Schistura

Schistura aizawlensis is a nemacheilid loach known only from the Muthi River, a tributary of the Tuirial in Mizoram state, India. It has been collected for the aquarium hobby under an unknown trade name. Adults have 5-7 broad vertical bars on the flanks and an orange patch before the caudal-fin base. The type series came from a moderate to strongly-flowing stream with a substrate of gravel and rocks.

Schistura alticrista is a nemacheilid loach from the Nam Mae Yuan basin in Mae Hong Son Province, northwest Thailand, part of the Salween drainage. Very rare in the aquarium trade but available on occasion, it has conspicuous adipose crests on both the upper and lower midlines of the caudal peduncle and 8-9 dark brown bars about as wide as the paler interspaces. Its closest relatives appear to be S. disparizona and S. callidora.

Schistura aurantiaca is a small nemacheilid loach known only from the Mae Khlong basin in Kanchanaburi Province, western Thailand. It is told apart from congeners solely by its colour pattern of 3-9 vertical orange bars on each flank. It inhabits riffles in clear, well-oxygenated headwater streams shaded by forest, and is possibly exported alongside similar-looking species such as S. cf. balteata.

The sumo loach, Schistura balteata, is a nemacheilid loach from the Tanintharyi river system in southern Myanmar, also recorded in western Thailand. Quite uncommon in the hobby, its name is sometimes used for the similar-looking, apparently undescribed S. cf. balteata, and both are traded as 'sumo loach'. The real S. balteata has two dark vertical bars below the dorsal-fin and no black bar at the caudal-fin base.

Schistura callichromus is a nemacheilid loach recorded only from the Babianjiang River in the Red River basin, Yunnan Province, China. It is expected to occur in Vietnamese waters as well, and Kottelat (2012) amended the spelling of its name to 'callichroma'. Wild specimens have been observed living in social aggregations of up to six in clear, well-oxygenated headwater streams.

The sumo loach II, Schistura cf. balteata, is an apparently undescribed nemacheilid loach from the Ataran River drainage in Myanmar and Thailand. Both it and the real S. balteata have been traded as 'sumo loach', but this fish has brighter colouration, a smaller adult size and seems more peaceful. The colour pattern is highly variable, with the rear half of the body bright pink in some specimens and yellow in others.

Schistura deansmarti is a troglomorphic nemacheilid loach endemic to the Tham Phra Sai Ngam cave system in Phitsanulok Province, Thailand. All individuals are entirely depigmented, and some have no externally visible eyes. The species is protected by Thai national law and illegal to remove from its habitat, so it is included here for interest only and is not suitable as an aquarium fish.

Schistura denisonii is a nemacheilid loach from the Western Ghats of southern India, described from the Bhavani River in the Cauvery system. Widely referred to Nemacheilus, it matches the diagnostic characters of Schistura. The number and arrangement of its vertical body bars vary greatly, and whether it represents a complex of species or a single taxon remains unclear. Feisty, it is largely unsuitable for the general community aquarium.

The saddleback loach, Schistura devdevi, is a nemacheilid loach from upland parts of Assam, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal, northern India. It has been collected for the aquarium trade in limited quantities and is sometimes called 'firefly loach'. Records from Nepal apparently require confirmation. It is unlikely to prove aggressive and should suit a community aquarium provided tankmates are selected with care.

Schistura disparizona is a nemacheilid loach known only from its type locality on the Nangun River, a Salween tributary in Yunnan Province, China. Its colour pattern of 8-11 closely-set, narrow dark bars at the front of the body and 5 wider bars behind separates it from congeners, and it has prominent adipose crests on the caudal peduncle. It inhabits shallow, narrow branches of streams over gravel or stone.

Schistura geisleri is a small nemacheilid loach widespread in the Chao Phraya river system of western Thailand. It differs from most congeners in its small adult size, sociable behaviour and tendency to bury itself in the substrate when threatened. Peaceful with conspecifics, it is best kept in a group of four or more. It is available in the trade from time to time but is by no means common.

