Yoyo Loach
Encyclopedia
A yoyo loach, almora loach or Pakistani loach, Botia almorhae, is a freshwater fish
belonging to the loach
family
(Cobitidae). It originates in the slow-running and still waters of India and Pakistan, whence the name Pakistani loach originates. It is commonly found in aquariums, but is not nearly as common as its more popular relative, the clown loach
. They may attain a length of up to 13 cm (5 in), and are named for their black and white patterns, which often can be seen to spell "yoyo" (especially in smaller/younger specimens), hence the common name yoyo loach.
The yoyo loach, in comparison with the clown loach is more active (in the absence of aggressive tank-mates) than its relative, but it is still relatively docile. They are best kept in shoals
of 5 or more, this helps distribute the rare abuse of the largest, alpha loach, and establishes a stable pecking order. The yoyo loach is fairly hardy and open to water conditions, but they have a tendency to prefer soft, acidic water, from a pH
of 6 to around 7.4; however, with gradual acclimation, they can be kept in rather hard, alkaline water, even up to a pH of 8. As tropical fish, they prefer temperatures in a range from 24 to 27 °C degrees. Yoyo Loaches prefer to be kept in slow-moving water, although some individuals have shown preference for faster moving waters. Being smaller than the clown loach, they can be kept in smaller tanks: a shoal of 3 can be kept comfortably in a heavily-planted 30 gallons (113.6 l) aquarium with water changes of 10-20% per week. Lacking other fish or plants in their environment, the yoyo loach may become stressed. Being mostly docile fish, they should not be kept with highly aggressive fish. The yoyo loach can be kept comfortably with a small group of Otocinclus
catfish, other loaches, as well as other passive fish.
The yoyo loach has a tendency to hide occasionally (or permanently, with aggressive fish), especially when they are unaccustomed to humans, or share the tank with aggressive fish. They prefer to have caves in which they can fit snugly; they will ignore open caves (clown loaches readily adapt to open caves). They have been known to get stuck when the cave is too tight. Once they are accustomed to humans (and not in the presence of aggressive fish), they will often react with excitement at their owner's approach, either by association with feeding, or out of curiosity. They can often be seen watching their owner, and occasionally following him or her. In the absence of aggressive tank-mates, yoyos will be more out in the open than clown loaches.
Yoyo loaches will eat a variety of foods, and should be fed accordingly. They will eat flakes, pellets, frozen brine shrimp, and freeze-dried tubifex worms. Yoyo loaches have a peculiarity in feeding, in which when they feed from the surface of the water, they generate 'clicking' noises. These same sounds can sometimes be noted while they are swimming. These clicking sounds are generated when the loach grinds its pharyngeal teeth
.
Similar to their relative the clown loach, yoyo loaches have a strong personality, and are sometimes considered lazy (though much less so than the clown loach), as they will often at various intervals simply decide to sleep
and lie on their sides on whatever surface is nearby. This often causes alarm in aquarists, who may believe that the fish is dead.
Like the clown loach, the yoyo loach will readily devour snail
s, especially the smaller variety. Invertebrates are one of the yoyo loach's natural food sources, and freshwater shrimp
and snails are not safe.
This fish can live for 20+ years
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
belonging to the loach
Loach (fish)
Cobitidae is the family of the true loaches, which are Old World freshwater fish. They occur throughout Eurasia and in Morocco, and inhabit riverine ecosystems. Today, most "loaches" are placed in other families...
family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
(Cobitidae). It originates in the slow-running and still waters of India and Pakistan, whence the name Pakistani loach originates. It is commonly found in aquariums, but is not nearly as common as its more popular relative, the clown loach
Clown loach
The clown loach, Chromobotia macracanthus, is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the Cobitidae family. It is the sole member of the Chromobotia genus. It originates in inland waters in Indonesia on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo...
. They may attain a length of up to 13 cm (5 in), and are named for their black and white patterns, which often can be seen to spell "yoyo" (especially in smaller/younger specimens), hence the common name yoyo loach.
