Order Cypriniformes ( Cypriniformes )
Family Balitoridae ( Balitoridae )
Subfamily Balitorinae ( Balitorinae )
Continued…
Genus Balitora — Balitora.
— Gray’s Stone Loach — Balitora brucei [Gray, 1830]. Synonym: Balitora, Platycara maculata, Homaloptera brucei. (Eng. Gray’s Stone Loach). Northern India, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. 10 cm. They have a flat, streamlined body shape. Females are larger and thicker than males. An aquarium with plenty of hiding places is required – numerous rocky structures, smooth pebbles, and boulders for algae growth. Lighting should be bright to promote algae growth in the aquarium. Substrate of sand and rounded gravel. Plants are not harmed; they will help improve water quality and provide hiding places.
They love strong water circulation and have a very high oxygen demand. Water should be soft and slightly acidic. Algae growth is a natural food for the loach, but in an aquarium, it may not be enough for a full diet, so feed your pets bloodworms, shrimp, sinking pellet foods containing spirulina. pH 7.0-8.5; dH up to 10°; T 20-24°C.
Genus Erromyzon — Erromyzon.
— Erromyzon — Erromyzon sinensis [Chen, 1980]. Synonym: Protomyzon sinensis. Southern China, inhabits shallow rivers with a fast current, high oxygen content, and carpet-like algal coverings. A small species, barely reaching 5 cm. Pectoral and pelvic fins form a broad sucker – by releasing water from under the fins and thus creating a vacuum, the fish adheres to any smooth surface with its entire body.
Scales on the head and belly are absent, which explains the particular sensitivity to medications. Interestingly, they vary greatly in coloration. Some specimens are almost uniformly brown with a mosaic pattern, while others have 16-18 distinct small vertical stripes on the sides.
A group of four or more individuals should be the minimum for aquarium keeping, moving in short dashes from stone to stone. The substrate should be soft and fine to avoid injuries, as the fish have very delicate skin on their bellies, along with large smooth stones and pebbles of various sizes. If you place pebbles of a contrasting color to the substrate, you can observe the fish changing color right before your eyes, adapting to the background they are sitting on: from light beige to dark brown and almost black.
Lighting should be strong to promote the growth of algae and associated microorganisms. Algae should be allowed to grow on all surfaces except the front glass. Fresh, frequently changed water, free of nitrites and nitrates, maximally saturated with oxygen is needed. A sufficiently strong water circulation is also required, for which powerful filtration is used.
They should not be placed in aquariums with an unsettled biological balance. In the aquarium, they are fed plant-based tablets and granules, as well as live or frozen bloodworms, but foods containing excessive protein should be limited. Scalded cabbage, lettuce, or spinach leaves are suitable as supplementary feeding. They live up to 3 years. pH 6.5-8.0; dH 2-15°; T 20-23°C.
Genus Glaniopsis — Glaniopsis.
— Glaniopsis multiradiata — Glaniopsis multiradiata [Roberts, 1982]. Borneo. 6 cm. Very similar to Linparhomaloptera disparis. A spacious aquarium with plenty of hiding places, boulders and driftwood, and dense vegetation is required. Likes strong water circulation and aeration. Regular water changes are needed. pH 6.5-7.5; T 21-25°C.
Genus Liniparhomaloptera — Liniparhomaloptera.
— Broken Band Hillstream Loach — Liniparhomaloptera disparis disparis [Lin, 1934]. Synonym: Parahomaloptera, Homaloptera disparis. (Eng. Broken Band Hillstream Loach). China, Pearl River basin, northeastern Vietnam. 8 cm. Reddish-brown streaks on the fins, arranged in oblique rows. Females are thicker and larger than males. Peaceful, keep in a group of 4 or more individuals. A spacious aquarium with plenty of hiding places, boulders, and driftwood is required. Substrate made of a mixture of sand and fine gravel.
Lighting should be strong to promote the growth of algae and associated microorganisms on which they feed. Large-leaved plants will provide hiding places, and they will clean algae off them. Water must be clean and well-oxygenated. Weekly partial water changes. Feed with live and frozen foods such as bloodworms, tubifex, brine shrimp. For spawning, they dig a hole in the substrate where eggs are laid, which are then tended by the female. pH 6.4-7.5; dH 6-12°; T 20-24°C.
Genus Neogastromyzon, Genus Protomyzon, Genus Sinogastromyzon.
Description of the subfamily Balitorinae, Annamia normani. 
