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Eightbarbel loach (Lefua costata) — Nemacheilidae

Eightbarbel loach

Lefua costata
Family: Nemacheilidae

The Eightbarbel loach (Lefua costata) is a freshwater fish of the family Nemacheilidae that grows up to 10 cm.

Length
9.8 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Carnivore
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless

Description

The eightbarbel loach is a small stone loach (Nemacheilidae) from fresh water of East Asia, from China to Korea. The species grows to about 10 cm and has an elongate, yellow-brown body with fine dark markings and eight barbels around the mouth. As a bottom-dweller it lives in slow-flowing streams, ponds and rice paddies and searches for small invertebrates, larvae and detritus. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Eightbarbel loach?

The Eightbarbel loach has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly brown.

Where does the Eightbarbel loach live?

The Eightbarbel loach lives in fresh water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Eightbarbel loach get?

The Eightbarbel loach grows to a maximum of about 10 cm. On average the species is around 5 cm.

Is the Eightbarbel loach dangerous to humans?

No, the Eightbarbel loach is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Achtbaard-modderkruiper sourced
English name
Eightbarbel loach sourced
Scientific name
Lefua costata
Family
Nemacheilidae
Other names
Eight-whiskered stone loach verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
9.8 verified
Average length (cm)
5.3 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Barbels
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Lefua

More from the family Nemacheilidae

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