Care
In the wild, these benthic loaches are known from swiftly flowing, highly oxygenated riverine environments. The channels are often lined with solid bedrock, rounded gravel, cobbles, and small boulders, creating an endless labyrinth of effective hiding places and areas of extreme flow as water is forced past haphazard rockwork. The natural habitat should be emulated as closely as possible in the home aquarium by employing powerful filtration and using additional powerheads to create strong currents and to oxygenate the water efficiently. Depending on your location, a means of chilling the water may be needed during the warmest parts of the year. As with all botiids, these loaches must only be added to aquariums that are biologically mature. Create a multitude of hiding spots and "visual barriers" with smooth rounded rocks, cobbles, and pebbles of varying sizes. Ensure that the substrate has no sharp edges as these loaches will enjoy digging around the bottom of the tank in their search for titbits of food, and it is important that nothing damages their delicate sensory barbels. Dim lighting is preferable, and a well-covered tank is a must as these loaches are expert jumpers and can escape through the tiniest of openings. Tankmates should be chosen with care, as most Leptobotia tend to grow to a reasonable size and have capacious mouths - other temperate botiids, some of the torpedo-shaped nemacheilid loaches, Crossocheilus spp., Garra spp., and some of the medium sized Devario or barb species would all make good companions. As with all botiids, L. taeniops fares best with company of its own kind; 3 specimens should be considered the absolute minimum housed together, with 5 or more being much healthier. This peaceful species is not commonly seen in the trade and tends to command a fairly high price, so be prepared to budget for a good sized group. This will allow these fish to form a complex social hierarchy and behave naturally within a shoal. Unfortunately, much of the natural habitat of L. taeniops has been despoiled by man. Along the Yangtze River, damming activity and pollution have inevitably taken their tolls and it is thought that spawning grounds have been adversely affected in some areas. Colouration and pattern varies immensely within this species and no two fish look quite the same. As L. taeniops has quite a wide distribution area, there are resultant geographic differences; some specimens are predominantly black with a bluish sheen, others display more of a mottled to heavily reticulated purpley-brown pattern, both pink and xanthic specimens have occasionally been seen, and there are some which display spectacular dorsal surfaces that are almost luminous yellow.
Feeding
Meaty frozen foods such as bloodworm, white mosquito larvae, vitamin-enriched brineshrimp, Mysis shrimp, chopped prawns etc. In time these fish will take prepared foods such as sinking pellets, granules, wafers and flakes.
Breeding
This species has not been bred in the home aquarium.
