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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Barboach and its evolved form are the only dual-type Water/Ground Pokémon who are not in the Water 1Egg Group.
They are also the only Ground-type Pokémon in the Water 2 Egg Group.
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.
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.