A substratophile is an organism that requires substrate during the breeding season.

Substrate - a base, object or substance on which animals, plants and microorganisms live. For benthic invertebrates, the substrate is the bottom soil of a water body; for fish, planktonic organisms, the substrate is the water column; submerged wood, vegetation, mollusks, etc., are spawning substrates for many fish. - spawning substrate for many fish.

For example, some species of Cichlidae lay eggs in depressions in sand, gravel, or on rock, guard them, and transfer them to a new location before the larvae hatch.