Xe Pian

The Vietnamese giraffe loach, Annamia normani, is a hillstream loach from Mekong tributaries in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia and from coastal Vietnam. An obligate resident of riffles and rapids, it has been traded as the 'Vietnamese lizard loach' and 'Vietnamese Homaloptera'. Adults studied in the Duc My River were specialised grazers of cyanobacteria. Many of its known habitats are threatened by planned hydroelectric projects.

Sewellia elongata is a hillstream loach from the Bolovens plateau in southern Laos, also recorded in the upper Se Kong drainage in central Vietnam. The largest described Sewellia, growing to at least 73 mm SL, it is most similar to S. diardi but has a relatively slender, elongate body. It appeared in the aquarium trade during 2010 and inhabits shallow, fast-flowing, highly-oxygenated headwaters with riffles and runs.

Sewellia speciosa is a hillstream loach that appears endemic to the Xe Kong river drainage in central Vietnam and southern Laos. It first became available in early 2010 and sometimes appears on trade lists as 'Laos sucker' or 'Laos Sakura sucker'. The spotted body without stripes separates it from the morphologically similar S. lineolata, which is striped, and it inhabits shallow, fast-flowing, highly-oxygenated headwaters.

Sold as the 'jaguar loach' among other names, Yasuhikotakia splendida is a botiid loach from the Xe Pian river system in southern Laos. It is known from small, swiftly-running headwater streams draining the Bolaven Plateau, with clear water over rocks and cobbles. An unbroken dark ring around the caudal peduncle and large dark spots in the yellow caudal-fin separate it from the similar Y. caudipunctata, Y. longidorsalis and Y. morleti. SF members report it milder in temperament than some congeners.