Emerald Banded Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed pit spawners

Jade Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed pit spawners

Note: It is still unknown whether this is a regional variation of B. pingi, or if it is a new, undescribed species.

Pearl Fin Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed pit spawners

Green Zebra Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Pit spawners - captive breeding confirmed by Spring City Fish.

Yunnan Green Zebra Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed pit spawners

Note: While this is likely the same species as the Guangxi Green B. viridis, the white to green ratio between the two regional variations is easily distinguished by the naked eye.

Golden Zebra Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed pit spawners

Green Panther Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed pit spawners

Note: It is still unknown whether this is a regional variation of B. zebroida, or if it is a new, undescribed species.

Cyclone Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Huangguoshu Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Note: Huang Guo Shu (literally "yellow-fruit trees") refers to the Huangguoshu Waterfalls scenic area in western Guizhou Province.

Butterfly Hillstream Loach, Guizhou Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Note: "Kweichow" is an older romanization of Guizhou Province.

Guangxi Galaxy Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Note 1: Some regional variations are easily mistaken for B. polylepsis.

Note 2: While the type specimens of this species are from Hainan island, the name is also applied to populations from southern Guangxi Province, as well as northern Vietnam and Laos. It is possible that these non-Hainan populations are actually B. polylepsis, or even a new, undescribed species.

Milky Way Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Note 1: Some regional variations are easily mistaken for B. polylepsis.

Note 2: While the type specimens of this species are from Hainan island, the name is also applied to populations from southern Guangxi Province, as well as northern Vietnam and Laos. It is possible that these non-Hainan populations are actually B. polylepsis, or even a new, undescribed species.

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Porcelain Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Note 1: Individual pattern variation is very high in this species. Despite patterns varying from spotted, to blotched, to striped, ALL individuals shown were collected from the same location.

Note 2: "Niulan" refers to the Niulan River in southwestern China.

Mosaic Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Note: Some regional variations are easily mistaken for B. leveretti.

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Note: "Szechuan" is an older romanization of Sichuan Province.

Yunnan Pink Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed pit spawners

Note: This species was previously considered to be a regional variation of V. striata and is not easily identified by appearance. However, FEMALES of this species typically turn pink or red when they reach breeding size.

Sawtooth Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed pit spawners

Note: This species was previously considered to be a regional variation of V. striata and is not easily identified by appearance. However, MALES of this species may turn red while in breeding condition.

Striated Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Pit spawners - captive breeding confirmed by Spring City Fish.

Note 1: Males of this species typically develop bright yellow fins when they reach breeding size.

Note 2: V. microcephala, V. pseudostriata, V. serriliata, and V. tetraloba were previously considered to be the same species as V. striata and are not easily distinguished by appearance.

Fourleaf Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed pit spawners

Note: This species was previously considered to be a regional variation of V. striata and is not easily identified by appearance. However, the darkened bands of this species are fewer and farther apart, making them somewhat more similar in appearance to the Vietnamese V. crassicauda.

Caldwell's Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Note: This is one of the smallest species within the genus Vanmanenia.

Black Diamondback Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Note: These are LARGE hillstream loaches. Adults may exceed 15cm in total length.

Marble-Banded Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Stone Guardian Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Note 1: "Pingchow" is an older romanization of Pingzhou, a village in southern Guizhou Province.

Note 2: V. intermedia (2020), V. maculata (2014), and V. marmorata (2021) were previously considered to be the same species as V. pingchowensis and are not easily distinguished by appearance. In an effort to prevent mixed-species or wrong-species orders, collection locations for this species will NOT include known locations of V. intermedia (Kaili, Duyun, and Pingtang, Guizhou Province), V. maculata (Hubei & Hunan Provinces) and V. marmorata (Jiangkou, Guizhou Province) according to scientific literature*, unless the importer specifically requests it.

* Shuqing Deng & E Zhang (2021) Vanmanenia intermedia Fang, 1935, a valid hill-stream species of loach (Teleostei: Gastromyzontidae) from the middle Yangtze River basin, Southwest China
* Shuqing Deng & E Zhang (2021) Vanmanenia marmorata, a new species of loach (Teleostei: Gastromyzontidae) from the middle Chang-Jiang Basin in Guizhou Province, south China
* WEN-JING YI, et al. (2014) Vanmanenia maculata, a new species of hillstream loach from the Chang-Jiang Basin, South China (Teleostei: Gastromyzontidae)

Qingyuan Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Advanced - While this species has similar care requirements to other Chinese hillstream loaches, it spends more time near the top of the water column and is significantly more likely to escape the tank. A tank cover is highly recommended for this species!

