Biology
Barboach is a small, serpentine Pokémon that resembles a loach. The main body is a soft gray with a jagged black line running its length. Its eyes are very small, and it has a round, blue nose. It has several blue barbels that are used as a superb radar in murky water and can be used for taste as well. These whiskers are left exposed when it hides in the mud to wait for prey. There are two rounded, blue pectoral fins and a single dorsal fin, all of which have black spots. Its tail fin is also rounded and blue but possesses no spots.
A slimy film covers its body, which protects Barboach from bacteria and allows it to easily escape from predators like Bird Pokémon. Barboach remains in its aquatic environment to prevent itself from drying out and becoming weak. Barboach can use its whiskers to detect the location of its prey, and to detect both smell and flavor similar to a human.
Evolution
Barboach evolves into Whiscash.
(For specifics on this Pokémon's Evolution in the games, refer to Game data→Evolution data.)
Game data
Pokédex entries
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation III.
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Generation III
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Hoenn #127
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Kanto #—
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Ruby
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Barboach's sensitive whiskers serve as a superb radar system. This Pokémon hides in mud, leaving only its two whiskers exposed while it waits for prey to come along.
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Sapphire
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Barboach's body is covered with a slimy film. If a foe grabs it, this Pokémon just slips out of the enemy's grip. This Pokémon grows weak if the slimy coating dries up.
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Emerald
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Its body is covered with a slimy film. The film acts as a barrier to prevent germs in muddy water from entering the Barboach's body.
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FireRed
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It probes muddy riverbeds with its two long whiskers. A slimy film protects its body.
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LeafGreen
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Generation IV
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Sinnoh #080
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Johto #—
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Diamond
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It coats its entire body with a slimy fluid so it can squirm and slip away if grabbed.
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Pearl
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Its whiskers make a superb radar. They are used to locate prey, even in the murkiest of water.
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Platinum
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Its slimy body is hard to grasp. In one region, it is said to have been born from hardened mud.
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HeartGold
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Barboach uses its whiskers to taste things just as a person uses his or her tongue to taste things.
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SoulSilver
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Generation V
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Unova #—
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Black
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Its slimy body is hard to grasp. In one region, it is said to have been born from hardened mud.
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White
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Black 2
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Its slimy body is hard to grasp. In one region, it is said to have been born from hardened mud.
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White 2
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Generation VI
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Kalos Mountain #040
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Hoenn #132
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X
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It coats its entire body with a slimy fluid so it can squirm and slip away if grabbed.
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Y
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Its whiskers make a superb radar. They are used to locate prey, even in the murkiest of water.
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Omega Ruby
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Barboach's sensitive whiskers serve as a superb radar system. This Pokémon hides in mud, leaving only its two whiskers exposed while it waits for prey to come along.
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Alpha Sapphire
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Barboach's body is covered with a slimy film. If a foe grabs it, this Pokémon just slips out of the enemy's grip. This Pokémon grows weak if the slimy coating dries up.
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Generation VII
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Alola S M : #093
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Alola US UM : #113
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Kanto #—
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This Pokémon has no Pokédex entries in Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!.
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Sun
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Its two whiskers provide a sensitive radar. Even in muddy waters, it can detect its prey's location.
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Moon
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Its slippery body is hard to grasp, so much so that there are festivals where people compete to see how many they can catch barehanded.
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Ultra Sun
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Its entire body is gooey. When pecked at by bird Pokémon, it slips and slides its way to freedom.
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Ultra Moon
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Its whiskers are filled with nerves. They can sense smells and flavors just as a person's nose or tongue would.
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Generation VIII
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Galar #228
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Galar Isle of Armor #137
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Galar Crown Tundra #060
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Sinnoh #080
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Hisui #097
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Sword
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Its slimy body is hard to grasp. In one region, it is said to have been born from hardened mud.
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Shield
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It probes muddy riverbeds with its two long whiskers. A slimy film protects its body.
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Brilliant Diamond
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It coats its entire body with a slimy fluid so it can squirm and slip away if grabbed.
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Shining Pearl
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Its whiskers make a superb radar. They are used to locate prey, even in the murkiest of water.
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Legends: Arceus
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Makes its home in swamps with murky water. The poor visibility hides this Pokémon from predators, and the slime on its body makes grasping it difficult.
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Generation IX
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Paldea #168
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Kitakami #162
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Blueberry #—
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Scarlet
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Its two whiskers provide a sensitive radar. Even in muddy waters, it can detect its prey’s location.
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Violet
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It probes muddy riverbeds with its two long whiskers. A slimy film protects its body.
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Game locations
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation III.
