Introducing White Clouds

T

tuvok

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Dec 16, 2004
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I have been agonizing for a while about what kind of fish to add to my corydora setup (6 bronze corydoas in a 36"Lx12"Wx20"H tank, although tank is filled to about 16"). I was juggling choices such as bloodfin tetras, Latecara dorsiger, harlequin rasboras and white cloud minnows. My main criteria is that they don't harrass the corydoras (those little guys don't seem to have a mean bone in their body).

So, now it looks like I'll be getting school of 6-8 white clouds. Before jumping in, however, I would like to ask for some advice.

1.) Concerning temperature, I have come across info that says that white clouds are best kept in cooler temperatures but will do alright in what we consider tropical temperatures. Right now my heater is set for 76F. Is this acceptable or should I look into a temperature adjustment before considering introducing white clouds?

2.) My quarantine tank is only 5g and is currently not cycled (I plan on adding some media for the qt filter to my canister for a week to get it kick started). My question here is, how many fish should I quarantine at one time? I was thinking two groups of three-four fish (40 days for each group). The fish would then be added to the corydora tank when the quarantine period was up. Does this sound reasonable?

Thanks for any feedback anyone can provide.
 
White clouds can take any temperatures. From low 60's to mid 80's. I keep a few in a five gallon with a filter, at room temp and they are fine. One of the hardiest fish you can get.
 
Have had white clouds at 77 and they were fine. The golden white clouds look nice if you can find them. With media from your other aquarium your tank should cycle very quickly. I once moved a cycled filter to a new 10 gallon aquarium, put the new filter on the old 10 gallon, and both were cycled in four days, with no ammonia spike at all. 40 days sounds like you are being extra careful. I would only wait three weeks. Any one else think something different?? White clouds are just so hardy that I figure 3 weeks would be lots.
 
I have kept my white clouds in a 10 gallon for 4 years now and they are thriving. I keep the tank temp at 68-74F depending on time of year. If you can keep a stable 76F that should be fine. Lots of plants and filtration will help at higher temps as they are a fish that thrives best in an oxygen rich environment. When purchased they are extremely small so a 5 gallon QT shoudl hold the whole bunch for a couple of week no problem. If you can take exisitng filter media then the tank will be cycled pretty much right away. If you let the filter material run with no food source all the bacteria will die off so only move it over right before you get the fish. For safety I would test teh tank daily for ammonia and nitriet spikes and do water changes often to combat any small spikes. Keep the tank dark for the first few days as they adjust.

They are hardy fish but if you treat them well they don't have to be so hardy and their colours will flourish. They will also flare for you and look brilliant when they do it.

As I have not kept them in a tank with a canister I am unsure if some of the behaviour I see will be noticable. Mine seem to love fast flowing water and hang out at the HOB output all the time "riding" the current and then doing their dominace dances. Very neat to see.
 
Cool, thanks for the feedback everyone. My canister setup may suit them OK. My tank is not filled all the way (corydoras seem to like it a bit less deep) so I get a waterfall from the canister filter return much like you would get with a HOB filter.
 
That sounds fine. Stability or at least very slow changes are what makes keeping most fish successful and these guys are no excpetion.

Having said that occasionally doing partial water changes with cooler water (say 68F instead of 76F) will make for quite a show. The white clouds will start to show brighter colours, do mating dances and possibly even strat to lay eggs. The cory catfish will also do a similar show for you and may lay eggs as well (depending on if you have females or not).
 
Super choice. You will love your clouds. I have 11 in with my betta. They will be fine with the corys. Corys are general fine with most small peaceful fish, except apistogrammas and maybe rams at breeding time.
 
TKOS, NEVER EVER Add cold water like that to your tank, that show your getting is shock in the fish from the temp diff your dumping in the tank,,,,that's simple w/c 101 stuff.
White clouds can take temps in the 90s as well, I really like these fish and they sell as feeders at our LFS for 1.99 a dozon, I have 5 righ now that are the same size as my zebra danios.
SOmeone said they are hardy fish, Not all that hardy, they will most likely die trying to cycle a tank witht hem unless your really lucky,
the younger "smaller" they are, the more higher temps will also more then likely kill them.
They are one of the prettiest fish I think, still trying to deside if 5g is a such a good idea for them as somebody said, they like to have room to swim and filter power to play in also.

Forgot to add this,
Tropical Fish Hobbyist April 2005
Tanichthys micagemmae: The Other White Cloud
By Albert Connelly
The white cloud has been known to the hobby for almost a century and is extinct in the wild, but a new congener has been discovered in Vietnam. This new fish, Tanichthys micagemmae, is rapidly becoming established in the hobby as well.
 
Ummm, sorry my friend but that is standard practice for getting many fish to breed. Read up on cories and white clouds and their breeding practices a little more first.

5g is not a good idea for them either. A minimum of 10 gallon for a school fish their size and even that is on the small side of things.

Any fish can survive in the 90's but most don't thrive up there. White clouds thrive int he high 60's and low 70's F.
 
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