hillstream loaches
(image here)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Superclass:Osteichthyes
Class:Actinopterygii
Order:Cypriniformes
Family:Balitoridae
Genera
Subfamily Balitorinae
    Annamia
    Balitora
    Bhavania
    Crossostoma
    Cryptotora
    Gastromyzon
    Glaniopsis
    Hemimyzon
    Homaloptera
    Hypergastromyzon
    Lepturichthys
    Liniparhomaloptera
    Neohomaloptera
    Paraprotomyzon
    Parhomaloptera
    Plesiomyzon
    Protomyzon
    Pseudogastromyzon
    Pseudohomaloptera
    Sectoria
    Sewellia
    Sinogastromyzon
    Travancoria
Subfamily Nemacheilinae
    Aborichthys
    Acanthocobitis
    Barbatula
    Ellopostoma
    Indoreonectes
    Lefua
    Longischistura
    Mesonemacheilus
    Micronemacheilus
    Nemacheilus
    Neonoemacheilus
    Nun
    Oreonectes
    Orthrias
    Paracobitis
    Physoschistura
    Schistura
    Seminemacheilus
    Sphaerophysa
    Sundoreonectes
    Triplophysa
    Troglocobitis
    Tuberoschistura
    Turcinemacheilus
    Vaillantella
    Yunnanilus
unclassified
    Beaufortia
    Oreias
    Vanmanenia

The hillstream loaches are a family (Balitoridae) of small Eurasian fish that generally live in fast-flowing streams and have a large sucker mouth and modified ventral fins used for clinging to rocks. They have a number of similarities with the sibling family of loaches (Cobitidae), such as multiple barbels around the mouth. They should not be confused with Plecostomus, which looks similar but is a type of catfish.

The family includes over 500 species in at least 52 genera. Many of the species are popular for aquaria.

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