Loaches are freshwater fish that are known as scavengers,
similar to cory catfish in that they are active bottom dwelling fish perfect for community tanks and always searching and shifting for food. Much like catfish loaches are best kept in multiples or small groups of six or more. This will minimize aggression as solitary loaches can be semi aggressive. There are a ton of species of loaches for sale online to fall in love with. Loaches can be very colorful and are available in different shapes and sizes. The most famous are the
Clown loaches which belong to the genus Chromobotia. An interesting characteristic of this loach group the ability to create a loud clicking noise that is known to be heard during feeding times. The noise stems from their pharyngeal teeth that are used to extract snails from their shells. Currently loaches are divided into a number of different genera which include
Botia,
Chromobotia,
Syncrossus and
Yasuhikotakia. Essentially these genera are relative to body shapes such as shorter or elongated bodies. The most popular loaches include Clown loaches, Kuhli loaches, Yoyo loaches, Dojo loaches, and Hillstream loaches.