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Generation IV
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Diamond
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Pearl
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Routes 205, 208, 210, 212, 227, 228, Celestic Town, Eterna City, Great Marsh, Mt. Coronet, Oreburgh Gate, Ravaged Path (Good Rod)
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Platinum
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HeartGold
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SoulSilver
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Safari Zone (Super Rod in Marshland with 3 Waterside points, and with 4 Waterside points)
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Pal Park
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Generation VIII
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Sword
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Shield
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Expansion Pass
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Brilliant Diamond
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Shining Pearl
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Routes 205, 208, 210, 212, 227, 228, Celestic Town, Eterna City, Great Marsh, Mt. Coronet, Oreburgh Gate, Ravaged Path (Good Rod) Grand Underground - Fountainspring Cave, Riverbank Cave, Still-Water Cavern, Swampy Cave, Bogsunk Cavern (After obtaining TM96 (Strength))
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Legends: Arceus
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In side games
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation III.
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Held items
Stats
Base stats
Stat
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Range
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At Lv. 50
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At Lv. 100
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50
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110 - 157
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210 - 304
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48
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47 - 110
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90 - 214
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43
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43 - 104
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81 - 203
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46
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45 - 107
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87 - 210
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41
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41 - 102
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78 - 199
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60
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58 - 123
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112 - 240
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Total: 288
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Other Pokémon with this total
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- Minimum stats are calculated with 0 EVs, IVs of 0, and (if applicable) a hindering nature.
- Maximum stats are calculated with 252 EVs, IVs of 31, and (if applicable) a helpful nature.
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Pokéathlon stats
Type effectiveness
Under normal battle conditions in Generation IX, this Pokémon is:
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Learnset
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- Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Barboach
- Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an Evolution of Barboach
- Click on the generation numbers at the top to see level-up moves from other generations
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- Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Barboach
- Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an Evolution or an alternate form of Barboach
- Click on the generation numbers at the top to see TM moves from other generations
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- Moves marked with an asterisk (*) must be chain bred onto Barboach
- Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Barboach
- Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an Evolution of Barboach
- Click on the generation numbers at the top to see Egg moves from other generations
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TCG-only moves
Side game data
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Pokémon Rumble Rush
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Walking Speed: 3.05 seconds
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Base HP: 48
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Base Attack: 67
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Base Defense: 46
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Base Speed: 60
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Evolution data
Sprites
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation III.
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Other sprites
In animation
Major appearances
Barboach was going to be featured in an episode that would air between Solid as a Solrock and Vanity Affair, under the ownership of Chōta. However, the episode ultimately never aired anywhere in the world due to an earthquake that occurred in Japan sometime before its scheduled airdate.
Barboach officially debuted in The Great Eight Fate!, under the ownership of Juan. It was one of his Pokémon used in the Sootopolis City Water Exhibit. It and Juan's other Pokémon were captured by Team Rocket, but they all worked together to escape.
Minor appearances
In On Olden Pond, multiple Barboach were living in an old lake.
In Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea, the Marina Group used multiple Barboach for their water show.
In Strategy Begins at Home!, Team Rocket was fishing for Goldeen in a lake that had a Barboach.
A Barboach appeared in The Sun, the Scare, the Secret Lair!.
Two Barboach appeared in Pikachu's Exciting Adventure!.
In On Land, In the Sea, and to the Future!, a Trainer's Barboach competed in the Kids Marine Athletic Race.
In the mangaIn the TCGTrivia
Origin
Barboach seems to be based on the pond loach found in East Asia, which also buries itself to hide from view, uses its whiskers to detect its surroundings, secretes a slimy substance, and encases itself in mud. Considering its evolved form, Barboach may also be based on loach catfish, a family of catfish similar to loaches. Given the aforementioned catfish-like attributes, as well as its small, slender body, it may also be based on the small catfish known as the candiru, also known as the toothpick fish. Barboach could also be based on Electric catfish due to being able to learn the move Spark.
Barboach may be based on the Namazu, a catfish in Japanese mythology known for causing earthquakes. Its move Future Sight and ability Anticipation could allude to that myth, which possibly originated from the observation that catfish are capable of predicting earthquakes and become agitated a few hours before their occurrence. Sometimes Namazu is depicted as dragon-serpent which may explain why it can learn the move Dragon Dance.
Barboach's Platinum Pokédex entry mentioning the belief that Barboach was born from hardened mud may be a reference to spontaneous generation, an old scientific theory which held that living creatures could arise from nonliving matter, more specifically it may be a reference to Aristotle's idea that eels emerged spontaneously from mud due to their enigmatic way of reproduction.
Name origin
Barboach may be a combination of barb or barbel (whiskerlike sensory organ in a catfish) and loach.
Dojoach may be a combination of 泥鰌 dojō (pond loach) and loach.
In other languagesExternal links
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This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.
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