Face Flaps On A Loach?

i have a blue botia loach and i have noticed he does something weird, something i cant find anything about online.

he has these little flaps under his eyes. i cant get a picture of him but he only does it when he yawns, or what looks like a yawn to me. i know now that they are social fish, something i didnt know when i got him, poor thing, and since then i've got him friends. I heard something about spines under their eyes for protection, i was wondering if possibly, in the time he was alone, he became more agressive and uses these "spines" or "flaps" to scare off my other fish.


this is (sort of) what he looks like

http/s18.photobucket.com/albums/b106/hol...t=blueloach.jpg

Yes many locahes have these spines under the eye's and we can only guess it's for protection but i dont belive it's been proven at all.
I my self have beed spiked by a 8" clown before and it dose hurt......

What you have seen is a "subocular spine". Subocular meaning below the eye. These are a defense mechanism unique to loaches. They can inflict a pretty good "sting" to a human finger as well. They are NOT venomous. In a healthy tank and with healthy fish any damage administered by a loach spine should heal quickly with no need for attention.