[5] There are several known invasive populations in places such as Barcelona,[5] the San Joaquin River in California,[6] and the majority of Japan.

This loach is an omnivorous scavenging bottom feeder, and is equipped with three pairs of barbels used to detect edible items.

They are able to breathe atmospheric oxygen, which allows it to survive in poor quality water or even on land for extended periods of time.

The male wraps around the female in order to fertilize the eggs, which are laid in cover such as aquatic vegetation with no further parental care provided.

The large-scale loach can be told apart from the pond loach by the presence of higher adipose crests on the caudal peduncle, a thinner lamina circularis (enlarged bony scale at the base of the first and second pectoral fin ray), and the lack of a dark spot near the caudal base in the upper corner on the tail fin.