Botiidae

Elongate loach

Leptobotia elongata

Vulnerable Loach of the Yangtze Basin

• Tropical
• Upper river
• Regional distribution
• Freshwater fish
• East Asia
• Elongated
• Compressed cross-section
• Medium
• Tropical fish

Leptobotia elongata, the imperial flower loach, elongate loach or royal clown loach, is a species of botiid fish found in flowing water in the upper and middle Yangtze basin in China. It is the largest species in the family, reaching up to 50 cm (1.6 ft) in length and 3 kg (6.6 lb) in weight. Formerly common, the numbers of this vulnerable species have declined because of overfishing, dams (limiting its breeding migration), habitat loss and pollution.