Overlooked Fish of the Week

STONE LOACH

With our emphasis on the large, menacing and/or tropical it is easy to overlook some of the unsung heroes of the fish world so today we at FOTW celebrate the humble but rather fetching Stone Loach.

The Stone Loach spends most of time hanging on to rocks in the few unpolluted streams and rivers throughout the British Isles (except northern Scotland). This charming and bizarre fish with well developed barbels is a bottom dweller which grows to a maximum size of 10 cms. Dr. A Scientist PhD, a regular visitor to our site will instantly recognise it as Nemacheilus Barbatus.

Thanks to Tom Fisher of Welney for drawing this to our attention. FOTW contributors may wish to nominate their unsung fishy hero in the usual way.