This is not your typical loach. Firstly, it can easily exceed a couple of feet in length. And, it has a somewhat flattened head with little, beady eyes. It sports a bright golden background color and dark, erratic blotches. This odd loach comes from clear, well-oxygenated parts of the Yangtze River system, where it is under serious threat due to the construction of dams on the river. Therefore, it is imperative that any aquarist that stumbles upon this very uncommon animal ensures that it is captive-raised before making any purchase. Individuals sell for around $225 each; however, experts have advised that this highly social species be kept in groups of around four or more individuals per tank.,Despite the occasional economic downturn, fishkeeping (and indeed the aquarium industry) has steadily grown over the last half-century. An increasing demand for rare fish has coincided with this trend. While it seems that there are countless “holy grail” saltwater species, the freshwater side of the hobby has its own share of unusual, much sought after fishes. In point of fact, some of these freshwater rarities are among the most difficult and costly to obtain in the entire ornamental fish trade. Of course, demand for some rare species is restricted to a mere handful of specialists, and accordingly commands only a slightly higher price (certain killifishes, rasboras, etc.). The following is a mere sampling of some notable, rare freshwater aquarium fishes. Rarity may be defined by very narrow (albeit totally absolute) criteria; for example, while most koi retail for $10 to $20, exceptionally well-bred individuals often sell for tens of thousands of dollars at auction. It should be noted that the term rare is here used to indicate rarity in the trade, not necessarily in the wild; one should always avoid wild specimens of threatened or endangered species.
