Dojo loach - Misgurnus anguillicaudatus

Scientific name: Misgurnus anguillicaudatus

Common name: Dojo loach

Family: Cobitidae

Usual size in fish tanks: 20 - 25 cm (7.87 - 9.84 inch)

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Recommended pH range for the species: 6.5 - 7.5

Recommended water hardness (dGH): 2 - 12°N (35.71 - 214.29ppm)

0°C 32°F30°C 86°F

Recommended temperature: 21 - 25 °C (69.8 - 77°F)

The way how these fish reproduce: Spawning

Where the species comes from: East Asia

Temperament to its own species: peaceful

Temperament toward other fish species: aggressive to smaller

Usual place in the tank: Bottom levels

Dojo loach is also known as Weather loach and Misgurnus anguillicaudatus. It comes from Asia, especially Korea, China and Japan, but can be found in some European regions too. Dojo loach is a great size eel shaped fish, usually it can reach 10 inches of length, or more; usually it’s body is light olive green coloured covered by many small spots, but you can find also an albino and a gold colour varieties.

To house dojo loach, the aquarium must be of good dimensions, at least 100 gallons; water temperature is preferable under 25°C, higher temperatures will shorten the fish life length, so it can live also in unheated tanks. As for chemical values, a neutral PH is fine and soft water is preferred. It is important to keep Dojo loach in covered tanks, because they can easily get out!

They eat everything, you can use flakes and pellets at the base of their diet, anyway they eat also live food like earthworms and dead fish.

If you want to keep a Dojo with other fish prefer other dojo, anyway they can also live with peaceful fish of good dimensions (small fish can become food); housing them with goldfish can be a good choice, anyway try to avoid tank overpopulation, both species grow really big.

Sexing adults is not so hard, males have a triangular shaped pectoral fin, while females have rounded. Breeding in large aquarium is possible: after some days of cold water and poor lighting, increase water temperature and lighting period, feed breeders with live food and they should start mating. Eggs and fry can be removed from the tank to avoid to end in the filter or eaten by other fish.

Description provided by ©Michela Ferretti.

Pictures

Thanks to L. Staunton!