Home / Fishes / Carp, barbs, minnows, loaches / Cobitidae / Common spiny loach
No federal permit to keepCommon spiny loach
Lepidocephalichthys thermalis
Fishes › Carp, barbs, minnows, loaches (Cypriniformes) › Cobitidae (Spined loaches)
Lepidocephalichthys thermalis, known as common spiny loach or spotted loach, is a species of freshwater fish found in India and Sri Lanka. They are found usually in quiet, flowing waters with a sandy substrate.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 60 in long and 30 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 15.0 in / 38 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 72–75°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 6.5–7.
- Hardness: 0–5 dGH.
- Layout: Lives on or near the bottom: floor space and hiding places matter more than height.
- Diet: Eats a varied diet: mix quality prepared foods with frozen and live foods. FishBase classes it as a omnivore.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 18 × 12 in (roughly 11 US gallons); space needed is rated “modest tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 68–77 °F, pH 6–8, 2–12 dGH.
- Behaviour: a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more; suited to a community tank.
- Difficulty: Easy (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “This species will do well in most well-maintained aquaria if plenty of hiding places are provided and should not harm softer-leaved plants.”
- Diet: “Probably a micropredator feeding on insect larvae and suchlike in nature.”
- Breeding: “Presumably a seasonal spawner in nature but hasn't been bred in captivity as far as we know although purported courtship behaviour has been observed.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Spined loaches
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Spined loaches inhabit freshwater bottoms from tropical Pangio forest streams and swamps to temperate weather-loach streams, wetlands and paddy fields. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- For Pangio semicincta, provide at least a 60 × 30 cm (24 × 12 in) footprint; adult Misgurnus anguillicaudatus need at least 120 × 45 cm (48 × 18 in).
- Use soft sand for burrowing; coarse gravel can injure fish and inhibit feeding.
- Provide shaded retreats beneath secured wood or smooth rocks, with leaf litter and low-light plants for Pangio.
- Cover the aquarium securely and protect filter intakes against entry by small loaches.
- Use mature biological filtration, gentle circulation and surface agitation rather than strong flow for Pangio and weather loaches.
Climate & lighting
| Water | 70–79°F |
Diet
- Sinking complete foods reaching the bottom.
- Live or frozen Daphnia and Artemia.
- Bloodworms and small worms as part of a varied diet.
Social life
- Keep Pangio in groups of at least five or six with peaceful companions. Weather loaches can be kept singly but appear more active with conspecifics; they may eat eggs, fry or tiny fish.
Health watch
- Skin injuries and feeding impairment from unsuitable burrowing substrate.
- Ammonia-related illness in immature aquaria.
- Nutritional deficiencies if bottom dwellers receive insufficient suitable food.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
It grows to 38 cm (15 in) standard length.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Lepidocephalichthys thermalis” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater, in rivers and streams. Stays near the bottom. Found usually in quiet, flowing waters with a sandy substrate. Feeds mainly on detritus, but also algae. |
| Ground it lives on | Over sand. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 72–75 °F (22–24 °C), pH 6.5–7, hardness 5 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 72–75 °F.
- Use a soft, fine bottom; it lives over fine sediment in the wild.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 92°F (up to 99°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 65°F (down to 55°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 75–82°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 64–76% on average (driest month about 64%) |
| Rainfall | about 1888 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons |
Measured at 70 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | Lepidocephalichthys thermalis, known as common spiny loach or spotted loach, is a species of freshwater fish found in India and Sri Lanka. They are found usually in quiet, flowing waters with a sandy substrate. It grows to 38 cm standard length. The species name, thermalis, references the fact that the type locality of this species was the Kanniya Hot Springs from Sri Lanka. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Biology | Facultative air-breathing; Found usually in quiet, flowing waters with a sandy substrate. Feeds mainly on detritus, but also algae. — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 18 × 12 in (about 11 US gallons).
Veterinary & husbandry research
Veterinary & husbandry research
- Influence of water pH and temperature on breeding and embryo development of Indian spiny loach (Lepidocephalichthys thermalis) Velmurugan A et al., Animal reproduction science 2025
Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. 170
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Seriously Fish — pangio semicincta Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish — misgurnus anguillicaudatus Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Merck Veterinary Manual — Disorders and Diseases of Fish Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
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