Yoyo loach
Botia almorhae
An energetic silver-and-black loach of about 6.5 inches that excels at eating snails but can tear the fins of slow, long-finned fish.
Key facts
- Body length
- 6.3 in without fins
- Minimum tank
- 76 gallons
- Group
- 6+
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Care level
- 3 / 5
- Lifespan
- Not well documented
- Diet
- Sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm, snails, vegetables
- Origin
- Ganges basin, northern India
- Hardier than43%
- Bigger than79%
- Calmer than28%
Water: their range vs yours
Yoyo loach tank mates
- Panda corydorasGets along in shared water.Good mates
- AngelfishGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Black widow tetraGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Blue dolphin cichlidGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Bristlenose plecoGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Common plecoGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Convict cichlidGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Dwarf gouramiGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Firemouth cichlidGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Kuhli loachGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Leopard sailfin plecoGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Pearl gouramiGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Neon tetraYoyo loach attacks fish with a similar shape or colour: Neon tetra.Risky
- Harlequin rasboraYoyo loach attacks fish with a similar shape or colour: Harlequin rasbora.Risky
- OtocinclusYoyo loach outcompetes the slow-eating Otocinclus for food; target-feed to make sure it eats.Risky
- Cherry shrimpYoyo loach eats dwarf shrimp: Cherry shrimp (PROP).Risky
- Tiger barbYoyo loach attacks fish with a similar shape or colour: Tiger barb.Risky
- Amano shrimpYoyo loach eats dwarf shrimp: Amano shrimp (PROP).Risky
- Fancy guppyNips long guppy tails.Avoid
- BettaYoyo loaches tear betta fins.Avoid
- Iridescent sharkIridescent shark can eat Yoyo loach: prey body depth 3.5 cm ≤ mouth 32.5 cm.Avoid
- African clawed frogAfrican clawed frog should only be kept in a single-species tank.Avoid
- Marbled crayfishMarbled crayfish should only be kept in a single-species tank.Avoid
- AxolotlAxolotl should only be kept in a single-species tank.Avoid
How we check
The numbers the tank model uses for yoyo loaches: water as ideal and tolerated ranges, bioload from adult mass, space, flow and how they act on other species.
- Standard length
- 16 cm (SL)
- Adult mass
- 61.44 g
- Bioload at 25 °C
- 15.65 BU
- Min. water
- 243 L net
- Min. footprint
- 120 × 45 cm per group
- Group
- 6+ (best 10)
- Swims in
- bottom
- Flow
- moderate
- Body / fins
- fusiform, normal fins
- Diet type
- omnivore meat
- Fin nipper
- occasional
- Sensitive to
- copper
Sources: Seriously Fish: Botia almorhae
Care notes
Yoyo loaches come from the Ganges basin in northern India, and the names Botia lohachata and B. almorhae are often mixed up in the trade. They are busiest around dusk.
Keep six or more, ideally ten, in a tank around 55 gallons with a 4-foot footprint and sand. They eat snails and soft plants and should not share a tank with bettas, guppies or other slow fish with long fins.
Questions
What size tank does a yoyo loach need?
At least 76 gallons (243 litres of water after decor). Adults reach about 6.3 inches without fins.
How many yoyo loaches should be kept together?
Keep at least 6, ideally 10 or more: fewer feel exposed and hide or turn nippy.
What water do yoyo loaches need?
66–82 °F, pH 6–7.5 and 2–12 dGH. Yoyo loaches come from Ganges basin, northern India.
How long do yoyo loaches live?
Not well documented with good care.
What fish can live with yoyo loaches?
Good tank mates include Panda corydoras, Angelfish, Black widow tetra, Blue dolphin cichlid and Bristlenose pleco. Each is checked both ways for size, fin nipping, temperament, territory and shared water.