Mike - 2009-09-07 I have two YoYo Loaches who have lived happily in a Cichlid tank for a couple of months. Yesterday, I saw their behaviour change from amusing to bizarre! They chased each other for about twenty minutes, circling and almost digging a hole in the gravel - at high speed. What really surprised me was that one of the loaches almost completely lost its colour, becoming nearly totally white. As soon as it had begun, the "ritual" ended and they swam off happily to continue eating. The one who had lost its colour regained its normal look within a couple of hours.
Click For Replies (2)
Judy Parrett - 2019-12-07 I have 6 YoYo loaches & I wld not trade them for any other fish. But mine gets going around & around in circles I think they starts out playing like that then One of them gets mad as hell.Mine have turn White & cld not even see there yoyo marks at all ( they was mad ). they sleep on there sides & They are the fastest fish I have ever seen in a blink of a eye..
Judy Parrett - 2019-12-07 I have 6 YoYo loaches & I wld not trade them for any other fish. But mine gets going around & around in circles I think they starts out playing like that then One of them gets mad as hell.Mine have turn White & cld not even see there yoyo marks at all ( they was mad ). they sleep on there sides & They are the fastest fish I have ever seen in a blink of a eye..
Anonymous - 2019-04-06 I have 2 yo-yos. One is fine, I don’t see him during the day. The other is distressed and I don’t know why. It is constantly swimming round as if it’s being chased, which it isn’t. Often darting around and hitting the tank lid, like a balloon when it is let go of and darts around. I tried adding in another hiding spot (a plant pot) to try and give it somewhere else to hide in case the other loach is chasing it out of it’s hiding spot (I think it is), but he doesn’t seem to want it. Does anyone know what I can do to calm it down?
Sherryl Blowfield - 2015-12-14 I have 2 yoyo loaches had them a few months now , a few days ago they both went a very pale colour and lyes upside down !! Are they ok?
Click For Replies (2)
paul H - 2018-06-02 when yoyo loaches get excited they do seem to go a lot paler, at times most of there colour goes,and as for lying upside down , they will sleep or rest on there sides or upside down so nothing to worry about
paul H - 2018-06-02 there is nothing to worry about, yoyo loaches lose colour when excited and they sleep and rest on there sides or upside down
paul H - 2018-06-02 I have 2 yoyo loaches, both were the same size when bought, now about 2 months later one hasn't grown much where as the other is about 4 times bigger, why is this
Emma Minogue - 2016-06-29 loaches like to bury themselves under things. so if you have houses and rocks for decoration in your tank he could be going under them. be careful they can get stuck so press down any decoration in the tank to make sure he doesn't go under them again.
Lexi S. - 2016-03-18 My yo yo fish can be in sight one day but then the other day we can't find him. When you go back a couple hours later there he is again!!! Is this normal? Where does he go? We think he goes in the filter but we're not sure
Click For Replies (1)
Emma - 2016-06-29 yoyo loaches like to burry themselves under things. therefore if you have rocks or other fun houses in your tan he might be going under them. but be careful because he can get stuck under them, so make sure they are all pressed down into the sand of rock gravel. another thing could be in the objects you buy there could be small holes for him to go in.
sheila Elaine - 2015-08-07 I have a yoyo in my 30g who gets along with everyone. Some chasing going on but no big deal. What I am wondering About is she is 'fat'. She lays on her side And someone on her back. Freaks me out!! I rush to check her and off she goes. Do they all do this and is it normal for them to be so great?
Click For Replies (2)
Clarice Brough - 2015-08-08 It sounds like your Yoyo Loach is eating too much. These fish are prone to getting fat bellies when they over-eat, often they manage to get the food intended for the other fish as well as their own food.
Teagan - 2015-10-06 Female yoyo loaches will develop a large rounded belly when they are ready to spawn. This is the eggs building up in her tummy. If there is no male nothing will come from it and after a few weeks she will lose the belly. It is completely normal for them to lay on their side, backs, or even crammed into the weirdest of places. Mine likes to wedge herself between the sail and mast on one of the ornaments in my take. Kinda like an upright hammock. And yes, they do look like they are dead when they do this. Until you notice they are looking at you. They have funny personalities and with mine I have noticed chasing but she never appears to nip at fins. She just seems to like the thrill of the chase. So this is completely normal behavour for your yoyo loach. Mine also became feiends with my rainbow shark and can often be seen swimming and resting together.
