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Just asking a quick question - what is the highest possible temperature to keep WCMMs in?

I ask because I'm thinking about amalgamating my WCMM tank into my main tank, mainly because I think they will have a better life there... only thing is, my main tank is at around 25 degrees Celsius.

One point to consider - during summer both tanks are going to heat up to the same temperature anyway (well above 25 degrees).

what is a WCMMs?

WCMM=white cloud mountain minnow

Mine have always been kept at 24-25° which is the same temp the lfs had them in. Most sites and books seem to list 22-23° as the highest though.

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Hmm.. interesting.. thanks TheresaM.

Any problems before?

I keep mine in my tank that is heated to about 25 degrees. Haven't had a problem so far, but I've never kept them in cooler temperatures, so it would be difficult for me to have a basis for comparison. The store I got them at had them at 25 degrees too, so they were used to it. It probably isn't a problem.

My White Clouds survived temperature spikes of about 27*C during the warmer months. And 25*C is what they have been living in since I got them.

supposedly, keeping fish at higher then used to temps usually speeds up their metabolism (thus decreasing their lifespan). i have no idea if this is true- just what i have heard over the years. if true, wcmms in a warm enviornment would die of old age at a younger age.

i currently have ten or twelve youngens in a tank that stays in the upper 70's (room temp), and they seem to be okay.

I have mine at 80F. They have always been at 80f, even from the LFS i bought them from. Most Fish Stores get them from breeders who raise all their fish at a steady 80F, so it makes no difference whether it is a cool water fish or a tropical fish by nature. I would only worry of this problem if the fish you are buying are wild caught. These fish would have a much harder time adapting to a warmer temperature.


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yep i had my guys three years at 80f.

Well, during yesterday's heatwave in Sydney, the water reached 29-30 degrees celcius..

I hope they weren't overly stressed..

[font color="#000080"]What I do in the real hot days during summer is put ice cubes in the water (just one or two). This gradually brings the temp down.
Also if it is a very hot summer day I just do a water change with cooler water.[/font]

my tank is 80 degrees right now, and my WCMM's look good

Ice cubes in the tank are a great way to ask for ich, sudden temp swings (such as ice would create with hot and cold spots) are a big no no .

Increase surface agitation, or use slightly cooler water.

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I keep my 20 long at about 76F (24.44C). They do fine.

The key is to gradually increase the temp. You could do this in the tank they are in now and see how they handle it. A good rule of thumb is to not go more than 1F daily in any direction. I don't know, off hand, what that converts to in C. A sudden change of several degrees results in temperature stress. When I do water changes I always make sure I don't alter the tank's temp more than 1F in either direction with the new water. Never had ich or any other parasite, nor infections for that matter. Show me a tank with alot of ich and I'll bet it can be traced to water changes that drop the temp several degrees.

The reason for this is that fish don't self regulate their body temps like we do. Rather, it is governed by the environment. I would actually raise it one day, then let them live at that temp a few days, then raise it again and wait. It gives them a very gradual warming. I think you'll find that they can do fine, provided they are in excellent health, and the transition is slow.

Before you transfer them, when temp reads identical on the same thermometer, consider doing partial water changes using water from the tank to which they are being transferred. This not only gives them a "taste" of the water, but equalizes some of the more subtle things. It also exposes them gradually to pathogens in the other tank, they may not have yet encountered, as well.



Last edited by Cory_Di at 25-Oct-2004 21:04

Last edited by Cory_Di at 25-Oct-2004 21:05