The White Cloud Mountain Minnow (WCMM) is a beautiful little fish from the streams and rivers of China. It is well known for its ability to handle temperatures as low as 41 degrees Fahrenheit. This fish is a very peaceful schooling fish, making it perfect for community aquariums or as a species-only tank.

Scientific Name: Tanichthys albonubes
Care Level: easy
Size: max 1.5 inches (3.8 cm)
Diet: a healthy flake food is perfect, in the wild, these fish feed off micro organisms in the water, so live water fleas or baby brine shrimp are great for them
Lifespan: 5-7 years
Behavior: peaceful schooling fish
Breeding: very easy to breed, in a school of WCMM, there should be several pairing-offs and spawnings in a year. For maximum success, transfer the school into a smaller tank, then once eggs are laid, remove the fish, or they will eat the eggs. The babies can be fed industria until they are large enough to eat live/flake foods.
Tank Size: 10 gallons for a school of 5, but a 20 long would be even better
Tank Mates: any other peaceful community fish
Area of Tank: upper/middle
Price: 2 USD- 5 USD

There are 2 different “versions” of this fish. There’s the Golden WCMM, and there’s the “Regular” WCMM. The golden version is obviously a gold color, while the regular version is a gray with red streaks. This fish loves heavily planted tanks. It is a schooli fish, so be sure to buy at least 5 to reduce aggression. IMPORTANT: the maximum temperature of this fish should be no more than 75 degrees Fahrenheit, so this fish is best in cold water/unheated tanks. A range of 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit is perfect. A pH of 6.8 to 7.5 is recommended, but I keep mine in a pH of 8 and they do just fine.

The White Cloud Mountain Minnow is a great fish for beginners and experienced aquarists alike, as it is very versatile and very beautiful.

Photo of adult make specimen:
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(Photo courtesy of: https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/tanichthys-albonubes/)

On my 40 breeder, I have a SunSun 302b canister filter.

On my 11 gallon rimless, I have a large sponge filter, an aquatop forza 5-15 hang on the back filter, and I am currently using that tank to cycle a small sponge filter that will be going into a future 3 gallon tank.

My favorite of them all is the aquatop hang on the back. It’s very quiet and does a good job with filtration

Common Name: Java Fern
Latin Name: Microsorum pteropus
Family: Polypodiaceae

Plant Form: a single rhizome (a ball-like structure at the base of the plant) with long leaves extending upwards
Sold As: 3-5 inch single plant

Placement: Mid to Background
Max Size: 13.5 inches high, and 6-8 inches wide
Plant Location: native to South-East Asia
Flowers: none
Propagation: little “plantlets” will form on the underside of mature leaves. These can simply be picked off and placed elsewhere
Growth Rate: slow to medium
True Aquatic: yes

pH: 6.0-7.0 recommended, but the plant can handle a wide range
Supplements: not necessary, but can benefit from liquid fertilizers
Lighting: low to medium

Care Level: very easy
Good for Beginners: yes

Java Ferns have many different varieties, including needle leaf, narrow leaf, windelov, and trident. When buying a java fern, be sure that you can see the roots and the rhizome at the base of the plant. Sometimes sellers will simply tie together some leaves and sell them. You want to make sure you are actually buying a plant, not just some leaves.

Once you get a Java Fern, DO NOT bury the rhizome, as this will lead to rot. It is often best to tie or glue the plant to a rock or a piece of driftwood.