Aalsen Geertsma - 2014-09-13 They're ravenous when it comes to food and snails, and they're quite fearless when they discovered eggs. They love digging for all kinds of snails, or dwarf shrimp. But they failed stealing eggs from hole breeding L-numbers or apistogramma cacatuoides. They're quite energetic and acrobatic here, and will swim full lengths of a tank in a display of dominance. I think it's best to keep them with other species of fish which aren't shy, because they bump into other fish on purpose quite often. Corydora's don't appreciate this, most tetra's neither. I have 7 of them in a 240 litres tank, they'll transform a still life aquarium into a more dynamic one, without agression. Nematobrycon palmeri is a superb combination with these botia's.
Oh and did anyone notice they have spikes under their eye's? My 8cm adult botia has spikes of approximately 4mm, she got stuck in a net...
Laurel - 2014-10-29 Hi I have had a few Yoyo loaches and I have to disagree about the size they get in an aquarium. I a few in a 75g with angels and a few other fish and they are about a year old now and they are a 5-6 inches now, the male being a little smaller then the female.
Click For Replies (6)
Terri - 2015-01-31 Where can one purchase Yoyo loaches?
Clarice Brough - 2015-02-03 That Pet Place has the Yo Yo Loach Botia Almorhae currently available for $9.99.
Stephanie Ann Goetsch - 2015-02-18 I agree, mine has grown to 3' (at least) in a 10 gal. tank!
Amanda A - 2015-03-26 You can't have a 3' loach in a ten gallon tank that is less than 2' long.
Clarice Brough - 2015-07-10 The size has been corrected, thanks for bringing it to our attention and do contiune to enjoy the site.
Terrian - 2015-07-09 This site is so helpful except when they perpetuate this very unhelpful myth... that fish somehow stop growing in aquariums... it isn't true. Fish will grow to their natural size and outgrow any tank that is too small. I wish they would edit these statements out of this site. It really misdirects new aquarists who don't know better.
Stephanie Ann Goetsch - 2015-02-18 I've had a yo-yo loach in my aquarium for almost a year now, I originally bought him to deal with a snail issue. He loves snails. He also enjoys eating the snails algea pellets and freeze-dried shrimp. He lost an eye in a tussle with our beta but survives just fine with only one. My tank is only a 10 gallon aquarium, currently housing 13 full-grown fish, 3 snails, an assortment of feeder snails, and 2 platy fry. My yo-yo is about 3' long. He was a tiny little 1/2 inch guy when I got him. When I get new feeder snails for him, he gobbles them up & has an obvious growth spurt.
My tank is healthy & well and I'm excited to upgrade soon to a 30 gallon, in preparation for a 55 gallon in our next home!
The gorgeous Pakistani Loach is known to be a very playful fish, and a great scavenger as well!
I have two YoYo Loaches who have lived happily in a Cichlid tank for a couple of months. Yesterday, I saw their behaviour change from amusing to bizarre! They chased each other for about twenty minutes, circling and almost digging a hole in the gravel - at high speed. What really surprised me was that one of the loaches almost completely lost its colour, becoming nearly totally white. As soon as it had begun, the "ritual" ended and they swam off happily to continue eating. The one who had lost its colour regained its normal look within a couple of hours.
I have 6 YoYo loaches & I wld not trade them for any other fish. But mine gets going around & around in circles I think they starts out playing like that then One of them gets mad as hell.Mine have turn White & cld not even see there yoyo marks at all ( they was mad ). they sleep on there sides & They are the fastest fish I have ever seen in a blink of a eye..
I have 6 YoYo loaches & I wld not trade them for any other fish. But mine gets going around & around in circles I think they starts out playing like that then One of them gets mad as hell.Mine have turn White & cld not even see there yoyo marks at all ( they was mad ). they sleep on there sides & They are the fastest fish I have ever seen in a blink of a eye..
I have 2 yo-yos. One is fine, I don’t see him during the day. The other is distressed and I don’t know why. It is constantly swimming round as if it’s being chased, which it isn’t. Often darting around and hitting the tank lid, like a balloon when it is let go of and darts around. I tried adding in another hiding spot (a plant pot) to try and give it somewhere else to hide in case the other loach is chasing it out of it’s hiding spot (I think it is), but he doesn’t seem to want it. Does anyone know what I can do to calm it down?
