Loach Question

[bortsamson]

Hey all
Question about loach, my clown loach in particular
I was examing his case of ich, which he is being treated for,
And as i was looking, I noticed he was flexing something near his eyes everytime I moved my hand close to him, and then I looked closer and he has, what it looks like to be spikes, lol.
Am I correct in assuming this is prolly some sorta defensive mechanism?

[OrionGirl]

They are gill spikes. Clowns can make clicking noise with them, and they have other uses as well. Be careful--they can be sharp. Other fish have them as well--bristlenose ancistrus have them, and they can break the skin. My large male has never drawn blood, but gave me the equivalent of a shallow paper cut.