Invasive ‘eel-like’ species found in Georgia creek for the first time, researchers say
The weather loach is common in home aquariums, but environmental scientists are concerned after more than a dozen of the invasive eel-like species were found swimming in an east Georgia creek.
University of Georgia researchers say the discovery is a first for the state and could mean bad news for native species in the area.
“That was a lot of exotic fish that were found in about an hour,” Dr. James Shelton, an associate professor in the university’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, told UGA Today. “Now, we’re going to do a much more extensive effort and try and remove as many as possible.”
A total of 15 weather loaches were pulled from a tributary of the Oconee River near Athens during researchers’ assessment of the area’s aquatic life, the university reported Thursday. Using an electrical current to pull the fish to the surface, student biologists soon realized there was a species that did not belong.
“The concern is, if they get into the Oconee River, they can get anywhere — there’s no stopping them,” Shelton told the outlet.
The weather loach, named for it’s erratic “eel-like movements” upon changes in barometric pressure, is a freshwater fish native to east Asia and can grow up to 10 inches long, according to Loaches.com. It’s a popular aquarium fish and is also distributed as part of the ornamental fish trade across areas of China, Laos and Myanmar, among others.
The exotic fish has been found in U.S. states including Alabama, but isn’t native to North America. In fact, UGA researchers say the loaches could threaten native fish if they aren’t removed.
“Weather loaches are omnivores, which means they will be competing with native fish for the same food sources — and may also eat native fish eggs,” according to UGA Today. “And because they burrow into the river substrate, they may also destroy native fish habitat.”
Brett Albanese, a biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, has urged pet owners against releasing their aquarium fish into the wild, telling the outlet there are “enough stressors in the aquatic system — we don’t need new ones.”
Scientists said they’re still researching the loach’s potential impacts on the environment.
This story was originally published November 18, 2020 at 5:09 PM with the headline "Invasive ‘eel-like’ species found in Georgia creek for the first time, researchers say."