Growth patterns of the golden loach, Sabanejewia balcanica were examined in the Rijeka River in Central Croatia on a total of 77 specimens collected in a single sampling session in June 2006. No significant difference was found in total body length between males and females. Age was determined from otoliths. Both males and females live 4 years, though due to the sampling period, no 0+ age fish were found in this study. The length-weight relationship was calculated as W=2x10-6TL3.3229 for males and W=3x10-6TL3.2811 for females, indicating positively allometric growth. According to the growth factor k, growth of males was three times faster than that of females.