This species is also referred to by the alternative vernacular name ‘Batik loach’ and is the most-commonly traded member of the genus at present. It’s easily-distinguished from congeners by body patterning which comprises a series of pale, oblique saddle-like markings edged in black and running along the dorsal surface, plus a similar set of bars originating from the otherwise plain ventral surface.

It’s unclear if this species has ever been exported for the aquarium hobby outside of India but there may be a chance of finding the occasional specimen mixed in with shipments of M. guentheri or M. triangularis. It was earlier considered synonymous and may still be confused with M. guentheri since both species share similar body patterning consisting of rows of yellowish, dark-edged spots.

However, according to the identification key of Rema Devi and Indra (2002), the two can be distinguished by a combination of factors as follows: body spots rounded in shape (vs. ‘Y’ or ‘V’ shaped in M. herrei); caudal peduncle relatively long (vs. relatively short); anal-fin not reaching base of caudal-fin (vs. anal-fin reaching base of caudal-fin); caudal peduncle with a dark band (vs. caudal peduncle with a dark spot); sub…

This specie is relatively rare in the aquarium trade and much sought after by enthusiasts as a result. It looks relatively similar to Y. splendida but can be told apart from it, and indeed all other members of the genus, by the following combination of characters: possession of 8 branched dorsal-fin rays; 32-33 vertebrae; one or two small, brownish, vertically-orientated markings on the dorsal part of the body posterior to the dorsal fi…

It’s actually sold in the aquarium hobby on a regular basis but almost always labelled as or mixed in with Misgurnus anguillicaudatus and is thus poorly documented.

Although quite simi…

This species was initially described as a member of Cobitis and remained as such for over 60 years until being redescribed in the new genus Microcobitis by Bohlen and Harant (2011). It can be separated from Cobitis species by a number of char…

This species is rarely-seen in the trade due to a relative lack of commercial exports from the middle Yangtze basin. It looks very similar to S. pulchra but can be told apart by the fact it lacks irregular, brownish markings and spots on the side of the head (vs. present in S. pulchra), and like most congeners it has a highly flexible, sinuous body which makes it very interesting to observe.

This species is traded under various names including 'chocolate scissor-tailed loach', chocolate long-finned loach', 'red line cobra loach', 'spiny eel loach' and 'dragon loach'. It's apparently difficult to find in its natural habitats and thus time-consuming to collect, meaning it's rarely traded in numbers, sought after by enthusiasts and tends to carry a relatively high price tag when available.

The genus currently contains just three…

This species not often seen in the aquarium trade and is apparently rare in its natural waters, with the occasional individual imported as bycatch in shipments of S. pulchra or S. robusta, or by private collectors. Like others in the genus it has a highly flexible, sinuous body which makes it very interesting to observe.

It's told apart from congeners by the following combination of chara…

Type locality is the town of Luxian, located north of Luzhou city, Sichuan province, southwest China. Luxian lies on the Laixi River, one of several tributaries converging with the main Yangtze river channel near Luzhou and forming part of the latter’s upper drainage basin. The full extent o…