into the intestine. The expended air is expelled through the anus. The spawning season is from April to June. The females produce between 300 and 1,500 eggs close to the ground: on stones, roots or plants. The eggs are then fertilized by the males. The larvae hatch in 4 to 6 days. The spined loach's lifespan is between 3 and 5 years, with the maximum reached in captivity being 10 years. See also Loach Footnotes References (2008): The molecular diversity of adriatic spined loaches (Teleostei, Cobitidae). Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 46(1): 382–390. (HTML abstract) Cobitis Freshwater fish of Europe Fish of Europe Fish of Russia Fish described in 1758 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus