Spined Loach
Cobitis taenia
DE: Steinbeißer
- Maximum Size
- 12 cm
- Waters
- 24
Distinguishing Features
Elongated, laterally compressed body, six barbels, small movable spine below the eye.
Habitat
Sandy or muddy waters, buries itself during the day.
Red List Germany
* · Not threatenedNot threatened in Germany.
- Red List of freshwater fish:
- Freyhof et al. 2023 · Rote-Liste-Zentrum
- IUCN global:
- LC · Least Concern
Fishing rules by federal state
Can I keep it?| Federal state | Minimum size | Closed season | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brandenburg | Protected year-round | ||
Not yet researched here — see the ordinance of: Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia
Statewide rules for anglers as of 24 Oct 2026, without guarantee. Clubs and waters can set stricter rules; the ordinance text is binding.
Waters
Map: Natural Earth (public domain); © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
Native
Expected in these federal states
Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia
Expected occurrence, modelled from each water's fish zones, habitat type and the federal states the species lives in, and checked against GBIF records — not a record of observations.