Fauna
Fish

Oriental Weatherfish

Misgurnus anguillicaudatus

Also known as Pond Loach, Dojo Loach, Weather Loach

Oriental weatherfish are elongated, bottom-dwelling loaches renowned for their restless swimming fits when barometric pressure drops ahead of storms. They survive severe droughts and stagnant waters by gulping air at the surface and absorbing oxygen through their highly vascularized hindgut, even burrowing deep into damp mud when waterways dry out completely. Popular in the pet trade, escaped individuals have established vigorous feral populations across multiple continents, where their resilience and generalist diet disrupt native aquatic food webs.

AquaticFreshwaterNocturnal
Oriental Weatherfish reference1 / 7
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyChironomid larvae, Aquatic worms, Small crustaceans
Predators
  • Herons
  • Egrets
  • Largemouth Bass
ThreatsAgricultural runoff and canalization in native range; managed as an invasive pest elsewhere
HabitatsShallow muddy ponds, rice paddies, wetlands, irrigation ditches, and slow-moving streams
Life span7–10 years
Classification
  1. OrderCypriniformes
  2. FamilyCobitidae
  3. GenusMisgurnus
  4. SpeciesMisgurnus anguillicaudatus
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Spotting Movement: Watch muddy margins of warm ponds or rice paddies at dusk, scanning for whisker-like sensory barbels poking from the silt.
  • Aquarium Etiquette: Secure tank lids tightly, as sudden weather shifts can trigger frenzied jumping behavior.
  • Biosecurity Practice: Never release captive aquarium loaches into local waterways, where they rapidly outcompete native species.
Related species
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