Dojo fish, Characteristics, breeding & Best 12 Notes

Dojo fish is a freshwater fish. It is in the loach family Cobitidae. The fish is sometimes called the “weather loach” for its ability to predict extreme weather events such as thunderstorms, tornadoes, and heavy rainfalls.

This occurs because the fish begins to burrow into soft soil and sand when it senses an oncoming storm or disaster. They are native to East Asia but are also popular as aquarium fish and introduced elsewhere in Asia and to America, Europe, and Australia.

Contents

How to identify dojo fish?

The dojo fish is a very good aquarium fish, is similar to the freshwater stingray but has much longer fins, it also has a fin on the tail that can be folded without affecting its swimming ability. The body of the fish is covered in thin, transparent skin and its belly is white.

Dojo fish image
Dojo fish image

The length of the average fish can be up to about 4 inches (sharp bite for eating) and their tails reach about 3″. There are many other types of loaches in the Cobitidae family. such as:

  • The ko
  • The silver koi,
  • The tiger loach,
  • The butterfly loach,
  • The jack Dempsey loach,
  • The Siamese Loach and many more.

The dojo fish is very beautiful in aquariums. It is a popular choice among beginners in fish keeping as it is relatively easy to keep. The males are typically plainer than females. Should you choose to purchase one dojo fish you should expect them to grow quite large with age.

Physical Characteristics

The dojo loach is typical in appearance and behavior. The fish is piscivorous and mainly feeds on worms, insects, and larvae. The species also consume small amounts of detritus and plants. Dojo Loach has a life span of around 5 years in the wild but can last longer in captivity.

The fish grows to 6-8 inches (15–20 cm) in length but will normally not reach this length in an aquarium because it is often harvested for the pet trade.

breeding system

The breeding system of the dojo fish is oviparous. It lays eggs in the soil and will often use the same spot repeatedly. The male fish will give off pheromones which help to attract mates. The female releases an egg into the substrate which is then fertilized by a male sperm cell. This process is repeated until between 80-120 eggs have been laid. The eggs hatch after about 2-3 weeks.

Habitat/Behavior/Life Cycle

The dojo loach is native to the rivers and streams of China, Vietnam, and Laos. The species is found in swamps, flood plains, and dense vegetation. The fish’s habitat consists of slow-moving waters with soft bottoms containing sand or mud. The fish will burrow into the soft substrate during the night to search for food and increase its chances of survival during extreme weather events.

uses

The dojo fish is often sold in aquariums to people who wish to have a weather indicator. It is most active during the night and so is usually found burrowed in the substrate during the day. The loach will emerge from its burrow when it senses danger, such as an oncoming storm or flood. The loach will attempt to escape by swimming away from the approaching danger.

Food

The dojo fish is omnivorous, feeding on aquatic crustaceans and insects as well as plant matter on the riverbed. This fish will also feed at night when it comes out of its shelter to hunt for food.

Best 12 Notes

The dojo loach is a catfish, and like most catfish, the dojo loach is an egg layer. The typical gestation period is 2–3 weeks. This fish is often kept as an aquarium pet due to its interesting burrowing behavior and innate ability to predict weather events.

It has also proven useful in science studies related to predicting weather changes through sensory detection of ionized oxygen.

However, review the full profile of the dojo loach in the following table.

Namedojo loach
another Nameweather loach
scientific Name“Misgurnus anguillicaudatus”
family NameCobitidae
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassActinopterygii
OrderCypriniformes
FamilyCobitidae
GenusMisgurnus
Colorfish is dark reddish brown with a white belly.
RarityCommon

Conclusion

I hope that you enjoy this post and I hope that you will come back again because there are always new posts to read! If you have any comments or questions, feel free to leave them below.

Leave a Comment