Cobitidae, also known as the True loaches, is a family of Old World freshwater fish. They occur throughout Eurasia and in Morocco, and inhabit riverine ecosystems. Today, most "loaches" are placed in other families. The family includes about 260 described species. New species are being described regularly.
The dwarf loach, ladderback loach, pygmy loach, chain loach or chain botia is a freshwater fish belonging to the family Botiidae. Formerly included in the genus Yasuhikotakia, it is frequently seen in the aquarium trade, the product of captive breeding.
The zebra loach is a freshwater loach native to rivers and streams in the Western Ghats of India. The maximum size is about 9 cm (3.5 in). It lives in tropical climate with temperature range of 21–26 °C (70–79 °F), and prefers water with 6.0 to 7.5 pH.
The yoyo loach, Almora loach or Pakistani loach is a freshwater fish belonging to the loach family Botiidae. It originates in the slow-running and still waters of the Ganges basin in northern India and possibly Nepal. Despite the alternative common name Pakistani loach, the true B. almorhae is not known from Pakistan.
Speonectes tiomanensis is a species of stone loach that is endemic to Malaysia and only known from a cave on Tioman Island. This fish reaches a length of 5.8 centimetres (2.3 in) SL. This species is the only known member of its genus, but it was formerly included in Sundoreonectes. It is the only cavefish known from Malaysia.
Pangio anguillaris is a species of loach found in still and slow-moving freshwater in Indochina, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo.
Botiidae is a family of cypriniform ray-finned fishes from South, Southeast, and East Asia. Until recently they were placed in the true loach family Cobitidae, until Maurice Kottelat revised the loaches and re-elevated this taxon to family rank in 2012. The family includes about 56 species.
The Java loach is a species of tropical freshwater fish, an unbanded kuhli loach, native to the sandy streams of Southeast Asia. Its alternative common names include the black kuhli loach, chocolate kuhli loach and cinnamon loach. It is common in the aquarium trade.
Schistura kongphengi is a species of ray-finned fish, a stone loach, in the genus Schistura, the most specious of the genera of stone loaches. It occurs in the middle and upper parts of the Nam Gnouang drainage south to the drainage of the Xe Bang Hiang in Laos and Vietnam. It has been recorded from dstreams with moderate to fast currents over substrates of gravel and sands and among riffles and rapids. The specific name honours Kongpheng Bouakhamvongsa, an official with the Department of Livestock and Veterinary of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, for the help he gave to Maurice Kottelat with his field work in Laos.
Schistura semiarmata is a species of stone loach in the genus Schistura. It is found in the Indian states of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu and, at least based on some sources, in Pakistan. It grows to 5.6 cm (2.2 in) SL. It is a very common species inhabiting high altitude streams with hard bottom. It is sometimes used as an aquarium fish.
Schistura sexcauda is a species of ray-finned fish, a stone loach, in the genus Schistura. It is found in the basin of the Chao Phraya River in central Thailand where it has been recorded in streams with a moderate to fast current and in riffles, over substrates consisting of gravel to stone. It is known to be raised in local subsistence fisheries and traded both nationally and internationally as an ornamental fish.
Yunnanilus cruciatus, the Vietnamese multi banded zebra loach, is a species of stone loach endemic to Vietnam. This species grows to a length of 3.4 centimetres (1.3 in) SL. It is sometimes placed in the putative monotypic genus Micronemacheilus but this genus is currently preoccupied by Micronemacheilus zispi, although this species is regarded by some authorities as a junior synonym of Traccatichthys taeniatus. Y. cruciatus occurs in the relatively still and shallow stretches of rivers where there is dense aquatic vegetation and the substrate is muddy and sandy. The species seems to be quite commonly found in the aquarium trade.
Schistura devdevi is a species of ray-finned fish in the stone loach genus Schistura. It is found in clear, swift streams with pebble beds in upland areas of the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Sikkim and West Bengal, as well as in Nepal. It sometimes appears in the aquarium trade. The specific name honours Dr Dev Dev Mukerji of the Zoological Survey of India.
Mesonoemacheilus petrubanarescui is a species of ray-finned fish from India. The specific name petrubanaescui honours the Romanian ichthyologist Petre Mihai Bănărescu. It grows to 3.5 cm (1.4 in) standard length. It is endemic to the Western Ghats and is known from only two locations, the Netravati River and Kabani River in Karnataka and Kerala. It is a little known species which is rare and may be threatened by habitat alteration, sand mining and pollution. It turns up occasionally in the aquarium trade where it is sold as the "dwarf loach".
Oxynoemacheilus theophilii is a species of stone loach native to Turkey and the island of Lesbos in Greece. This species occurs in streams and reaches a length of 6.6 centimetres (2.6 in) SL. It is found in the Büyük Menderes River and other streams in western Anatolia, Turkey, and the Evergetoulas Stream on the island of Lesbos, Greece. It can be found in the upper reaches of streams with clear, cold, flowing water where it hides among the stones of the stream bed. The stomach contents of a single female were found to consist of aquatic insect larvae. Water abstraction and the increased droughts caused by climate change are the main threats.
Pangio myersi is a species of loach in the genus Pangio native to Laos, Cambodia, Viet Nam and Thailand. They are black with orange bands, and can grow to 10 centimetres (3.9 in) SL.
Pangio semicincta, the half-banded kuhli loach, is a species of cobitid loach in the genus Pangio found in the Malay Peninsula, Borneo, and Sumatra. It is a very popular fish in the aquarium trade, however, it is often confused for and mislabeled as Pangio kuhlii, a slightly larger-bodied fish, which is rarely found in the aquarium trade due to it being endemic to Java, Indonesia, where field-collection for the fish trade is a rare occurrence.
Yaoshania pachychilus, the panda loach, is a species of gastromyzontid loach endemic to mountain streams in Jinxiu County, Guangxi in China. This species grows to a length of 5.8 centimetres (2.3 in) SL. This species is monotypic, but it was formerly included in Protomyzon. Juveniles are strikingly coloured in black-and-white, but adults are relatively plain. Y. pachychilus quickly became a popular aquarium fish in the 2010s.
Vaillantella maassi, the forktail loach, is a species of loach in the family Vaillantellidae, a monogeneric family with two other species, Vaillantella cinnamomea and Vaillantella euepiptera. They are from Southeast Asia.
Tuberoschistura baenzigeri is a species of freshwater fish, a stone loach, found in streams in Thailand and the Malay Peninsula. It lives in the Ping River, Chao Phraya River, and Mae Klong River drainages. It lives in streams of moderate current over sand substrates. The specific name honours the Swiss entomologist Hans Bänziger for the assistance he gave Maurice Kottelat while collecting around Chiang Mai.
