Weather loach
Encyclopedia
The Dojo Loach is a freshwater
fish
in the loach family Cobitidae. They are native to Asia but are also popular as an aquarium
fish. The alternate name weather loach is shared with several other Cobitinae, including the other members of the genus
Misgurnus
and the spotted weather loach (Cobitis taenia, commonly known as Spined Loach). This term comes from their ability to detect changes in barometric pressure and react with frantic swimming or standing on end. This is because before a storm the barometric pressure changes, and this is known to make these fish more active. The weather loach also comes in a variety of colors, such as pink, orange, and gray.
Like many other loaches, they are slender and eel-like. They can vary in color from yellow to olive green, to a common light brown or gray with lighter undersides. The mouth of the loach is surrounded by three sets of barbels. It uses them to sift through silt or pebbles to find food. It also uses them to dig under gravel and sand to conceal itself out of nervousness or defense unlike the other loaches who use the spines beneath the eyes.
They can grow up to a 12 inches (30.5 cm) long. The fish are bottom-dwelling scavengers, feeding mainly on organic material such as algae
. Weather loaches
are omnivorous and may also feed on tubifex worms
and other small aquatic organisms. By producing a layer of mucus to keep themselves damp, they can also survive small periods of not being in the water. They are very hardy fish that can live in poor quality water.
One thing that makes this fish unique among the other tropical fish you see at your average fish store is the fact that they thrive at room temperature (68-72°F) and even as low as upper 50's. The usual tropical temperature will result in a significantly reduced lifespan (from an average 10 years to four or less). One assumes when buying tropical freshwater fish that all will thrive in that 76-82 range; not so with the dojo.
Sometimes this fish (especially the golden variety) is mistaken for the kuhli loach
. The kuhli likes warm tropical temperatures, will tolerate more acidic conditions, and matures at a much smaller four inches. Very different fish, but may resemble each other while young, and at the usual age and size of what most fish stores market.
There are other varieties bred from captivity like the gold strain and the peppered strain (not to be confused with the pepper loach).
The loaches will be more active given more space and greater numbers. Solitary weather loaches tend to spend much of their time hiding. They will spend a lot of time hiding or staying still, but should be given a place to stay which will have cover and shade. Tank decorations that they can swim through and driftwood
both work great for this. Due to their jumping ability the average cover should be enhanced with tape or other barriers. However, if you happen to find your loach black and dry on the floor one morning, try placing it back in the aquarium. Usually it will revive and swim away and make a full recovery. In some cases, it has been reported that they can live up to three days out of a tank. Also, they may even travel up tubes and take up residence in filters, so check there if your dojo doesn't show up for roll call one day. Weather loaches enjoy digging and burrowing themselves in the substrate of their tank, so make sure that your substrate is fine enough for them to dig in. If you keep live plants in your tank, they will be uprooted by the loaches, so it is a good idea to weight your plants. The weather loach is also peculiar in that it will sometimes bury itself in the substrate during times of stress. This often surprises new owners, as the fish will "disappear" shortly after introduction to the tank only to "reappear" later.
Because of their appetite for snails, these loaches can help alleviate snail infestations in tropical fish tanks, though many have reported that while weather loaches do eat snails, they do not eat them at a fast enough rate to deal with an infestation.
The fish prefer a pH
of 6.5-8.0 but will tolerate far more acidic conditions even for extended amounts of time with little negative reaction. This makes the Weather Loach a great choice for first-time aquariums and for those who want a fish tank but do not want the intense, daily attention other fish require. This fish should be kept in groups of at least 3, as they like to be in physical contact with each other and feel each other with their barbels when they rest.
.
Freshwater
Fresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...
fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
in the loach family Cobitidae. They are native to Asia but are also popular as an aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
fish. The alternate name weather loach is shared with several other Cobitinae, including the other members of the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Misgurnus
Misgurnus
Misgurnus is a genus of loaches. Commonly known as weatherfishes or weather loaches, they are commonly eaten in Asia.- Species :* Misgurnus anguillicaudatus * Misgurnus buphoensis R. T. Kim & S. Y...
and the spotted weather loach (Cobitis taenia, commonly known as Spined Loach). This term comes from their ability to detect changes in barometric pressure and react with frantic swimming or standing on end. This is because before a storm the barometric pressure changes, and this is known to make these fish more active. The weather loach also comes in a variety of colors, such as pink, orange, and gray.
