Cypriniformes is an order of ray-finned fish, including the carps, minnows, loaches, and relatives. This order contains 11 or 12 families, over 400 genera, and more than 4,250 species, with new species being described every few months or so, and new genera being recognized frequently. They are most diverse in southeastern Asia, and are entirely absent from Australia and South America. At 112 years old, the longest-lived cypriniform fish documented is the bigmouth buffalo.
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 hillstream loaches or river loaches are a family, the Balitoridae, of small fish from South, Southeast and East Asia. The family includes about 99 species. They are sometimes sold as "lizardfish" or "flossensaugers". Many of the species are popular for aquaria, species in the genus Sewellia are most commonly sold in the aquaria trade. They have a number of similarities with the Cobitidae, their sibling family of "loaches", such as multiple barbels around the mouth. They should not be confused with the loricariids, which look similar but are a family of catfish.
Pangio is a genus of freshwater fish in the loach family (Cobitidae). In earlier taxonomic schemes it was known as Acanthophthalmus. It is best known for the "kuhli loach", which is often kept by aquarists.
Botia is a genus of freshwater fish in the loach family (Botiidae). It was a large genus with about 20 species. In 2004 Maurice Kottelat proposed in his paper to divide the genus into four related genera based on fish appearance and locality:
Yasuhikotakia is a genus of botiid loaches, many which are popular aquarium fish. It is named in honor of Japanese collector/researcher Dr. Yasuhiko Taki. This genus has been separated from the genus Botia in the paper by Maurice Kottelat in 2004.
Nemacheilus is a genus of stone loaches native to Asia.
Schistura is a genus of fish in the stone loach family Nemacheilidae native to the streams and rivers of the southern and eastern Asia. Some of these species are troglobitic.
Sundoreonectes is a genus consisting of two species of stone loaches from the southeast Asian island of Borneo.
Yunnanilus is a genus of small stone loaches that are endemic to southeastern China, especially Guangxi and Yunnan. They are found in rivers, streams and lakes; some species are restricted to caves.
Homaloptera is a genus of ray-finned fish in the Balitoridae family.
Loaches are fishes of the superfamily Cobitoidea. They are freshwater, benthic (bottom-dwelling) fishes found in rivers and creeks throughout Eurasia and northern Africa. Loaches are among the most diverse groups of fishes; the 1249 known species of Cobitoidea comprise about 107 genera divided among 9 families.
Erromyzon is a genus of fish in the family Gastromyzontidae endemic to China and Vietnam.
Neogastromyzon is a genus of gastromyzontid loaches which are only found in streams and rivers in Borneo.
Vaillantella, the long-fin loaches, is a small genus of loaches found in Southeast Asia. This genus is the only member of the family Vaillantellidae having been confirmed as such by M. Kottelat in his review of the loaches in 2012.
Vanmanenia is a genus of loaches from China and mainland Southeast Asia.
Kottelatlimia is a genus of loaches found in Southeast Asia.
Serpenticobitis, popularly known as serpent loaches, is a small genus of loaches found in the Mekong River Basin in Southeast Asia. It is the only genus in the family Serpenticobitidae.
The Nemacheilidae, or stone loaches, are a family of cypriniform fishes that inhabit stream environments, mostly in Eurasia, with one genus, Afronemacheilus found in Africa. The family includes about 630 species.
The Gastromyzontidae are a family of loaches native to China and Southeast Asia, where typically found in streams and rivers with a fast current. The family includes about 137 species in eighteen genera. This family was resurrected by M. Kottelat in his review and revision of the loaches in 2012.
