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Denison's loach (Nemacheilus denisoni) — Nemacheilidae

Denison's loach

Nemacheilus denisoni
Family: Nemacheilidae

The Denison's loach (Nemacheilus denisoni) is a fish of the family Nemacheilidae that grows up to 6 cm.

Length
6 cm
Diet
Carnivore
Activity
Nocturnal
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless

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Description

The Denison's loach is a stone loach (Nemacheilidae) from fast-flowing, clear fresh water of southern India. The species grows to about 6 cm and has a slender, elongate, brown-speckled body with small barbels around the mouth. As a bottom-dweller it lives among gravel and stones of oxygen-rich streams and rivers and snaps at insect larvae and small invertebrates. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Denison's loach?

The Denison's loach is mainly brown and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Denison's loach live?

The Denison's loach is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Denison's loach get?

The Denison's loach grows to a maximum of about 6 cm.

Is the Denison's loach dangerous to humans?

No, the Denison's loach is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

More photos

Denison's loach (Nemacheilus denisoni) — Nemacheilidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Jigar Patel, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Denison's loach (Nemacheilus denisoni) — Nemacheilidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) Srivatsan Ramkumar, some rights reserved (CC BY))
Denison's loach (Nemacheilus denisoni) — Nemacheilidae — 4
Wikimedia Commons — Francis Day (Public domain)
Denison's loach (Nemacheilus denisoni) — Nemacheilidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) virenvaz, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))

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All data

Identification

English name
Denison's loach sourced
Scientific name
Nemacheilus denisoni
Family
Nemacheilidae

Appearance

Size class
Small
Max length (cm)
6
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Spots sourced
Tail shape
Straight
Barbels
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Origin
Native

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore
Diet (detail)
Small fishes, crustaceans and invertebrates
Territorial
No
Activity
Nocturnal
Reproduction
Separate sexes
Sexual dimorphism
No
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known.

For anglers

Regulations source

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Nemacheilus

More from the family Nemacheilidae

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