The yoyo loach, in comparison with the clown loach is more active (in the absence of aggressive tank-mates) than its relative, but it is still relatively docile. They are best kept in shoals
Shoaling and schooling
In biology, any group of fish that stay together for social reasons are said to be shoaling , and if, in addition, the group is swimming in the same direction in a coordinated manner, they are said to be schooling . In common usage, the terms are sometimes used rather loosely...
of 5 or more, this helps distribute the rare abuse of the largest, alpha loach, and establishes a stable pecking order. The yoyo loach is fairly hardy and open to water conditions, but they have a tendency to prefer soft, acidic water, from a pH
PH
In chemistry, pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Pure water is said to be neutral, with a pH close to 7.0 at . Solutions with a pH less than 7 are said to be acidic and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline...
of 6 to around 7.4; however, with gradual acclimation, they can be kept in rather hard, alkaline water, even up to a pH of 8. As tropical fish, they prefer temperatures in a range from 24 to 27 °C degrees. Yoyo Loaches prefer to be kept in slow-moving water, although some individuals have shown preference for faster moving waters. Being smaller than the clown loach, they can be kept in smaller tanks: a shoal of 3 can be kept comfortably in a heavily-planted 30 gallons (113.6 l) aquarium with water changes of 10-20% per week. Lacking other fish or plants in their environment, the yoyo loach may become stressed. Being mostly docile fish, they should not be kept with highly aggressive fish. The yoyo loach can be kept comfortably with a small group of Otocinclus
Otocinclus
Otocinclus is a genus of catfish of the family Loricariidae commonly called "dwarf suckers" or "otos". Otocinclus originate from tropical, freshwater rivers in South America.-Taxonomy:...
catfish, other loaches, as well as other passive fish.
The yoyo loach has a tendency to hide occasionally (or permanently, with aggressive fish), especially when they are unaccustomed to humans, or share the tank with aggressive fish. They prefer to have caves in which they can fit snugly; they will ignore open caves (clown loaches readily adapt to open caves). They have been known to get stuck when the cave is too tight. Once they are accustomed to humans (and not in the presence of aggressive fish), they will often react with excitement at their owner's approach, either by association with feeding, or out of curiosity. They can often be seen watching their owner, and occasionally following him or her. In the absence of aggressive tank-mates, yoyos will be more out in the open than clown loaches.
Yoyo loaches will eat a variety of foods, and should be fed accordingly. They will eat flakes, pellets, frozen brine shrimp, and freeze-dried tubifex worms. Yoyo loaches have a peculiarity in feeding, in which when they feed from the surface of the water, they generate 'clicking' noises. These same sounds can sometimes be noted while they are swimming. These clicking sounds are generated when the loach grinds its pharyngeal teeth
Pharyngeal teeth
Pharyngeal teeth are teeth in the pharyngeal arch of the throat of cyprinids, suckers, and a number of other fish species lacking teeth.Popular aquarium fish such as goldfish and loaches have these structures. Members of the Botia genus such as clown loaches are known to make distinctive clicking...
.
Similar to their relative the clown loach, yoyo loaches have a strong personality, and are sometimes considered lazy (though much less so than the clown loach), as they will often at various intervals simply decide to sleep
Sleep
Sleep is a naturally recurring state characterized by reduced or absent consciousness, relatively suspended sensory activity, and inactivity of nearly all voluntary muscles. It is distinguished from quiet wakefulness by a decreased ability to react to stimuli, and is more easily reversible than...
and lie on their sides on whatever surface is nearby. This often causes alarm in aquarists, who may believe that the fish is dead.
Like the clown loach, the yoyo loach will readily devour snail
Snail
Snail is a common name applied to most of the members of the molluscan class Gastropoda that have coiled shells in the adult stage. When the word is used in its most general sense, it includes sea snails, land snails and freshwater snails. The word snail without any qualifier is however more often...
s, especially the smaller variety. Invertebrates are one of the yoyo loach's natural food sources, and freshwater shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. Adult shrimp are filter feeding benthic animals living close to the bottom. They can live in schools and can swim rapidly backwards. Shrimp are an important...
and snails are not safe.
This fish can live for 20+ years
See also
- List of freshwater aquarium fish species
- The Aquarium Wiki Encyclopaedia - Care information for Yoyo Loaches