A hardy, eel-shaped temperate loach famous for becoming active before storms as barometric pressure drops, earning the name 'weather loach.' Personable, peaceful, and tolerant of cool water, but a known invasive species in many regions.
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Eastern Asia, from Siberia through China, Korea and Japan to Vietnam
Origin
Old World
Climate
🍂 Temperate
Water type
💧 Freshwater
Family
Cobitidae
Genus
Misgurnus
Part of the Loaches
Bottom-dwelling, often social fish prized for sifting substrate, controlling pest snails, and adding constant motion to the lower levels of the aquarium. Most are scaleless or fine-scaled and sensitive to medications.
From the minimum an animal needs to be kept humanely, up to the ideal setup. Bigger is almost always better — minimums are floors, not targets.
Minimum
Cool-water group tank
55 gal / 208 L long, cool
Misgurnus anguillicaudatus reaches 8–12 in and is a social weather-loach. 55-gal long minimum for 3+, with cool water (15–22 °C, unheated room temp), sand substrate, tight lid (escape artists), and gentle filtration.
A.england85 / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Photo coming soon
Recommended
Coldwater group display
75 gal / 284 L long, cool
75-gal long with a group of 3–5 dojo loaches, sand, smooth river stones, dense plants, and cool water. Peaceful community possible with cool-water tankmates (rosy barbs, goldfish).
Photo coming soon
Ideal
Outdoor pond or large tank
125 gal+ / 473 L+ pond or tank
Outdoor garden pond or 125-gal+ unheated tank with cool water, sand, plants, and a small group. They can be acclimated outdoors in temperate climates.
Life & growth stages
How this animal changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.
Photo coming soon
Egg
Fish eggs are small, translucent spheres, often laid in clutches on plants, substrate, or in a nest — or carried/brooded by a parent in livebearing and mouth-brooding species. A dark eye spot and the curled embryo become visible inside as development progresses.
Photo coming soon
Fry
Newly hatched fry are tiny and semi-transparent, frequently still carrying a yolk sac that fuels them before they feed freely. They lack full fin structure and adult coloration, staying near cover until they can swim and forage on their own.
Photo coming soon
Juvenile
Juveniles look like miniature adults but with developing fins and muted or different markings; many species shift pattern and color as they mature. Growth is rapid at this stage given clean water and steady feeding.
Adult
Adults show the species' full size, finnage, and mature coloration, and are sexually mature. Many fish develop sex-specific differences in size, color, or fin shape, which can intensify during breeding.
Color & pattern variants
Natural variants occur in the wild; selectively bred (man-made) variants were developed in captivity.
Long-bodied and active, so give a group at least a 40-55 gallon tank with a large footprint and a secure lid. Unusually adaptable to temperature, thriving anywhere from 50-77 F (10-25 C); pH 6.0-8.0 and soft to moderately hard water suit them. They prefer gentle to moderate flow with plenty of cover.
A subtropical-to-temperate species, they can live unheated at room temperature and even tolerate cooler ponds in mild climates.
Substrate
Provide a deep bed of soft sand or fine smooth gravel so they can burrow, which is natural behavior and reduces stress. Add driftwood, caves, and PVC tubes for additional shelter.
Equipment & setup
A reliable filter for good water quality is enough; a heater is optional and only needed to keep tropical tankmates warm. The lid must be completely escape-proof, as these loaches squeeze through tiny gaps, and lighting can be low.
Diet
Opportunistic omnivore that scavenges the bottom. Offer sinking pellets, wafers, frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp, blanched vegetables, and worms. They will root through the substrate constantly for leftovers.
Behavior & temperament
Docile, curious, and even tameable, often taking food from the hand. Keep 3 or more, as they are social and rest in piles together. Compatible with goldfish and other peaceful, cool-water community fish; avoid aggressive or fin-nipping tankmates.
Health
Scaleless-skinned and sensitive to salt and many medications, so treat ich and parasites at reduced doses. They are escape artists and burrowers, so injuries from jumping or gaps in the lid are the most common problem. Otherwise extremely hardy and disease-resistant.
Tips, DIY & hacks
Confirm legality before keeping, as Misgurnus anguillicaudatus is a regulated or banned invasive in parts of the US, Australia, and Europe; never release them. They make excellent cool-water or unheated tank inhabitants and pond fish in suitable climates. Cover every filter inlet and lid gap to prevent escapes.
