Breeding White Cloud Mountain Minnows....

[DeanoL83]

Hi,
 
I have a four foot community tank which currently houses four white cloud mountain minnows.  My only experience with breeding is with livebearers - mollies, platies and endlers.  I would like to try my hand at breeding and I've read that the white clouds are relatively easy for a beginner to start with.
 
Out of the four white clouds, two appear much larger and plumper than the other two so I think I have two females and two males. I've read that the females are generally plumper with a whiter stomach - that's the information I've used to sex them.
 
Is it better to leave the four together or to separate them into breeding pairs? I read that leaving them as a group is better.
 
What size tank should I put them in?  I have a 20 litre tank which I was thinking of setting up for them.  Would this be sufficient? I also have a smaller plastic transport tank which would be easier for me, but I think it would be too small. 
 
I have read that they are egg scatterers so a spawning mop is needed.  I have some java moss - If I was to scatter this on the bottom of the tank would this be sufficient?  Or do they need other types of plants?  If so, any recommendations?  I have amazon frogbit if I need a floating plant.
 
Does the male fertilise the eggs before they are laid or after?
 
I read that the fry need green water when born - what does this actually mean?  Should I not use a filter and let the slime in the tank build up  If a filter is necessary is a simple sponge filter sufficient? Will they eat the microorganisms on plants?  What food do they need?
 
After the eggs are laid, should I remove parents?  I have read conflicting information about whether the white clouds eat their fry or not.
 
Is there anything else I need to know?
 
 
Thankyou so so much to anyone who can help me with this....I'm really excited at the prospect of breeding but this will be my first real attempt so am a real newbie to it.  Sorry if any of the questions are pretty stupid just wanna make sure I do it right.
 
Cheers, Dean

 

[DeanoL83]

I have since found some step by step instructions on yahoo answers.....for some reason I can't copy and paste the link into here...not sure why
 
Anyhow, if anyone has any suggestions I'd greatly appreciate them.
 
Thanks in advance

 

[the_lock_man]

Yahoo Answers isn't generally considered the most reliable source of information that the internet has ever seen. I don't know if there's any specific bar to copying links to it on here, but if there is, then I find that a good thing. I wouldn't want anyone to feel that we, as a forum, are suggesting people rely on that site for information.
 
Anyhow, not that I've ever tried it, but I understand that WCMM are reasonably easy to breed. However, they do have a tendency to eat their own eggs. The way that I've seen it done most often is to have a substrate of marbles, such that the eggs fall down into crevices that the adults can't get into. Another suggestion is to use a mesh at the bottom of the breeding tank, again to physically separate adult from egg.
 
I would say that a 20l tank would be too small. WCMMs, as you probably know, live in fast moving streams on hills, and believe it or not, mountains.

They are able to swim upstream against fast currents, meaning that in still water, such as in an aquarium, they can actually swim very fast. Therefore, they need a lot more room to swim than their diminutive size would otherwise suggest. They are also a shoaling species, so really, they ought to be kept in a group of at least 6, and preferably more.
 
Which leads me on to your query about breeding in a group or in pairs. Fish have been breeding successfully in the wild for countless centuries. In my opinion, the best way to succeed in breeding in captivity is to mimic, as far as you can, the natural conditions for the fish, therefore leaving them in a group is best. A shoaling fish kept in a small group will be stressed. Any animal, when stressed, tends not to think too much about reproduction - including humans.
 
Like I say, I'm not an expert, but those are my thoughts. Make of them what you will.

 

[DeanoL83]

Thanks for the reply. I only have the 20litre spare so will have to try and use that.

If they're shoaling fish, would it be worth getting a few more from the lfs Pr just use the four i have? I will try marbles on the bottom and see how it goes.

What's the green water that I read about? What would I feed the fry?

Thanks,
Dean