Loaches in a backyard pond?

[clinto]

I have a backyard pond with a stream and waterfall. The pond is about 800 gallons (a rough ellipse 8' x 10' x 2.5' deep, with lots of rocks and boulders and some plants). The stream and waterfall (and plumbing between pond and waterfall) add another 100 gallons to the total.

Water temperature in the summer is in the upper 70s, occasionally in the low 80s. Water temperature in the winter is low 60s and in a cold snap can drop below 60.

I was thinking of loaches because they are interesting fish, and because they could be a natural way to keep the snail population in check.

Are there any loach species that would be OK in the cooler temperatures in the winter? (And that would be happy munching on snails?)

[mistergreen]

weather loaches, and more. Check the species profile.

[Emma Turner]

What is your location clinto? Please could you add this into your profile for us.

The fluctuation in temperature between summer and winter is not going to be ideal for loaches. Whilst some Weather Loaches will cope with colder spells, the summer temps will be too much for them over a prolonged period.

Emma

[clinto]

In response to Emma's question, I am near San Diego, California. After reviewing some of the species profiles, I suspected that the temperature difference between summer and winter might be too extreme for loaches - unless there is a really hardy species that will be happy in a temperature range from 60 to 80.

[Mike_Noren]

That temperature range is very close to ideal for weather loaches. They will not have any problems adjusting to that.
European weather loach is found naturally in waters which get both hotter and much colder than that, and I'd expect the same goes for oriental weather loach.
In fact, the environmental fit is so good that you may want to check so it isn't illegal to keep weather loaches in ponds where you live, due to the risk of them spreading to the wild - it is highly invasive and already established in e.g. Hawaii, Germany, Italy, Australia...
http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactShee ... ciesID=498

[clinto]

Thanks. I'll ask the LFS if there are any local restrictions on weather loaches. (I'm also looking into cichlids.)

[mistergreen]

There was a thread on this forum about weather loach living wild in Washington..

You might want to try local fishes in southern california & mexico.. I'm sure there are some awsome fishes down there.. Livebearers?

[clinto]

Good suggestion. I'll ask some of the LFS's for their recommendations. This is all new to me - learning a lot. I imagine that there are a lot of options for cool fish in an outdoor pond in my climate. (Although winters in San Diego are probably colder than you think.... We're not Hawaii.)

[mistergreen]

please..

you californians think 60F is cold.
that's a nice cool day to me.

I lived in SanFrancisco for a bit.. It's cold there in the summer.

[Martin Thoene]

The extent of the known non-idigenous dispersal problem in the US:

http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactShee ... ciesID=498

In California:

http://ice.ucdavis.edu/aquadiv/fishcovs/owf.gif

Martin.

[AnneMarie]

please..

you californians think 60F is cold.
that's a nice cool day to me.

I lived in SanFrancisco for a bit.. It's cold there in the summer.

I resent that, 60F is fine 59F is cold.