The fragmentation and homogenization of habitats have seriously affected the fishery resources of the Pearl River. To protect the fishery resources, a new type of artificial habitat, consisting of bamboo and palm slices, was deployed in the Youjiang River, a tributary of the Pearl River, China. The results of field and laboratory experiments show that fish abundance, species richness and Shannon-Wiener diversity index were higher at the artificial habitats than at the control sites. There were no significant effects on fish biomass, as artificial habitats attracted more Cultrinae and Gobioninae individuals with smaller size. Artificial habitats can serve as spawning grounds for fish that produce sticky eggs and refuges to improve the survival rates of juvenile fishes. This study revealed that the new type of artificial habitat can form new habitats for fish in the Youjiang River.