Is this string algae ?

[capewind]

Interesting about the relationship between plants and algae... I never gave that angle any thought... My thoughts on plant food is simply fish wastes, or a "pill" LOL...90% of the string algae we have in our pond is hung up on the under water vines of our creeping primrose that I didnt yank out of the pond (it's still green, even if not "hardy" here)...

 

[Mucky_Waters]

Not knowing anything at all about these loaches, except for what you both have posted, if Wikipedia is stating they can do well in the upper 50's, I think it would give us a baseline, but that's about it... The word "well" is subjective at best. I personally do wonderful at 65-75... that is my favorite tempature range, but I'm not going to die at a 30 degree difference either way... I sure wouldnt be happy about it, but I'd stick around;-) So the question is WHAT can they REALLY tolerate? Tempature is only but a single factor in any habitat.

Well, it's hard to say. It's true that some fish can tolerate colder weather (like koi), but their immunity might be compromised after a while if they spend too much time at that temp, and they certainly won't breed at those temperatures. And even if it warms up enough for them to breed, it would also be necessary that there be enough time at that temp to complete the breeding cycle, egg laying, eggs to hatch, fry to grow... etc..
I would think the crucial thing here would be if these tropical loaches could indeed survive long temperate cold spells and come out the other end healthy. from what I understand they don't experience anything like that in their native habitat, so I'm just a little skeptical.

 

[capewind]

I have no issue with being skeptical at all... All I am saying is just because something isnt typical, doesnt mean impossible. I definately would not handle the Alaskan winters well at all, but if I was slowly acclimated to it, I just may do okay... Whether by need or accident, many species, man included, have migrated and been able to adjust to non typical environments. We use koi as an example to being able to tolerate lower temps (quick search said 35-85) but we know they can handle temps outside of this range for short periods... Define short... days? weeks? MONTHS??? So... my QUESTION is... if loaches "can do well" in the 50s, what about 10 or 20 degrees lower, and if so, for how long? days? weeks? MONTHS? Here in Massachusetts, the top of our pond has frozen over completely three times now, yet most of the time when I check the pond temp (surface) it is in the low 40s... IF all other factors for the survival of these loaches are correct, to what lower temp can they be acclimated to?

 

[crsublette]

Kind of veering off topic here, which is fine.

Good article on Weather Loaches where it makes mentions of Loaches adapting to Canadian climates as well. Also, there's a Loach forum where all they talk about are Loaches, which is crazy. Apparently, Loach is also a fish raised as edible livestock like an eel. Just put it on a stick and you're good to go.

I don't think Loaches are considered to be a tropical fish.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

Kind of veering off topic here, which is fine.

Good article on Weather Loaches where it makes mentions of Loaches adapting to Canadian climates as well. Also, there's a Loach forum where all they talk about are Loaches, which is crazy. Apparently, Loach is also a fish raised as edible livestock like an eel. Just put it on a stick and you're good to go.

I don't think Loaches are considered to be a tropical fish.

Great links, thanks Charles.