The super convict loach, Schistura hypsiura, is a nemacheilid loach known only from a short coastal river in southern Rakhine State, western Myanmar. Traded as S. sp. 'super convict', it has a deep caudal peduncle, a deeply forked caudal-fin and 6-8 very regular bars along the flank. Not among the more aggressive members of the genus, it can be kept in a community aquarium provided tankmates are selected with care.

Schistura jarutanini is a troglomorphic nemacheilid loach that appears to be endemic to the Ba Dan cave in Kanchanaburi Province, western Thailand. The eyes are reduced or absent but the body retains a degree of pigmentation, and it is found in deeper parts of the cave's subterranean stream. Protected by Thai national law and illegal to remove from its habitat, it is included here for interest only.

Schistura kengtungensis is a nemacheilid loach from the middle Mekong basin in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Yunnan Province, southern China. It has 9-13 vertical bars as wide as or wider than the interspaces, and specimens from China differ from those in Thailand and Myanmar in several morphological characters. It inhabits shallow, narrow branches of streams over gravel or stone.

Schistura kloetzliae is a nemacheilid loach known only from the Mengla River system in Yunnan, China, and Luang Namtha province, northern Laos. It appears restricted to highly-oxygenated, fast-flowing riffles of small to medium streams with clear water and no aquatic plants. A series of large black blotches along the lateral line, each connected with blotches on the dorsal midline, separates it from congeners.

Schistura kodaguensis is a small nemacheilid loach from the Western Ghats of Karnataka, India, confirmed only from a tributary of the Cauvery. It is not a well-known aquarium fish but is maintained by a number of Indian enthusiasts. The very similar S. nilgiriensis, also from the Western Ghats, has a black spot at the base of the dorsal-fin and lacks the rows of spots on the caudal-fin.

Schistura laterivittata is a nemacheilid loach recorded only from the Babianjiang River in the Red River basin, Yunnan Province, China. Most recent authors have treated it as a synonym of S. caudofurca, but this appears to be a case of misidentification: S. caudofurca has a deeply forked caudal-fin and no dark lateral body stripe. It is expected to occur in Vietnamese waters as well.

Schistura maepaiensis is a small nemacheilid loach from tributaries of the Salween basin in Mae Hong Son and Tak provinces, northwestern Thailand. It may also occur in the Salween system in Myanmar. Poorly known in the hobby, it can be told from congeners by its 10-13 irregular body bars with thin dark borders. The type locality was a shallow stream over rocks and boulders with moderate to swift flow.

Schistura nicholsi is a nemacheilid loach widespread in the Mekong basin in Laos and Thailand, and it may also occur in Cambodia. It is sometimes traded for aquaria, but its name also appears to have been widely misapplied to other fishes. It has 8-10 quite regular dark bars wider than the light interspaces. It has been bred in an aquarium, although the adults seem to consume both eggs and fry.

Schistura oedipus is a troglomorphic nemacheilid loach restricted to five caves in the Pang Mapha karst, Mae Hong Son province, northwest Thailand. The eyes are reduced to vestigial pits beneath the skin and the body is unpigmented. It inhabits flowing subterranean streams, often interrupted by cascades, that drain to the Salween system. Protected by Thai national law, it is included here for interest only.

Schistura polytaenia is a nemacheilid loach known only from its type locality, an Irrawaddy tributary in Tengchong County, Yunnan, China. It appears never to have been exported for the aquarium hobby. Normally listed in Nemacheilus, it appears under Schistura in Kottelat (2012), and the specimens shown on the profile were identified on the basis of collection locality.

The mini dragon loach, Schistura pridii, is a small nemacheilid loach endemic to tributary streams of the upper Chao Phraya in northern Thailand. Only a handful of populations are known, most inside the Doi Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary, in swift, shallow forest hill streams at around 950-1250 m. Despite its endangered status it is available in the trade sporadically. Four black bars on a yellow base, usually forming saddles, identify it.

