I was just reading a piece on White Cloud minnow, Tanichthys albonubes. It seems this tiny, popular fish that used to be sold as "the poor man's neon" has a pretty good story to it. It was thought to be extinct in nature, but has been found in isolated pockets through the region of southern China and Vietnam. It's listed as a protected species in China. But equally interesting is that as research has been done on this tiny minnow, it appears that seven different species have been lumped together under the one name. It's full of cryptic species - to give a hobbyist's personal definition - species that are genetically distinct but in ways that don't jump out when we look at them. The human eye isn't infallible.
So the obvious to aquarists seems complex below the surface, and breeding the fish seems a fun project, as always. If you have bred them them, they have pretty babies.
These species differences don't interest the hobby - the fish have to look different to interest marketers. I've seen Vietnamese white clouds in stores, so there's one bit of diversity recognized, but generally, you aren't likely to ever know what species you have if you keep them. Unless individuals collect them then track them with an identifier the way killie people do, the 7 species will still be treated as one in the hobby.
Does it matter? Possibly not, as fish in the hobby, away from their habitats, are living like well treated (in the best cases) zombies. That's a whole other debate.
White clouds were on of the first fish I kept, and I have a soft spot for them even if I don't have a tank for them now. Ending a post with a question makes me feel like I'm writing AI brainfluff, but how many people here are keeping and raising these fish?
So the obvious to aquarists seems complex below the surface, and breeding the fish seems a fun project, as always. If you have bred them them, they have pretty babies.
These species differences don't interest the hobby - the fish have to look different to interest marketers. I've seen Vietnamese white clouds in stores, so there's one bit of diversity recognized, but generally, you aren't likely to ever know what species you have if you keep them. Unless individuals collect them then track them with an identifier the way killie people do, the 7 species will still be treated as one in the hobby.
Does it matter? Possibly not, as fish in the hobby, away from their habitats, are living like well treated (in the best cases) zombies. That's a whole other debate.
White clouds were on of the first fish I kept, and I have a soft spot for them even if I don't have a tank for them now. Ending a post with a question makes me feel like I'm writing AI brainfluff, but how many people here are keeping and raising these fish?
.
!
