This species is migratory on a seasonal basis; during the dry season it can be found in larger river channels, whereas during drier months it moves into smaller tributaries and flooded forests.

Apparently displays a preference for rocky habitats and is not known to adapt to reservoirs or other artificial impoundments.

Endemic to the Korean peninsula where it occurs throughout North Korea and South Korea.

Type locality is ‘Keumsan River, near Pusan, South Korea.’

A predominantly riverine fish preferring clear, well-oxygenated, running waters with substrates of sand, gravel, rock or mud, where adults tend to form schools just above the substrate in slower-moving sections.

This species can be distinguished from other members of the genus by the following combination of characters: absence of dark spots on body in adults; body elongate with slightly convex dorsal profile; head longer than body is deep; snout much longer than postorbital head length; lips well developed, lateral lobes of lower lip broad and thick with folds, median process small; barbel thickness shorter or equal to eye diameter; dorsal spine strong, ⅔ of HL; dorsal-fin origin closer to tip of snout than caudal-fin base base; 15+ gill rakers; 6½ branched anal-fin rays; posterior simple dorsal-fin rays ossified and spinous.

Widepread in eastern Asia between the Yangtze and Amur river basins, including China (mainland and islands of Taiwan and Hainan), Korea, Mongolia, Russia, and Japan. It probably been introduced to Vietnam and Laos, or records from these countries represent another species.

Predominantly a riverine fish preferring clear, well-oxygenated, running waters with substrates of sand, gravel, rock or mud, and apparently displays a preference for deeper, slower-moving stretches.

In Sabah such habitats typically flow through tropical forest, although in recent years freshwater habitats throughout much of the state have been extensively modified by human activity such as conversion to palm or rubber plantations.

Predominantly a riverine fish preferring clear, well-oxygenated, running waters with substrates of sand, gravel, rock or mud, typically flowing through tropical forest.

In the habitat seen in our images sympatric fish species included Barbonymus balleroides, B. collingwoodi, Cyclocheilichthys repasson, C. apogon, Diplocheilichthys pleurotaenia, Garra borneensis, Leptobarbus hosii, and an unidentified Gastromyzon sp.

This species can be distinguished from congeners in Southeast Asia and China by the following combination of characters: plain brown body and fins, sometimes with 6-8 narrow, faintly distinct, longitudinal stripes; snout triangular in dorsal view, with small tubercules and without transverse groove…

Known from the upper Brahmaputra River basin in Arunachal Pradesh state, northern India, with records from the lower Divang Valley and Lohit District.

The type series was collected from a stream-like tributary of the Chalakkudy River at an altitude of 483 m AMSL. In March 1996 the habitat measured around 15 m across and comprised shallow (~ 20 cm deep) water flowing slowly through moist deciduous forest over a substrate of pebbles and boulders.