Endemic to a very restricted area in southern Romania, it was found in the upper reach of the Argeş River and in two of its tributaries: Râul Doamnei and Vâlsan.

This fish is active at night and feeds on the aquatic larvae of insects such as stoneflies (Plecoptera), caddisflies (Trichoptera), and mayflies (Ephemeroptera).

The last remaining population in the Vâlsan River is totally reliant on the amount of water released by the reservoir immediately upstream.

[1] A Romanian NGO, the Bucharest Institute of Biology, has worked to preserve this species with the financial support of the Regional Environmental Center.

[5] Official estimates assert that no more than 15 specimens are living in a 1 km2 (0.39 sq mi) area of the Vâlsan; observations as of October 2022 have confirmed 58 individuals.