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This small, colorful fish, which has many names, is often compared to the char that inhabits the cold waters of the Putorana Plateau. This is because it survives in any water, running or still. However, this fish, common throughout Russia, most often inhabits rivers with slow currents.
It has no commercial value in fishing and is often used as bait for large predators. Its attractive coloring can attract lenok, whitefish, and grayling, which can later become trophies for anglers.
What does the individual look like?
The Siberian spined loach's body structure resembles a ribbon. It looks like this:
· The body is long, oblong, flattened on the sides.
The small head has small eyes. Small spikes are located below them on both sides.
The fish has six barbels, located at the corners of its mouth and on its upper jaws.
· There are dark spots on the sides, and the scales are sometimes round and sometimes oval, with a large center.
The Siberian loach's coloration is yellowish-gray, sometimes brown. During the spawning season, the color changes to brighter tones. Growths appear on its sides. The stripe running down its body, as well as its tail, turn blue during spawning.
Individuals are 13 cm long and weigh 10 grams. However, in Korea, for example, loach can grow up to 20 cm.
Where does the Siberian spined loach live?
This species is found in many Russian waters, starting from the Urals and extending all the way to the Yana River in Siberia. The stickleback can be fished in the Amur, Ussuri, Sungari, and Lake Khanka. These small fish are also found on Sakhalin and the Korean Peninsula.
The Siberian spined loach can be found in absolutely any body of water. It thrives in cold-water mountain rivers. It can inhabit ponds and tributaries, or live in the bed of a large river. It prefers bays and creeks, burying itself in the sandy bottom for long periods.
The spiny loach's stomach structure is similar to that of the loach, but intestinal respiration is not very well developed. During periods of oxygen deprivation, the fish rise closer to the surface and gasp for air, especially on rainy, cloudy days.
Many anglers don't release their fish after catching them. They use them as live bait or place them in aquariums, where they cope well with captivity. The Siberian loach reproduces well in aquariums.
Briefly about the main thing
The Siberian loach is a little-studied species, and although it's not of commercial interest, this small fish makes an excellent live bait, helping many anglers enhance their fishing with lucrative trophies.
A large population of these individuals allows for their capture in large numbers. When hunting large predators, catching a large number of loach significantly contributes to the success of landing a worthy trophy.
At any time, you can replace a tired or dying bait on the hook with something active and live. This can subsequently attract a trophy predator to attack.
