Gobi Loach

The Gobi loach is a small Mongolian endemic adapted to inland waters in an arid landscape. Its very restricted range makes it one of the country's most distinctive freshwater fishes. A slender, bottom-dwelling loach with a rounded body, mottled brown camouflage and several short barbels around the mouth. It lacks the heavy scales and deep body of an osman.

The national fish assessment places it in the Gobi Valley of the Lakes, where isolated streams and lake margins form fragile habitat. It remains close to the substrate, using its barbels to locate small invertebrates and other food among stones and sediment. Its range is limited and sensitive; specialist surveys in the Gobi Valley of the Lakes offer the best context for encountering it responsibly.