Spined Loach

Fascinating facts about the Spined Loach

• The spined loach typically reaches an adult length of 8–10 cm (females up to 12 cm) and weighs up to 60 g.
• When water is low-oxygen, the loach swallows air at the surface and extracts oxygen through its intestine, expelling the air through the anus.
• Each night the loach swallows substrate and small organisms, then ejects the sand through its gills; this process continues through the night to obtain enough calories.
• From April to June, a female deposits between 300 and 1,500 eggs on river stones or plant roots, and the embryos hatch in 4–6 days.
• In the wild the spined loach lives 3–5 years, while in captivity it can reach up to 10 years.

At a glance

About the Spined Loach

The spined loach, Cobitis taenia, is a sleek, elongated fish that glides through the clear, oxygen-rich waters of temperate Europe. Adults typically measure 8–10 cm, with females occasionally reaching 12 cm, and weigh between 20 and 60 g. Their backs display a yellow-brown hue dotted with tiny grey or brown scales along the spinal ridge, while the belly shimmers in pale yellow or orange. Six delicate barbels fringe the mouth, and a distinctive two-pointed spike beneath each eye can deliver a painful sting. In daylight the loach buries itself in sand or gravel, exposing only head and tail, and at night it sifts the substrate, swallowing sand laden with tiny invertebrates and organic detritus; the nutrient-poor sand is expelled through the gills. The spined loach can gulp air at the surface, channeling oxygen into its intestine and later releasing the used air through the anus, allowing survival in temporarily low-oxygen pockets. Spawning runs from April to June, when females deposit 300–1,500 eggs on stones, roots or aquatic plants, and the larvae hatch within four to six days. Wild individuals live three to five years, and captivity can extend life to a decade.

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