Spined loach

Cobitis taenia

Also known as European spined loach, Spotted spined loach, Cobitis taenia taenia

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 39–68°F (4–20°C)
pH: 6.5–8.0
Adult size: 4.3 in (11 cm)
Minimum tank: 32 gal (120 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Native to rivers, lakes and streams across much of Europe and into western Asia, resting on sandy and silty bottoms in cool, temperate water.
Family: Cobitidae

Overview

Keep a group of at least 6 in an unheated tank of 120 litres or more with a deep sand bed, at 4 to 20 C and pH 6.5 to 8.0. It sifts sand for tiny invertebrates and detritus, so feed sinking foods, frozen bloodworm and daphnia. Peaceful and quiet, it suits temperate, coldwater setups alongside fish like white cloud mountain minnows or native pond species rather than tropical community fish.

In the wild

A slim, temperate loach reaching about 10 to 12 cm that spends the day buried in sand with only its head showing. It is a true coldwater fish that lives happily in unheated tanks and even garden ponds, and it does not want tropical warmth. A deep, soft sand bed is essential so it can bury itself, along with clean, cool, well-oxygenated water.

Good to know

It is named for a small, forked, erectile spine tucked below each eye. The spined loach belongs to a well-studied complex of closely related forms, some of which reproduce through all-female clonal lineages, making it a favourite subject for genetics research.