The weather loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) is an Asian species popular in the aquarium trade that has been introduced to sites in North America, Europe and Australia. Warnell fisheries researchers detected this species in Georgia for the first time in 2020, in a tributary of the Oconee River. They were subsequently detected in a different tributary in the watershed in 2021. Although the full ecological ramifications are unknown, it’s clear that these invasive fish will compete with native species for benthic invertebrate prey. In collaboration with Warnell fisheries faculty, we are using genetic markers to test whether the fish at these two sites represent distinct introductions or natural dispersal. We’re also optimizing an eDNA assay that can be deployed to detect the presence of this species in other tributaries. 

News Stories:

Invasive fish discovered in Georgia creek

November 18, 2020

by Kristen Morales

Why the Weather Loach isn’t Welcome in the Wild 

December 16, 2020

By Ani Escobar And Jim Page