The loach family is a family of ray-finned fish in the order Cyprinidae. Small freshwater benthic fish, omnivorous. Most scholars tend to divide into three subfamily, namely the subfamily Loach, the subfamily Sharifoliae, and the subfamily Loach.
Loach family: the body is cylindrical, fine or degenerate, the maxillary edge is formed only by the foremand, the throat teeth are 1 row, the number of teeth is often large, there are 6 to 8 or more whiskers, of which there are often one or two pairs of kissing whiskers, one or two pairs of jaw whiskers, and often nasal whiskers or whiskers. The body is mostly elongated laterally flattened or cylindrical, and the head is flattened. The mouth is small and lower, the upper jaw is formed from the foremand, there is a row of inferior pharyngeal teeth, and there is no pad. The eyes are small, some species have thorns under the eyes, and there are 3-6 pairs of snouts, 1 or 2 pairs of snouts, 1 or 2 pairs of chin whiskers and 1 pair of nose whiskers.
Since most fingerlings have the ability to "breathe in the intestinal wall", when the dissolved oxygen in the water is insufficient, they can directly swallow the air, so they can survive in low-oxygen waters. Loach is a nocturnal fish that feeds mainly on aquatic insects and other benthic invertebrates, but also feeds on plant detritus, algae and plankton.
Ornamental fish of the loach family represent species
Coolie loach (snakefish)
Rock-climbing loach (violin fish)
Three mouse fish
Blue-skinned ratfish
Nine mouse fish
Loach (Chinese goby)