This species is common in Latvian freshwaters, however it is quite hard to detect it. It resides in slow-flowing or stagnant waters – ponds and lakes, slow-flowing sections of plain rivers in muddy places. It may occur also in anthropogenically built water bodies. Pond loach mainly feeds zoobenthos organisms. This species can reach the age of 22 years in Latvia. Thou this species is quite common in Latvia, in Europe in general it is endangered and thus included in Council Directive on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora 92/43/EEC.