Leptobotia elongata | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Cypriniformes |
Family: | Botiidae |
Genus: | Leptobotia |
Species: | L. elongata
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Binomial name | |
Leptobotia elongata (
Bleeker, 1870)
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Synonyms | |
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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. [1] [2] [3] 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. [4] [5] Formerly common, the numbers of this vulnerable species have declined because of overfishing, dams (limiting its breeding migration), habitat loss and pollution. [1] The species is bred in captivity and a stocking project has been in place since 2010. [5] [6] It is sometimes kept in aquariums, but require a very large tank. [2] [3]
Adults migrate upstream to spawn between March and May. [4] They have been recorded feeding on fish, shrimp, gammarids, benthic invertebrates, aquatic insect larvae, mollusks, plankton and phytodetritus. [5] The feeding preference depends on size: Individuals less than 11 cm (4.3 in) long mainly take benthic invertebrates and aquatic insect larvae, while larger individuals mainly feed on fish and shrimp. [5]