The imperial flower loach, like the loach, prefers to swim among the silt, sand, and aquatic plants. However, unlike the petite loach, the imperial flower loachis one of the largest loach species in the world. The big one can grow to about 50 centimeters. It is also known as the " Loach King in the Yangtze River " since it lives in the Yangtze River basin.

It is pale yellow and covered with irregular dark brown markings, just like a "cheetah in the water". Another reason for being called a "cheetah" is its eating habit. The imperial flower loach, preferring to live in the middle and upper reaches of rivers, often gathers in the sandy gravel or on the bottom of the water. They are ferocious carnivorous fish that make small fish "frightened". In terms of hunting methods, they often "wait for hares by the tree". They tend to ambush and wait for the small fish to come to them.