Yoyo Loach (Botia Almorhae)

The Yoyo Loach is a very active and friendly fish that makes an excellent addition to any community aquarium. It is hardy and enjoys swimming around in groups of its own species as well as others.

They can aggravate shy, delicate fish with their very active and outgoing nature and should not be kept with slow-moving or timid fish.

The yoyo loach has an elongated, slender, silvery-blue body with dark and pale bars which often look like the letters Y and O when they are young, giving it its name. However, when they mature these markings fade and give way to a more solidly reticulated pattern.

This loaches head is pointed, and their mouth points downward and contains four pairs of barbels. You can also hear the loach making a clicking sound when feeding on the surface. This happens because it swallows air, forcing it through the gills.

Photos

Feeding

In the home aquarium, the Yoyo Loach will readily accept most good quality dried foods such as granules, flakes and sinking pellets. These modern food products have been developed to provide all adequate nutrition to maintain your fish's health and dietary requirements.

Providing additional foodstuffs such as live, frozen, and freeze-dried meals such as bloodworm, daphnia, and tubifex once or twice a week will provide additional benefits to your fish's health and well-being but is not a must for this fish.

It should be noted that bloodworms should only be given as an occasional treat and should not be used as the staple diet as they are difficult for fish to digest and can potentially cause blockages.

This fish is an omnivore in the wild, meaning it will consume some vegetable matter. Although most modern fish foods take this into account and include them in their products, you can still supplement your fish's diet with blanched vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, and zucchini. Ensure you do not overfeed your fish and remove any leftovers the following day.

Tank Mates

1 interesting tank mate ideas for the Yoyo Loach could include: