Stone loach

(Barbatula barbatula)

The small greenish brown bottom fish hiding under the rocks is a stone loach. It spends its days between rocks, but at dusk it sets off to prey on small animals on the bottom. In the dark it cannot depend upon its sight. It finds the prey with its six barbells. It is found in clean oxygen rich waterways everywhere in Finland, except in Lapland. Stone loach grows up to fifteen centimetres long. It is possible to catch stone loaches with bare hands. When you carefully pick up a stone from the bottom, stone loach often stays put, and it is easy to pick with your fingers. Stone loach is a delicious fish, but due to its small size it is not consumed much.

Tämän kalan levinneisyys Suomessa.