Spined Loach

(Cobitis taenia), a fish of the family Cobitidae. The body is elongate and laterally compressed; there are large dark spots along the sides. Under the eye is a bipartite spine; there are six antennae around the mouth. The body length reaches 11.5 cm. The spined loach is distributed in rivers and lakes of Europe (up to 60° N lat.) and Asia. It prefers sluggish and stagnant waters with a silty-sandy bottom for burrowing. The fish feeds on small benthic crustaceans and the larvae of Chirono-midae. Sexual maturity is attained in the second or third year. Spawning occurs from May through July; the roe, which number no more than 300, are deposited in batches and are benthic. The spined loach has no commercial importance; it is good bait for catching predatory fishes.