Botia is a genus of freshwater fish in the loach family (Cobitidae). It was a large genus with about 20 species. In 2004 Maurice Kottelat proposed in his paper (along with the description of Botia kubotai, see References below) to divide the genus into four related genera based on the fish appearance and locality:

• Botia for Indian loaches (shorter body).
• Chromobotia for clown loach.
• Syncrossus for tiger loaches (elongated body).
• Yasuhikotakia for Mekong loaches (shorter body).

Another genus Parabotia, considered a separate genus earlier, has elongated body quite like Syncrossus but has its range mostly in China.

The fish in these genera possesses a pair of spines under the eye sockets. They are normally hidden but may be extracted when the loach feels threathened. This behavior is infrequently observed. However, care has to be taken when catching it using fishnet as the extracted spines may get entangled to the nets causing injury. One special capability of these loach group is the ability to produce loud "clicking" noise, which is commonly heard during feeding time. This noise stems from a special organ used for sucking snails from their shells. To aquarists, this gives the botia a practical application, as they can be used to fight snaily vermin.

Many loach individuals prefer to sleep on their side or other strange positions.

Species

• Botia almorhae - Yo-yo loach, Pakistani loach
• Botia beauforti - Chameleon loach (now Syncrossus beauforti)
• Botia berdmorei (now Syncrossus berdmorei)
• Botia dario - Bengal loach, queen loach
• Botia eos (now Yasuhikotakia eos)
• Botia helodes (now Syncrossus helodes)
• Botia histrionica - Golden zebra loach
• Botia hymenophysa - Banded loach, tiger loach, zebra loach (now Syncrossus hymenophysa)
• Botia kubotai - Burmese Border loach
• Botia lecontei - Silver loach (now Yasuhikotakia lecontei)
• Botia macracanthus - Clown loach, tiger botia (now Chromobotia macracanthus)
• Botia modesta - Orangefin loach (now Yasuhikotakia modesta)
• Botia morleti - Skunk loach (now Yasuhikotakia morleti)
• Botia nigrolineata (now Yasuhikotakia nigrolineata)
• Botia rostrata - Sergeant major loach, Twin-banded Loach, Ladder Loach, Dohser (India), Gangetic Loach (India)
• Botia sidthimunki - Dwarf loach, ladderback loach, pygmy loach (now Yasuhikotakia sidthimunki)
• Botia striata - Zebra loach
• Botia udomritthiruji - Emperor loach

References

• Kottelat, M. 2004. Botia kubotai, a new species of loach (Teleostei: Cobitidae) from the Ataran River basin (Myanmar), with comments on botiine nomenclature and diagnosis of a new genus. Zootaxa, 401: 1-18.
• "Botia." FishBase. ed. Froese, R. and D. Pauly (09/2004), URL: Botia
• "Botia." ITIS Standard Report. (Integrated Taxonomic Information System: National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., 2004-10-11). ITIS 638919