Yoyo Loach Care: Size, Tank, Tank Mates and Fry

The yoyo loach is an active, patterned loach that stays busy at the bottom of the tank during the day. Dark bands with a blue tint run across a silvery body, and the bands form the “Y-O-Y-O” pattern the fish is named for.

It is generally peaceful with other species but bickers with its own kind. It does best in a group of at least five or six, and it grows to about 6 inches, so it needs a bigger tank than most listings suggest.

This guide covers tank setup, feeding, tank mates, disease, and what is known about breeding and yoyo loach fry.

Yoyo Loach Facts & Overview

The yoyo loach is sold under the scientific name Botia almorhae and is also called the Almora loach or Pakistani loach. Seriously Fish notes that the fish named in the trade may not be the true B. almorhae, which is native to the Ganges drainage in northern India and possibly Nepal. The name “yoyo” is the one that stuck.

The common name comes from the pattern on its sides, which looks like the letters Y-O-Y-O, and from how the fish moves up and down in the water.

Yoyo loaches belong to the family Botiidae (the botiid loaches). They used to be placed in Cobitidae, back when loaches were split into only two groups. Studies on loaches led to reclassification, and loaches are now divided into five families: Balitoridae, Botiidae, Cobitidae, Nemacheilidae and Vaillantellidae.

Unlike many loaches, the yoyo loach is active during the day. Once settled, it forages around the bottom of the tank, probing crevices and the substrate for food.

Typical Behavior

Yoyo loaches are constantly on the move, looking for food. They are curious and will not hide all day, but they also tend to keep to themselves around other species, which is why they suit many community tanks. They will stand up for themselves if needed.

They are semi-aggressive toward their own species. Keepers and sources agree they form a hierarchy with some in-fighting. A group of five or six, or more, spreads the aggression around so no single fish is bullied badly. Seriously Fish suggests groups of 5-6 and preferably 10 or more, and notes that fish kept singly or in small numbers can become aggressive or withdrawn.

They spend most of the time foraging at the bottom, or resting in caves and planted areas.

What Does a Yoyo Loach Look Like?

The pattern is the main feature. At first glance, the black stripes on a pale body look like a zebra’s. On a yoyo loach, the black bars are separated by silver scales and a black dot, and the bars split on the back. That split gives the “Y-O-Y-O” look.

Many loaches rely on stripes to confuse predators as the group moves along the bottom. The bars often have a blue edge, which some keepers think may be linked to maturity, but that is not well understood.

The body is long and slender. The fins are mostly translucent, and the tail is forked. The head is small and pointed, with a ventral mouth and short barbels. The barbels are less sensitive than a catfish’s, but they help the fish search for food, much like Corydoras.

How big do yoyo loaches get?

Yoyo loaches are often sold at about 2 inches, but the adult size is up to about 6 inches (160 mm standard length, according to Seriously Fish). The old figure of 2.5 inches is the size of a young fish, not an adult. Plan the tank for a 6-inch fish.

How can you tell males from females?

Sexing is subtle. Females are fuller-bodied than males, and mature females regularly look plump with eggs. Males are slimmer and, according to Loaches Online, may show redness around the barbels and mouth.

Where Do Yoyo Loaches Come From, and What Tank Setup Do They Need?

Yoyo loaches are found across northern India and Pakistan. The species is listed as “least concern” on the IUCN red list.

They live in rivers but prefer slow or nearly still water. They gather in small pools and river bends with a rocky bed, where it is easy to find larger bits of food. They stay near the bottom and sometimes in the middle of the water column, and rarely go to the surface. In the wild they have plenty of space and lots of rocks and plants to dart between.

What water conditions do yoyo loaches need?

Yoyo loaches are hardy, but they still do best in stable, clean water. Keep these parameters:

• Temperature: 75-82°F (24-28°C). Seriously Fish lists a wider tolerance of 66-82°F, but the warmer end suits a tropical community.
• pH: 6.5-7.5 (Seriously Fish lists 6.0-7.5)
• Hardness: 3-10 dGH (sources cite a maximum of about 12 dGH)

Avoid big swings in temperature or pH.

They like sand or smooth, fine gravel, because they dig and root for food. Sharp gravel can damage their barbels. Add plenty of rocks, driftwood, roots and crevices, plus plants for cover.

Use a filter with good oxygenation and moderate flow, such as a canister filter or a sponge filter. These fish come from slower water, so avoid blasting currents.

Yoyo loaches can jump, so keep a tight-fitting lid on the tank.

What size aquarium do yoyo loaches need?

A group of five or six needs a tank at least 48 inches (120 cm) long, which is about 55-65 gallons. Seriously Fish gives a minimum base of 120 x 45 cm (about 64 gallons) for the species. A 40-gallon tank is only workable for a few small juveniles in the short term, and many retail guides’ 20-gallon figure is too small for a group.

