Order Cypriniformes
Family Cyprinidae
Genus Tanichthys
— White Cloud Mountain Minnow, Canton Danio — Tanichthys albonubes [Lin, 1932]. Synonym: Aphyocypris pooni. (English: Canton Danio, Chinese Danio, Golden White Cloud, Meteor Minnow, Mountain Minnow, White Cloud Mountain Minnow). Mountain waters of Southern China, Vietnam. Inhabit clear streams and rivers with slow water flow and dense vegetation. 3-4 cm. The body is elongated, slender, slightly compressed laterally in the front, dorsal fin set back. The mouth is very small and located at the upper part of the snout, with a protruding lower lip, typical for insectivorous fish.
The upper part of the fish’s body is colored yellowish-brown, along this background a red glowing stripe extends from the eyes to the upper part of the caudal peduncle. It actually consists of three stripes that run parallel and close to each other. The upper one is narrow, golden, and the lower one is wide, dark brown or dark blue, ending at the tail with a black spot surrounded by a red area. The back is dark brown with a greenish sheen, the flank is lighter, the belly is silvery-white.
The caudal fin is red in the middle with light yellow, sometimes colorless lobes. The anal fin is transparent, lemon-yellow in the lower part, the upper part with a wide red border and white edging. The dorsal fin is two-tone – its lower half is deep lemon, turning into a wide bright red border and a clear white edging. The white edging of the anal and dorsal fins is more pronounced in males and almost completely absent in females.
Pelvic fins are yellowish. Other fins are yellowish-green with a red border, except for the pectorals, which have a narrow black border. During the courtship phase and hierarchical excitement, males usually significantly enhance the red color on the body, reddish pigmentation on the lower and rear parts, the tip of the snout, and gill covers.
The male is slimmer, the mouth is red, the dorsal and anal fins are wider, the fin coloration is brighter, while females have a strongly rounded belly. During tournaments between males, harmless fights occur, during which the colors of the fish become even brighter. At the age of 1 to 3 months, juveniles are colored most brightly: a bright glowing blue-green, shiny stripe runs from the head to the tail of the fish, which disappears upon reaching sexual maturity at 4 months of age.
A veil-tail form “Long Fin” and several color varieties “Golden”, “Albino”, “Super Red” have been bred. To distinguish veil-tail fish from ordinary ones at a young age, you need to look at them from above: mutant minnows have noticeably elongated pectoral fins. But you must be patient: luxurious long fins will not appear soon. This can take almost a year. To accelerate fin growth, some aquarists treat fry with hormones. However, it should be remembered that such drugs weaken fish and disrupt their normal reproduction.
Peaceful, fond of swimming, keep in the middle and upper layers of water, keep in a school of 7 individuals or more. There should be about half as many males as females. If there are more males, fights will begin between them. They can be placed in an aquarium with any small peaceful fish, but it is best to use a separate small vessel with a water depth of 30-35 cm. They can be kept with shrimp.
An aquarium as long as possible, planted with plants only along the side and back walls. Vegetation is not very dense. Not many floating plants are placed because minnows like aquariums where the bottom is well lit. The bottom of the aquarium is covered with coarse river sand or gravel. The fish are undemanding to water composition, preferring neutral and soft water.
Can be kept in an unheated aquarium, do not keep in very warm water, water temperature not exceeding 24°C. High temperature shortens their lifespan. Does not like temperature drops; sometimes, with sharp temperature changes, minnows contract fungus. Fish tolerate a relatively high content of nitrates, but cannot withstand putrefactive processes due to poor aquarium maintenance. Often fish are affected by Ichthyophthirius or Oodinium. They are very sensitive to copper, which is toxic to them. Minnows are fed small bloodworms, tubifex, live daphnia, and cyclops. The fish is suitable for beginner aquarists.
Reaches sexual maturity at the age of 4 months. When keeping a small group of these fish in a separate aquarium planted with clumps of plants at a low water level, they successfully reproduce without being removed to a special spawning tank. The female spawns three to five eggs every day. This continues for a month, after which spawning stops for 1.5-2 weeks, and after a short break, everything starts over. Minnows live about 3-5 years. pH 6.5-8.0; dH 5-20°; T 20-24°С.
Identification: White Cloud Mountain Minnow — Tanichthys albonubes.
— Vietnamese Cardinal Minnow — Tanichthys micagemmae [Freyhof & Herder, 2001]. (English: Dwarf Cardinal, Dwarf Vietnamese Cardinal, Royal White Cloud, Vietnamese Cardinal Minnow, White Clouds). China, Vietnam. 3 cm. Unlike T. albonubes, they are smaller, have a stockier body shape, and smaller fins. A black stripe runs along the body from the eye to the caudal fin, with a narrow silvery stripe above it. The head and body below the lateral midline are whitish with numerous small gray spots. Pelvic and anal fins are reddish. Males have longer and brighter fins with age.
This is a schooling fish, it is advisable to keep a group of 6 fish or more. Peaceful and active fish, staying in all water layers. Can be kept in a community aquarium with occasional thickets and floating plants. No special requirements for the chemical composition of water. It is important that the water temperature does not rise above 24°C. Above this limit, the fish becomes sluggish and easily susceptible to disease. Unheated elongated aquariums where they can playfully chase each other are most suitable. Any aquarium foods are applicable for feeding. Sexual maturity at 4 months. Fry grow relatively slowly. pH 6.0-7.5; dH 2-15°; T 18-25°С.
Genus Brevibora, Genus Kottelatia, Genus Microrasbora, Genus Rasbosoma.
Rhodeus ocellatus, Rhodeus sericeus. 
