Edit Misgurnus anguillicaudatus

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Name

Scientific name

Misgurnus anguillicaudatus

Described by

Not recorded

Family

Cobitidae

Common names

Oriental Weather Loach

Photograph credits

All 7 credited

Summary

The oriental weather loach, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, is a loach native to Siberia, Korea, Japan, China and northern Vietnam. Known in th…

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

280mm, standard length

Aquarium size

Minimum length 120 cm, Minimum depth 45 cm

Water

Water conditions

Temperature 18–23°C, pH 6–8

Hardness

1–12dGH

Conductivity

Not recorded

Behaviour

Temperament

Peaceful

Community suitability

Not recorded

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

China

Writing

Etymology

Not written yet

Distribution

Native to Siberia, Sakhalin island, Korea, Japan, China, northern Vietnam and possibly Laos (it remains unknown whether the species is native or was introduced…

Habitat

Most commonly found in shallow, slow-moving sections of rivers and streams or calm habitats such as swamps, oxbows, backwaters and paddy fields. These are ofte…

Aquarium size

A tank with a base measuring 120 ∗ 45 cm or more is necessary for long-term care and this species should NEVER be maintained outdoors.

Maintenance

Not difficult to keep but must be provided with a soft, sandy or fine gravel substrate since some of its time is spent completely buried, or with only eyes pro…

Water conditions

Temperature: Can apparently tolerate a temperature range of 5 - 25°C/41 - 77°F but for general care a value between 17.8 - 23.3°C/64 - 74°F is recommended. Thi…

Diet

Chiefly a predator foraging for insect larvae, small crustaceans and suchlike. In the aquarium it will accept sinking dried foods but should also be offered re…

Behaviour and compatibility

Misgurnus spp. are peaceful both with one another and other species though they may prey on eggs/fry/very small fishes. They can be kept singly but seem more a…

Sexual dimorphism

Adult females are typically heavier-bodied and a little larger then males. In mature males the pectoral fins are enlarged with a thickened second ray forming a…

Reproduction

Reports of captive breeding are scarce and we've been unable to find one containing any significant detail; presumably the fish are induced to spawn by means o…

Notes

An exceptionally hardy and adaptable species tolerant of a wide range of physiological variables and flexible of diet, factors which have allowed it to become …

An exceptionally hardy and adaptable species tolerant of a wide range of physiological variables and flexible of diet, factors which have allowed it to become established as an alien species around the globe. Its high reproductive potential and low vulnerability to predation have made it a cause for concern to conservation scientists although as yet there remains no proof of it exerting a negative effect on native fishes in countries outside its natural range.

Though usually traded as 'weather loach' in Europe it's commonly known as 'dojo loach' ('dojo' being the Japanese word for 'loach') in the United States and is one of the most ubiquitously available species in the hobby. This has proven unfortunate not only in terms of its status as an invasive species but also because years of mass-production have taken their toll on the quality of stock available with health and morphological issues now common. It has also been hybridised with M. mizolepis for research purposes and hybridises naturally with Paramisgurnus dabryanus in China so the possibility that such hybrids have found their way into the aquarium market cannot be discounted. Its adult size should also be considered prohibitive but is rarely taken into account. Xanthic 'golden' and leucistic 'pink' or 'piebald' forms are also available and have proven popular; aquarium care is the same as described above.

Provided you can obtain healthy stock and own a suitably-sized tank M. anguillicaudatus makes an excellent aquarium resident. Individuals often develop real 'personality', becoming tame enough to hand feed, for example. The common name is derived from a reported sensitivity to changes in barometric pressure which cause it to become more active. In China it has long been used in folk medicine to treat hepatitis, cancer and other ailments and it's an important food fish in several countries.

The exact number of species in the genus is unknown with much study required, but as things stand there are at least seven with the majority native to China and/or Russia. They can be told apart from similar-looking relatives such as Cobitis spp. by the fact that the suborbital spine is concealed beneath a layer of muscle and not externally visible. M. anguillicaudatus is the only member common in the aquatic trade although M. fossilis is occasionally available in some European countries (an import licence is necessary in the UK). These two are easy to identify as M. anguillicaudatus exhibits a spotted patterning, males possess a lamina circularis and the caudal peduncle sports a thickened structure usually referred to as an 'adipose crest' whereas M. fossilis has a dark midlateral stripe on each flank and lacks the two structures. Another similar-looking species is Paramisgurnus dabryanus which is most easily differentiated by its noticeably higher adipose crest and the fact it doesn't possess a dark spot on the upper part of the caudal fin base. This species is exported for the hobby but usually sold as M. anguillicaudatus.

The family Cobitidae, often referred to as 'true' loaches, is widely-distributed across most of Eurasia with the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and China representing particular centres of species diversity. As things stand there are around 20 genera, with recent phylogenetic analyses by Tang et al. (2006) and Šlechtová et al. (2007, 2008) revealing that the group constitutes a separate genetic lineage to the family Botiidae (the two were previously grouped together under Cobitidae as subfamilies Cobitinae and Botiinae). In the most recent study Misgurnus was found to group most closely with Paramisgurnus and Koreocobitis, and these genera may prove to represent a monophyletic clade with further research.

All cobitids possess sharp, motile, suborbital (below the eye) spines which are normally concealed within a pouch of skin but erected when an individual is stressed e.g. if removed from the water. Care is therefore necessary as these can become entangled in aquarium nets and with larger species even break human skin.

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References

11 on this profile

Name

Scientific name

Described by

Family

Common names

Photograph credits

Summary

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

Aquarium size

Water

Water conditions

Hardness

Conductivity

Behaviour

Temperament

Social needs

Community suitability

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

Writing

Etymology

Distribution

Habitat

Aquarium size

Maintenance

Water conditions

Diet

Behaviour and compatibility

Sexual dimorphism

Reproduction

Notes

References

References