Common spiny loach

About

Found in quiet, slow-moving streams and rivers across India and Sri Lanka, Lepidocephalichthys thermalis is a small cobitid loach that spends most of its time nosing through sandy substrates in search of detritus and algae. It can be identified by a rounded tail fin, dark squarish flank spots that stop short of forming a solid stripe, and three to five broad dark bars on the caudal fin. Like all members of the family Cobitidae, it carries a pair of sharp sub-ocular spines normally tucked beneath the skin. These can flick outward when the fish is stressed, so use a soft mesh or container rather than a net when moving it. One practical note for collectors: this species is facultatively air-breathing, meaning it can gulp atmospheric oxygen during periods of low dissolved oxygen. Despite the aggressive and territorial flags that sometimes appear in database records, in practice this loach tends to be peaceful toward tankmates of appropriate size, though it may pick off eggs or fry. It does best in a group of four or more and pairs well with small stream-dwelling cyprinids, hillstream loaches, and rheophilic gobies. It shows up in the trade only sporadically, but when available it makes a genuinely forgiving choice for someone wanting to explore loach-keeping for the first time.