Why is there a ban on cobitis in the UK?

[daspricey]

What the title says! Surely none of them could survive and even breed in UK waters with perhaps the exception of cobitis taenia but i believe these are native. One of my plans is to go to china and get a few from the fish market over there.

Also how do you distinguish cobitis from other species like misgurnus?

Cheers

David

[mickthefish]

i think it could be to do with imported diseases, we have one now that is decimating the freshwater eel.
plus i think the cobitis could live in the waters down south, it warmer than us poor sods up here.

mick

[Mad Duff]

The top mouth gudgeon shouldn't have survived in the wild but it has and decimated the natural population of fishes in quite a few tarn's in the Lake District, their numbers have gotten so bad that some of the tarn's have been poisoned to try and get rid of the fish

I may be wrong but certain parts of China have pretty cold winters similar to ours or worse so in theory some of these species could survive and establish them selves, although like Mick said I think a lot of it has to do with the risk of introducing disease's or foreign bodies to waters.

[daspricey]

Thanks guys. It is a real shame though, i do really want to keep a few cobitis.

LOL trip to China?

[daspricey]

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/f ... ht=cobitis

That list is just depressing.

But i can't help but notice paramisgurnus dabryanus is not included- i can only hope!

David