🐟 White Cloud Mountain Minnows
(Tanichthys albonubes)

Hardy • Elegant • Ideal for Linked Eco-Towers & Modular Water Systems

Compatible with MaterialCycle Eco-Towers • Linked Tank Vessels • Living Water Infrastructure
Aquaponics-ready

⭐ What You’re Getting

The White Cloud Mountain Minnow (Tanichthys albonubes) is a small, cold-tolerant freshwater fish originating from the mountain streams of Guangdong Province, China. Named after the White Cloud (Baiyun) Mountains, this species evolved in clear, oxygen-rich, slow-to-moderate flowing water — conditions that closely mirror well-designed, circulating eco-tower systems.

Its slim, torpedo-shaped body features a soft metallic stripe along the flank, with red accents on the fins. Calm, resilient, and highly adaptable, it is widely regarded as one of the most robust small freshwater fish available.

💰 Pricing

• R20 per fish (mixed sex)
Healthy, active individuals

🌱 Why White Cloud Mountain Minnows Work Exceptionally Well in MaterialCycle Systems

✔ Designed for Flowing, Linked Water Volumes
White Clouds naturally thrive in systems with gentle circulation and high oxygen levels, making them an excellent biological match for eco-towers linked to shared tank vessels.

✔ Low Bioload, High Stability
Their small size and efficient metabolism produce manageable nutrient output, supporting stable microbial and plant cycles without overloading filtration or water chemistry.

✔ Temperature-Flexible & Energy-Light
They perform well in cooler and variable temperatures (≈14–24 °C), eliminating the need for heaters in most climates — ideal for low-energy, solar-driven systems.

✔ Calm, Non-Destructive Behavior
They do not uproot plants, chew roots, or disturb substrates, allowing plant modules, root zones, and filtration layers to function undisturbed.

✔ Schooling Behavior Improves System Health
Kept in groups, they distribute waste evenly through the system, encouraging consistent nutrient flow and bacterial activity.

🔬 Scientific & Technical Profile

Scientific name: Tanichthys albonubes
Common names: White Cloud Mountain Minnow, White Cloud Minnow
Family: Cyprinidae

Adult size:
• 3–4 cm (occasionally up to 4.5 cm)

Lifespan:
• 3–5 years in stable systems

Preferred temperature:
• 16–22 °C (tolerates ~14–24 °C)

pH range:
• 6.0 – 7.5 (neutral to slightly acidic preferred)

Water hardness:
• Soft to moderately hard

Oxygen demand:
• Moderate to high (benefits from circulation and surface movement)

🍽 Feeding & Nutrient Cycling

White Clouds are omnivorous micro-predators:

• Fine flake or micro-pellets

• Live or frozen foods (daphnia, mosquito larvae, brine shrimp)

• Naturally graze on micro-organisms within mature systems

Their feeding behavior supports predictable nutrient release, making them ideal for systems where plant uptake, microbial filtration, and water clarity must remain balanced.

🐣 Breeding Behavior (System-Friendly)

White Cloud Mountain Minnows are egg scatterers:

• No parental aggression or nest defense

• Eggs are released among fine plants or root masses

• Spawning occurs naturally in stable, well-oxygenated systems

• Fry feed on micro-organisms before transitioning to fine foods

In eco-tower setups with dense root zones or bio-media, occasional natural reproduction may occur without intervention — a strong indicator of system health.

🌎 How They Fit the MaterialCycle Vision

White Cloud Mountain Minnows align perfectly with MaterialCycle’s first-principles approach:

• Minimal inputs, maximum system value

• Biology matched to simple materials and natural flows

• Scales cleanly across linked towers and shared reservoirs

They convert food into nutrients, nutrients into plant growth, and circulation into system resilience — all without complex hardware.

💧 Ideal For

Linked MaterialCycle Eco-Towers
Shared tank vessels and circulating reservoirs
Modular living water systems
Educational and experimental ecological setups
Low-energy, solar-assisted infrastructure
Aquaponics systems

📦 Availability

Healthy, active fish raised in clean, circulating systems.
Pickup in Cape Town, Bloubergstrand