Species description

Care, breeding and tankmates

Fish profile

Temperament

Semi-aggressive

They are incredibly peaceful, energetic, and completely non-aggressive. Males spend a significant amount of time displaying to one another, spreading their fins to show off their colors. These displays are entirely harmless and highly entertaining to watch. They are a joyful addition that brings constant motion to a nano setup.

Diet

Omnivore

They are tiny omnivores that require appropriately sized micro-foods. High-quality crushed flakes, micro-pellets, and powdered fry foods are excellent staples. They thrive when offered frequent live or frozen foods like daphnia, newly hatched brine shrimp, and cyclops. A varied diet brings out the stunning sparkling stripe along their sides.

Sex ratio

School

They are a schooling species that feels most secure in groups of 8 to 10 or more. A mixed group allows for natural social dynamics and beautiful sparring displays between competing males. Males are generally more colorful with longer fins, while females are noticeably plumper. A ratio of equal males to females works perfectly.

Feeding frequency

Twice daily

Feed them very small amounts once or twice daily. Because their mouths are incredibly small, they need time to pick at micro-foods suspended in the water column. They are eager eaters but cannot consume large pieces. Ensure that food remains suspended long enough for them to eat before it sinks into the substrate.

Bioload

The Vietnamese White Cloud produces an exceptionally low bioload, similar to its more common cousin. They are perfect for nano tanks, generating very minimal waste. A gentle sponge filter is usually adequate to maintain water quality and provide necessary biological filtration. Weekly small water changes ensure their environment remains spotless and oxygen-rich.

Flow

Stagnant

They originate from shallow, clear streams and appreciate gentle to moderate flow. Strong, turbulent currents will exhaust them, so filter outputs should be baffled or gently diffused. A steady, gentle current provides them with exercise and mimics their natural habitat. They also appreciate dense vegetation to rest out of the flow.

Reproduction

Oviparous

They breed similarly to the standard White Cloud, acting as continuous egg-scatterers. In a well-planted setup with lots of Java Moss, fry will often survive alongside the adults. The parents are not aggressive egg-eaters if well-fed, making colony breeding quite simple. The microscopic fry require infusoria for the first week before graduating to larger foods.

Compatibility & tankmates

They are remarkably peaceful and ideal for nano community aquariums. Excellent tankmates include dwarf shrimp, micro-rasboras, and small Corydoras species. They should absolutely never be kept with larger, boisterous, or aggressive fish that could easily swallow them. They are completely harmless to plants and all peaceful invertebrates.

Tank level

Top/Middle

They are highly active in the top and middle levels of the aquarium. They enjoy swimming in open spaces but always stay close to the safety of tall plants. They often patrol just below the surface waiting for food to drop. They do not interact with the bottom substrate.