Yoyo Loach (Botia Almorhae) Fish Species Profile

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.

Origins

The Yoyo Loach is endemic to Bangladesh and Nepal In the north and northeast India. This fish Inhabits clear, slow-running, warm, soft and acidic, well-oxygenated waters in bends in the river or small pools where the bed is a rocky substrate and the area is covered in plenty of aquatic vegetation.

In the wild, these loaches will make their way upstream when they are ready to spawn and return downstream where they will live most of their lives.

Diet

These fish will eat most food offered to them. They will happily accept pellets and flakes, as long as they sink to the bottom where they are more likely going to eat it. Diversifying the diet with some vegetable matter is also encouraged. They do enjoy snacking on small snails too.