How many yoyo loaches can be kept per gallon?

There is no reliable per-gallon rule. Decide the group size first (at least five, ideally more), then choose a tank that fits them: roughly 65 gallons or more for six fish, and bigger if you want 10 or more.

What are good tank mates for yoyo loaches?

Keep them with peaceful fish of a similar size, or larger. Seriously Fish lists peaceful cyprinids, certain catfishes and other Botia as suitable.

Good tank mates include:

• Glass Catfish
• Tetras (larger species, since small ones may be harassed)
• Mollies
• Corydoras
• Catfish of similar size
• Clown Loaches
• Kribensis
• Angelfish
• Goldfish (only hardy, single-tail types, and only if you accept warm water, which they tolerate but don’t prefer)
• Plecos

Avoid aggressive fish such as Cichlids (Oscars and Jack Dempseys). Also avoid larger semi-aggressive fish, and slow, long-finned fish that the loaches can nip, such as:

• Tiger Barbs
• Bettas (Seriously Fish specifically lists ornamental bettas and guppies as poor tank mates)
• Red Finned Sharks
• Tiger Fish
• Peacock Bass

Don’t add yoyo loaches to a tank with snails you want to keep, because they eat snails. Loaches Online calls them avid snail eaters. That is useful if you have a pest snail problem, but not if the snails are wanted.

Loaches may leave cherry shrimp alone because of their size, but treat shrimp as a risk. Watch closely for the first few days and expect young shrimp to be eaten.

Tank mates also matter outside the aquarium: in wild ecosystems, fish play a much bigger role.

Can yoyo loaches live together?

Yes, and they should. Keep a group of five or six at a minimum. Their need to establish dominance leads to bullying, and a larger group spreads that out. Provide several hiding spots so lower-ranked fish can retreat.

What Do Yoyo Loaches Eat?

In the wild these fish are scavengers. They eat small crustaceans, insect larvae, snails, worms and some plant matter. Seriously Fish describes them as chiefly carnivorous.

In a tank, they accept most foods. Feed sinking pellets or flakes as a base, plus frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp and daphnia. Add vegetables such as algae wafers, cucumber and blanched spinach for variety.

Make sure food reaches the bottom, since they feed low in the tank. Sinking wafers and pellets work well. They are greedy, so don’t overfeed. Put food in different spots each time to keep them foraging.

How Do You Keep Yoyo Loaches Healthy?

Loaches are prone to disease, and they react strongly to some medications. Loaches Online’s community advice is to dose loaches at about half strength, and to avoid copper-based medications.

If a loach becomes sick, move it to a separate quarantine tank that matches the main tank’s conditions. Treating in a bare quarantine tank also protects your filter bacteria.

One of the most common illnesses in these fish, and others, is ich (white spot disease). It is caused by a parasite and produces small white spots over the fins and body. Loaches are often the first to show it.

Signs to watch for:

• White spots on the fins or body
• Flicking or rubbing against decor
• Clamped fins or hiding all the time
• Refusing food, or a thin, sunken belly

Prevent problems with regular water changes, and know what goes into your tank. Quarantine new fish before adding them, and don’t add yoyo loaches to a brand-new tank. New tanks have unstable water conditions and swings in bacteria, which stress loaches. Wait until the tank is fully cycled.

Can You Breed Yoyo Loaches? What About Yoyo Loach Fry?

Not at home. Seriously Fish says no captive breeding has been documented, and Loaches Online says yoyo loaches are not bred in aquariums, although mature females regularly fill with eggs. Fish sold in the hobby are reportedly bred on farms in Asia, where spawning is induced with hormone injections.

In the wild, spawning is tied to the seasons. Yoyo loaches are reported to spawn in the monsoon months (June to August). Some loaches also migrate or respond to flooding before spawning, and fish that need migrations are very hard to breed in captivity, which may be one reason they do not breed in tanks.

So there is no practical way to get yoyo loach fry in a home aquarium. If you see a very full female, she is carrying eggs she cannot spawn, not about to breed. Buying captive-bred fish from a store, which are farm-raised, is better than buying wild fish.

For sexing, see the section on males and females above.

Are Yoyo Loaches Right for Your Aquarium?

If you can give a 65-gallon or larger tank, a group of at least five, and stable water, yoyo loaches are lively and rewarding to watch. They are a daytime loach that does not hide.

If you have less space or time, or are still learning, consider a Zebra loach, which is small and hardy. Both fish need regular water changes and some time and observation.

Are you thinking of adding a yoyo loach to your tank? Let us know in the comments below.