Unknown fish in garden pond

[geo181]

Hi, I’m new on here so not sure I’ve posted this in the right place.

After recently buying a camera to see underwater in our garden pond, we’ve noticed a fish that we definitely have not put in there. The pond has been there around 18 years and has around 15 goldfish and koi, however this one has us baffled.

We’ve never seen it come up to the top - hence only knowing it was in there after having a look with the camera, however in recent years there have been far fewer baby fish than there used to be, so I’m not sure if it could be eating them (otherwise I’m not sure what it is eating).

We had been told it could be a lamprey, but after noticing it has barbels and fins, it sounds like that isn’t the case.

Apologies for the picture quality - any help identifying what this is would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance

 

[addy1]

Welcome to our forum!

No clue on the fish, it sure looks long and skinny!

 

[Jhn]

Looks like some type of loach...Google weather loaches (general term for various species) or giant weather loach, there seems to be at least one species that can survive colder winters in ponds.

Don’t know if it is eating the fish fry/ eggs or not but your goldfish and koi will definitely eat the eggs as they spawn unless the eggs land where they can’t get at them.

 

[geo181]

Looks like some type of loach...Google weather loaches (general term for various species) or giant weather loach, there seems to be at least one species that can survive colder winters in ponds.

Don’t know if it is eating the fish fry/ eggs or not but your goldfish and koi will definitely eat the eggs as they spawn unless the eggs land where they can’t get at them.

Thanks Jhn - I’ve Google’d weather loaches and that looks very similar to what we’ve seen swimming around down there. Good to finally have an idea of what it is, even though we have no idea how it’s ended up there! It seems to have survived a few chilly british winters, so it must be a tough one thanks again for your help!

 

[addy1]

Wonder if it was a fry, when you got the minnows or baby goldfish it was in the mix.

 

[Dan73]

I would say that's a fry like mentioned

 

[j.w]

@geo181
A surprise fish. Hope it turns out to be a keeper and does not bother your other fish. I just read online that they will be fine w/koi or goldfish but that they eat from the bottom so need some sinking pellet type of food.

 

[Mmathis]

What is your climate like?

 

[AlyssaFish]

That's fascinating! I wonder how it got in there! Could have been an egg hitchhiker on a plant, or brought in by a bird, or, heck, maybe even a neighbor kid dumped in there when they got tired of taking care of it. Who knows!

But if it is a Weather loach, they are quite compatible with goldfish. I also think they're very cute (though those are certainly not very flattering pictures--kind of scary looking!).

It seems exciting to me to find a surprise fish. Only happens in big ponds, I think.