Kingdom Animalia Infraclass Teleostei Order Cypriniformes Scientific name Botiinae Higher classification Cobitidae Subclass Neopterygii | Superclass Osteichthyes Superorder Ostariophysi Superfamily Cobitoidea Phylum Chordata Rank Subfamily | |
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Lower classifications Botia, Yoyo loach, Dwarf loach, Yasuhikotakia modesta, Skunk loach | ||
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 Botiids are more robust than most of their relatives in Cobitidae and tend to have a more or less arched back, yielding an altogether more fusiform shape. Botiids typically have a pointed snout of intermediate length, while many cobitids are remarkably stub-nosed.
Botiids are generally fairly small, with maximum lengths between 6 and 30 cm (2.4 and 11.8 in) depending on the species involved, although Leptobotia elongata reaches 50 cm (20 in) (Chromobotia macracanthus has been claimed to reach a similar size, but this would be exceptional).
As aquarium fish
Many of the more brightly colored species are popular with freshwater aquarists, so are of importance in the aquarium trade. Botiidae often encountered in aquarium trade include: