Can a Weather Loach be kept in a UK gardne pond?

[vickearley]

We have had a Weather Loach in an unheated indoor tank for several years but now need to clear this tank. The goldfish will be OK in our fairly big garden pond but can we also put the Weather Loach outside? We are in Buckinghamshire, UK.

[redshark1]

Hi and welcome. I am surprised you have not had a reply yet. I thought lots of people on here kept the Weather Loach?

Well, I checked what this site recommends and we say minimum temperature is 10 degrees C.

Therefore it cannot be recommended to subject this fish to the overwinter temperatures of a garden pond without cruelty and probable death.

I personally also feel that there must be doubts about any fish that has been kept indoors long term (and therefore growing up and being adapted to these temperatures) being comfortable with outdoor temperatures.

This for me frankly includes goldfish, but I have not seen any studies on this subject. I would be inclined to donate them for keeping in similar conditions if you no longer want them. They are popular fish so should find a home maybe if advertised on an online site such as Aquatics Classified or similar.

There, that last bit of controversy should get us some more replies from more knowledgeable people - or perhaps they all died of cold last winter?!

Good luck.

[Caryld]

It is illegal to keep a weather loach in a pond as they are able to survive wild in UK, and in some parts of the world have indeed colonised local streams.