably not. Temperature conflict.

What other fish like cooler water? Maybe I could create a cool water tank?

Damn, I knew there was a reason why I never got white clouds before.


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## ER9

my white clouds are extremely active and curious. they seem to really enjoy cruising and darting from one end of the tank to the other. my tank is 4 feet length. my recomendation from observing their behavior would be to give them a tank with as large a footprint as possible. even though its a small fish...a 20 long would be the minimum i would consider housing this fish from my experience.

my water temp is 74. they are exteremely active and playfull minnows. i would comfortably say they could handle this temp and live a long healthy life. i have one regular fin thats a year old and very healthy and two long fins.


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## bannh

There are a TON of fish which do well in cooler water, too many to mention. I don't know why, but it seems many people keep fish at the upper range of what they are comfortable in. Or one species in the tank does favor warm water so all the fish get warm water.

I agree a 20G long is a good minimum size, long enough for them to really swim end to end. Plus in a low tank like that lighting is easier than a deeper tank. Get some neat bottom dwellers, no shortage of ones which can handle water in the low 70s. Done well, I think a 20G long can look bigger than it really is.

White clouds are an underrated fish IMO. Kept in clean cool water they can be very flashy. Worth setting something up to accommodate them.


Rion said:


> Or just memorize everything


love it


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## Axelrodi202

You keep them in a very small tank if you keep up with water changes. You could put 3-4 in a 5 gallon tank.


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## ER9

i had a RCS that was a huge girl and was doing very well in my tank with my minnows at 74degrees until my puffer ate her during a three day blackout.


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## LS6 Tommy

Complexity said:


> I happened to stumble upon the most beautiful long finned Which Cloud Minnows last week. And, of course, as it always happens when you don't do your homework, I discovered only after the fact that they prefer colder water.
> 
> I had hoped to put them in my 29g tank, but the water in that tank generally stays around 80°F which is definitely warm.
> 
> Is it possible for them to acclimate to that temperature or would they be doomed in that tank? The QT tank they're in now is cooler, but I don't want to keep them in that tank forever.


My standard fin WCMM's have been fine for years in my 76* community tank that sometimes goes to 78* in mid summer.

Tommy


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## cah925

My fancy fin white cloud minnows were originally in a 40 breeder that kept a constant temp of 78 and I caught them spawning on several occasions. I have since moved them into my new 125 gal that also stays around 78 and they are very active, although I haven't witnessed any spawning but there is a lot more plant mass in the bigger tank for them to hide.


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