Schistura robertsi is a small nemacheilid loach from the western slope of the Malay Peninsula in southern Thailand and Malaysia. It inhabits shallow, narrow branches of streams over sand, gravel or stone, and adults carry 8-10 regular dark body bars wider than the pale interspaces. It may have been exported alongside similar-looking relatives such as S. cf. balteata, and like many fishes from running water it is intolerant of organic pollutants.

Schistura schultzi is a nemacheilid loach from Mekong tributaries in northern Thailand, and probably also Bokeo province in Laos. The full extent of its range is unclear. It grows to at least 93 mm and has 13-18 relatively thin dark body bars. Its aquarium behaviour is unknown, but slow-moving, long-finned or very placid tankmates are not recommended.

The ring loach, Schistura sp. 1, is a nemacheilid loach collected for the trade in the Torsa river, a Brahmaputra tributary in West Bengal, India. Its identity is unclear: it has been considered to represent S. beavani, S. montana and S. himachalensis, but its bar count and plain fins argue against each. Unlike many congeners it is peaceful with conspecifics, and it has a propensity to bury itself when startled.

The Laos redtail loach, Schistura sp. 2, is a nemacheilid loach supposedly exported from Laos. Its identity is unclear, and it has been traded as S. sp. 'Laos redtail'. Expect it to reach at least 40-45 mm.

Schistura sp. 3 is an unidentified nemacheilid loach thought to have been exported from northern India. It has been traded as Schistura scaturigina but does not appear to be that species, since it has 9 regular vertical bars extending the full depth of the body and a dark marking at the anterior dorsal-fin base. Several vertically-barred Schistura from northern India have confused identities.

The grizzled loach, Schistura sp. 4, is a nemacheilid loach from a hill stream in the Siwalik hills around Darjeeling, West Bengal, northern India. Its identity is unclear, and though collected close to the type locality of S. multifasciata it does not match the description of that species. The stream is small, shallow and clear, well over 1000 m AMSL, and the fish is likely to attain 90-100 mm.

Schistura sp. 6 is an unidentified nemacheilid loach from the south Garo Hills in Meghalaya state, northeastern India. It was collected for the aquarium trade during 2012. The body apparently becomes suffused with red once the fish is settled, and its colour pattern recalls the Schistura multifasciata group, in which the anterior flank bars are divided.

Schistura sp. 7 is an unidentified nemacheilid loach from the south Garo Hills in Meghalaya state, northeastern India. It was collected for the aquarium hobby during 2012 and may have been traded as 'green loach'.

Schistura spilota is a nemacheilid loach known only from tributaries of the upper Ping River basin in Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand. The species turns up sporadically in shipments of wild fishes from Thailand. Its body bars tend to form roundish blotches along the flanks, and the caudal-fin is reddish with two vertical rows of dark spots. Feisty and reaching 90-100 mm, it is largely unsuitable for the general community aquarium.

Schistura vinciguerrae is a nemacheilid loach from the Irrawaddy, Salween and Chindwin river basins in Myanmar and northeastern India. Traded fairly regularly, it belongs to the Schistura multifasciata group, in which the anterior flank bars are divided and thinner than those behind. Males lack a suborbital flap, and this separates it from S. bella, S. mahnerti, S. reticulata and S. udomritthiruji. It inhabits clear, well-oxygenated forest streams over coarse sand, gravel, rocks and boulders.

Schistura yingjiangensis is a nemacheilid loach known only from the Daying River, an Irrawaddy tributary in Yingjiang County, Yunnan, China. It appears never to have been exported for the aquarium hobby. Normally listed in Nemacheilus, it appears under Schistura in Kottelat (2012), as it does in Chen & Neely (2012) and Endruweit (2014).