Description
The Peppered Loach is a medium sized loach that can get up to 4 – 6″ (10 – 15 cm) in the wild, though they are usually smaller in the aquarium. They generally have a life span of about 10 – 12 years.
Its body is long and cylindrical and has a rather grayish yellow body color that is paler on the belly. A light horizontal stripe runs from its nose back to the base of its tail with a series of dark blotches above and below the length of the stripe. This gives it a rather ‘peppered’ look. There are also numerous small dark spots on the dorsal and tail fin. It also has a two-pronged spine under the eye and four pairs of barbels. There are color variartions depending on the region they are from.
- Size of fish – inches: 5.9 inches (15.01 cm) – These fish are can reach up to about 6″ (15 cm) in the wild, but are normally about 4 inches (10 cm) in the aquarium.
- Lifespan: 10 years.