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

White Leopard Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Red Panther Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed pit spawners

Note: It is still unknown whether this rarely seen "red" hillstream loach is a local genetic mutation of V. pingchowensis, or if it is a new, undescribed species.

Noir Brushstroke Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Advanced

Breeding: Presumed pit spawners

Whiskered Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Advanced

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Changting County Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Pit spawners - captive breeding confirmed by Spring City Fish.

Changting County Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed pit spawners

Note: This is a less common regional variation.

Fang's Striped Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed pit spawners

Fang's Ombré Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed pit spawners

Fang's Spotted Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed pit spawners

Chen's Blackfin Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Pit spawners - captive breeding confirmed by Spring City Fish.

Chen's Redfin Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed pit spawners

Zhejiang Hillstream Loach (variant 1), Jiulong River Hillstream Loach (variant 2)

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed pit spawners

Note: The formerly recognized "P. jiulongjiangensis" is not a valid species, as it is not genetically distinct from P. fasciatus*.

* Chen (2003) Resolving phylogenetic relationships and taxonomic revision in the Pseudogastromyzon

Purple-Fin Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed pit spawners

Note: Only adult males have purple fins. Juveniles and females appear similar to P. cheni or P. myersi.

Lianjiang Hillstream Loach, Blue-Fin Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed pit spawners

Note: Although fin and body colors are different from other P. laticeps, the formerly recognized "P. lianjiangensis" is not a valid species, as it is not genetically distinct from P. laticeps*.

* Chen (2003) Resolving phylogenetic relationships and taxonomic revision in the Pseudogastromyzon

Chinese Hillstream Loach, Myers' Hillstream Loach, Red Fin Hillstream Loach, Hong Kong Sucker

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed pit spawners

Note: Some retailers identify this species as the "Hong Kong Pleco," which is a misnomer. Plecos are a type of South American sucker catfish, which are not related to loaches.

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed pit spawners

Note: Formerly misidentified as a regional variant of P. fasciatus.

Damingshan Bashi Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Chinese Bashi Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Ruby Studded Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Beauty-Banded Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Broken-Band Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Qiongzhong Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Golden Ocelot Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Note: All images are currently juveniles.

Orange Zebra Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Advanced

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Note: MOST of these are GREEN. The orange namesake variant is less common.

Orange Zebra Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Advanced

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Note: MOST of these are GREEN. The orange namesake variant is less common.

Green Marble Hillstream Loach, Olive Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Advanced

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Note 1: "Niulan" refers to the Niulan River in southwestern China.

Panda Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Golden Line Panda Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Lancang River Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Advanced

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Care Level: Advanced

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Emei Mountain Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Advanced

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Hanshui Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Advanced

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Baoting County Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Advanced

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Note: Unlike most other sexually dimorphic hillstream loaches, the FEMALES of this species are patterned and the males are plain.

Care Level: Advanced

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Largefin Lizard Loach

Care Level: Advanced

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Care Level: Advanced

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Nujiang Lizard Loach

Care Level: Advanced

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Mengla County Lizard Loach

Care Level: Advanced

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Care Level: Advanced

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Note: Jinshaia are typically recognized as the LARGEST species of hillstream loaches. Adults frequently exceed 15cm in total length.

Niulan River Jinshaia Loach

Care Level: Advanced

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Note: Jinshaia are typically recognized as the LARGEST species of hillstream loaches. Adults frequently exceed 15cm in total length.

Chinese Jinshaia Loach

Care Level: Advanced

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Note: Jinshaia are typically recognized as the LARGEST species of hillstream loaches. Adults frequently exceed 15cm in total length.

Plow-Face Whiptail Loach

Care Level: Advanced

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Care Level: Advanced

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Golden-Vein Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Sichang Hillstream Loach

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Note: "Szechuan" is an older romanization of Sichuan Province.

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers

Care Level: Medium

Breeding: Presumed egg scatterers