I have 2 yoyo loaches had them a few months now , a few days ago they both went a very pale colour and lyes upside down !! Are they ok?
when yoyo loaches get excited they do seem to go a lot paler, at times most of there colour goes,and as for lying upside down , they will sleep or rest on there sides or upside down so nothing to worry about
there is nothing to worry about, yoyo loaches lose colour when excited and they sleep and rest on there sides or upside down
I have 2 yoyo loaches, both were the same size when bought, now about 2 months later one hasn't grown much where as the other is about 4 times bigger, why is this
loaches like to bury themselves under things. so if you have houses and rocks for decoration in your tank he could be going under them. be careful they can get stuck so press down any decoration in the tank to make sure he doesn't go under them again.
My yo yo fish can be in sight one day but then the other day we can't find him. When you go back a couple hours later there he is again!!! Is this normal? Where does he go? We think he goes in the filter but we're not sure
yoyo loaches like to burry themselves under things. therefore if you have rocks or other fun houses in your tan he might be going under them. but be careful because he can get stuck under them, so make sure they are all pressed down into the sand of rock gravel. another thing could be in the objects you buy there could be small holes for him to go in.
I have a yoyo in my 30g who gets along with everyone. Some chasing going on but no big deal. What I am wondering About is she is 'fat'. She lays on her side And someone on her back. Freaks me out!! I rush to check her and off she goes. Do they all do this and is it normal for them to be so great?
It sounds like your Yoyo Loach is eating too much. These fish are prone to getting fat bellies when they over-eat, often they manage to get the food intended for the other fish as well as their own food.
Female yoyo loaches will develop a large rounded belly when they are ready to spawn. This is the eggs building up in her tummy. If there is no male nothing will come from it and after a few weeks she will lose the belly. It is completely normal for them to lay on their side, backs, or even crammed into the weirdest of places. Mine likes to wedge herself between the sail and mast on one of the ornaments in my take. Kinda like an upright hammock. And yes, they do look like they are dead when they do this. Until you notice they are looking at you. They have funny personalities and with mine I have noticed chasing but she never appears to nip at fins. She just seems to like the thrill of the chase. So this is completely normal behavour for your yoyo loach. Mine also became feiends with my rainbow shark and can often be seen swimming and resting together.
They're ravenous when it comes to food and snails, and they're quite fearless when they discovered eggs. They love digging for all kinds of snails, or dwarf shrimp. But they failed stealing eggs from hole breeding L-numbers or apistogramma cacatuoides. They're quite energetic and acrobatic here, and will swim full lengths of a tank in a display of dominance. I think it's best to keep them with other species of fish which aren't shy, because they bump into other fish on purpose quite often. Corydora's don't appreciate this, most tetra's neither. I have 7 of them in a 240 litres tank, they'll transform a still life aquarium into a more dynamic one, without agression. Nematobrycon palmeri is a superb combination with these botia's.
Oh and did anyone notice they have spikes under their eye's? My 8cm adult botia has spikes of approximately 4mm, she got stuck in a net...
Hi I have had a few Yoyo loaches and I have to disagree about the size they get in an aquarium. I a few in a 75g with angels and a few other fish and they are about a year old now and they are a 5-6 inches now, the male being a little smaller then the female.
Where can one purchase Yoyo loaches?
That Pet Place has the Yo Yo Loach Botia Almorhae currently available for $9.99.
I agree, mine has grown to 3' (at least) in a 10 gal. tank!
You can't have a 3' loach in a ten gallon tank that is less than 2' long.
The size has been corrected, thanks for bringing it to our attention and do contiune to enjoy the site.
This site is so helpful except when they perpetuate this very unhelpful myth... that fish somehow stop growing in aquariums... it isn't true. Fish will grow to their natural size and outgrow any tank that is too small. I wish they would edit these statements out of this site. It really misdirects new aquarists who don't know better.
I've had a yo-yo loach in my aquarium for almost a year now, I originally bought him to deal with a snail issue. He loves snails. He also enjoys eating the snails algea pellets and freeze-dried shrimp. He lost an eye in a tussle with our beta but survives just fine with only one. My tank is only a 10 gallon aquarium, currently housing 13 full-grown fish, 3 snails, an assortment of feeder snails, and 2 platy fry. My yo-yo is about 3' long. He was a tiny little 1/2 inch guy when I got him. When I get new feeder snails for him, he gobbles them up & has an obvious growth spurt.
My tank is healthy & well and I'm excited to upgrade soon to a 30 gallon, in preparation for a 55 gallon in our next home!