Like many other loaches, they are slender and eel-like. They can vary in color from yellow to olive green, to a common light brown or gray with lighter undersides. The mouth of the loach is surrounded by three sets of barbels. It uses them to sift through silt or pebbles to find food. It also uses them to dig under gravel and sand to conceal itself out of nervousness or defense unlike the other loaches who use the spines beneath the eyes.
They can grow up to a 12 inches (30.5 cm) long. The fish are bottom-dwelling scavengers, feeding mainly on organic material such as algae
Algae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
. Weather loaches
Loach (fish)
Cobitidae is the family of the true loaches, which are Old World freshwater fish. They occur throughout Eurasia and in Morocco, and inhabit riverine ecosystems. Today, most "loaches" are placed in other families...
are omnivorous and may also feed on tubifex worms
Tubifex tubifex
Tubifex tubifex, also called the sludge worm, or sewage worm, is a species of tubificid segmented worm that inhabits the sediments of lakes and rivers on several continents...
and other small aquatic organisms. By producing a layer of mucus to keep themselves damp, they can also survive small periods of not being in the water. They are very hardy fish that can live in poor quality water.
One thing that makes this fish unique among the other tropical fish you see at your average fish store is the fact that they thrive at room temperature (68-72°F) and even as low as upper 50's. The usual tropical temperature will result in a significantly reduced lifespan (from an average 10 years to four or less). One assumes when buying tropical freshwater fish that all will thrive in that 76-82 range; not so with the dojo.
Sometimes this fish (especially the golden variety) is mistaken for the kuhli loach
Kuhli Loach
The Kuhli Loach is a small eel-like freshwater fish belonging to the loach family . It originates in Indonesia and the Malay Peninsula. This snake-like creature is very slender and nocturnal...
. The kuhli likes warm tropical temperatures, will tolerate more acidic conditions, and matures at a much smaller four inches. Very different fish, but may resemble each other while young, and at the usual age and size of what most fish stores market.
In the aquarium
Weather loaches are active, peaceful, and hardy fish that are sometimes used as starter fish in an aquarium. They can be "friendly" towards humans, allowing physical contact and hand feeding. They have, however, been known to attack very small fish in smaller aquariums. They get along better with goldfish.There are other varieties bred from captivity like the gold strain and the peppered strain (not to be confused with the pepper loach).
The loaches will be more active given more space and greater numbers. Solitary weather loaches tend to spend much of their time hiding. They will spend a lot of time hiding or staying still, but should be given a place to stay which will have cover and shade. Tank decorations that they can swim through and driftwood
Driftwood
Driftwood is wood that has been washed onto a shore or beach of a sea or river by the action of winds, tides, waves or man. It is a form of marine debris or tidewrack....
both work great for this. Due to their jumping ability the average cover should be enhanced with tape or other barriers. However, if you happen to find your loach black and dry on the floor one morning, try placing it back in the aquarium. Usually it will revive and swim away and make a full recovery. In some cases, it has been reported that they can live up to three days out of a tank. Also, they may even travel up tubes and take up residence in filters, so check there if your dojo doesn't show up for roll call one day. Weather loaches enjoy digging and burrowing themselves in the substrate of their tank, so make sure that your substrate is fine enough for them to dig in. If you keep live plants in your tank, they will be uprooted by the loaches, so it is a good idea to weight your plants. The weather loach is also peculiar in that it will sometimes bury itself in the substrate during times of stress. This often surprises new owners, as the fish will "disappear" shortly after introduction to the tank only to "reappear" later.
Because of their appetite for snails, these loaches can help alleviate snail infestations in tropical fish tanks, though many have reported that while weather loaches do eat snails, they do not eat them at a fast enough rate to deal with an infestation.
The fish prefer a pH
PH
In chemistry, pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Pure water is said to be neutral, with a pH close to 7.0 at . Solutions with a pH less than 7 are said to be acidic and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline...
of 6.5-8.0 but will tolerate far more acidic conditions even for extended amounts of time with little negative reaction. This makes the Weather Loach a great choice for first-time aquariums and for those who want a fish tank but do not want the intense, daily attention other fish require. This fish should be kept in groups of at least 3, as they like to be in physical contact with each other and feel each other with their barbels when they rest.
As food
The weather loach is a common food fish in East Asia, raised on a large scale in fish farmingFish farming
Fish farming is the principal form of aquaculture, while other methods may fall under mariculture. Fish farming involves raising fish commercially in tanks or enclosures, usually for food. A facility that releases young fish into the wild for recreational fishing or to supplement a species'...
.