Loaches Online Forum

Could I possibly keep weather loaches in my garden pond?

After a few of the hottest days this summer the temperature went up to about 21C tops.
During winter I heat it up, to stop it from freezing over, don't know the temperature in the winter I'm afraid.

It has a massive airpump, I have this for the 70cm+ sturgeons that I have.
So oxygen is not a problem.

The hight of the edge is about 25cm above waterlevel.

There are no plants on the bottom (sturgeons again)

I also keep several Koi, goldfish, sarasa and a single brown catfish.

Would it work without major work???

if you have to heat your pond in the winter to keep it from freezing, it is definitely too cold to sustain weather loaches. i also worry that the larger sturgeons and the cat (depending on what type it is) would eat them.

I would'n worry about the sturgeons, there harmless to anything that is bigger as a shrimp.
The cat isn't very big, but the species is still unidentified.
(probably a European brown catfish)

I'll check the temp when winter comes by again.

Its just that I've read they keep them in pond in the UK, just thought it would be possible here as well.

Thanks

Francois van Brederode wrote:Its just that I've read they keep them in pond in the UK, just thought it would be possible here as well.

how deep is your pond? if you have the kind of heater that you break through a portion of the ice to keep the water underneath from freezing, I’d say it's still too cold. However, if you're heating the entire body of water (heater cranked up in the filter reservoir or a pool heater) then it may be warm enough, but not very efficient.

if your pond didn't even break 70F in the hottest part of the summer, I'm betting during the winter the water temperature is going to get well below the 50F bottom end of the dojo temp range, even heated.

My pond is a good 100cm deep.
It is lying in the shade most of the day, that's why it doesn't heat up so quick in the summer.

In the winter I chuck in 2 elements designed to keep it ice-free.
Wich they do perfectly.
When we are ice-skating (ever the dutchman right) the pond is completly free of ice and almost steaming.

I just don't know the temp then, I bought the thermomator only recently.

If i'm not sure if I can get it warm enough I won't even think of getting the loaches.

Hi,
I keep weather loaches in my small pond. They've been there about three years now and are pretty big (8-9 inches). Some old pictures from a previous thread:
http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php ... highlight=
Its way more overgrown now
The pond gets up to 2" of ice on the surface during the winter, and is about 80 deg F this time of year.

So you shouldn't have any problem. Go for it!

Batch

WOW! that looks so cool!

I've only seen weather loaches from the sides (in aquariums) they are so cool from above.

The thing is, my pond is lower then ground level, so I'm expecting it gets colder in winter then your pond.

I definetly be checking the temp. next winter because they look so cool in there.

Your pond looks great by the way!
Nice and full of plants.

I would think that your pond being below ground level would keep it warmer than the above ground version. The frost level is not usually very deep and it does not freeze below the frost level.

Francois van Brederode wrote:WOW! that looks so cool!

I've only seen weather loaches from the sides (in aquariums) they are so cool from above.

The thing is, my pond is lower then ground level, so I'm expecting it gets colder in winter then your pond.

I definetly be checking the temp. next winter because they look so cool in there.

Your pond looks great by the way!
Nice and full of plants.

The only downside of keeping them outside is that you won't see nearly as much of them... but it makes it all the better when you do.


Keith is right, having the pond in the ground will actually keep it warmer in the winter (mine is all above ground and on concrete). In any case liquid fresh water below the ice will always be ~32deg F (0 deg C) anyway. So your pond with ice on the surface will be the same temp as my pond with ice on the surface.


Cheers,
Batch

Isn't 0 degrees C far to low for the loaches to survive?

Francois van Brederode wrote:Isn't 0 degrees C far to low for the loaches to survive?

No. They'll be fine. Give them something to burrow into to overwinter (sand substrate, soil for potted plants etc).

Batch