Yoyo Loach
Botia almorhae
Botiidae
FishDifficulty: ●●●○○Data: well-established
About
The yoyo loach is an active, playful bottom-dwelling botiid from the clear hill streams and rocky pools of northern India, Nepal and Pakistan. Named for the maze-like 'Y-O-Y-O' markings on its silvery flanks, it is a semi-social, boisterous fish that establishes a squabbling pecking order and only settles when kept in a group. Constantly foraging, clicking and 'dancing' along the glass, it needs a spacious, well-structured tank to thrive.
Care
Keep a group of five or more (ideally 6-10) in a long, well-filtered tank of at least 120 cm with soft sand, driftwood and rock caves, and a tight lid. Growing to around 15 cm and mildly nippy, it suits robust community tankmates rather than small or long-finned fish, and its fine scales make it prone to ich.
Diet
Protein-leaning omnivore; offer sinking pellets and wafers, frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp, and blanched vegetables. A keen snail-eater useful for pest control that may also bother dwarf shrimp.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (34)
African Butterfly CichlidAgassiz's CoryAssassin SnailBamboo ShrimpBanjo CatfishBleeding Heart TetraBolivian RamBristlenose PlecoBronze CorydorasChocolate CichlidClown PlecoCongo TetraDwarf Flag CichlidDwarf GouramiDwarf Neon RainbowfishEmerald CoryGolden Dwarf CichlidHoney GouramiKeyhole CichlidKribensisMoonlight GouramiPenguin TetraPictus CatfishRed Whiptail CatfishScissortail RasboraSiamese Algae EaterSkunk CorySterbai CorydorasStriped KribensisStriped Raphael CatfishThick-lipped GouramiUpside-down CatfishVampire ShrimpVenezuelan Cory
Possible with care (178)
Acei CichlidAfrican ButterflyfishAgassiz's Dwarf CichlidAltum AngelfishAmano ShrimpAngelfishAuratus CichlidBetta (Siamese Fighting Fish)Black Neon TetraBlack Phantom TetraBlack Ruby BarbBlack Skirt TetraBlackline RasboraBladder SnailBlood Parrot CichlidBloodfin TetraBlue AcaraBlue Dolphin CichlidBlue Tiger ShrimpBlue Velvet ShrimpBoesemani RainbowfishBorleyi (Redfin Hap)Borneo SuckerBrichard's TeleogrammaBuenos Aires TetraBuffalohead CichlidBumblebee CichlidBumblebee GobyButterfly Hillstream LoachCardinal TetraCelebes RainbowfishCelestial Pearl DanioCheckerboard CichlidCheckered BarbCherry BarbCherry ShrimpChili RasboraChinese Algae EaterChocolate GouramiClown KillifishCobalt Blue ZebraCochu's Blue TetraCockatoo Dwarf CichlidColombian Ramshorn SnailCongo Dwarf CichlidConvict CichlidCrystal Red ShrimpDemasoni CichlidDenison BarbDiamond TetraDiscusDoctor FishDojo (Weather) LoachDwarf Chain LoachDwarf Orange CrayfishDwarf Pea PufferDwarf RasboraElectric Blue AhliElephantnose FishEllioti CichlidElongate MbunaEmber TetraEmperor TetraEndler's LivebearerFeatherfin SqueakerFestivum (Flag Cichlid)Figure-8 PufferFiremouth CichlidFive-bar CichlidFlame TetraForktail RainbowfishFreshwater ClamGerman Blue RamGhost ShrimpGlass CatfishGlowlight DanioGlowlight TetraGold BarbGolden PencilfishGolden TetraGolden Wonder KillifishGreen DiscusGreen Neon TetraGreen TerrorGuppyHarlequin RasboraHead-and-Tail-Light TetraHeckel DiscusHongi CichlidJack DempseyJapanese Trapdoor SnailJewel CichlidJohanni CichlidJulii CoryKenyi CichlidKissing GouramiKuhli LoachLambchop RasboraLeast KillifishLemon TetraLeopard DanioLittle CorydorasLivingstoniMacmasteri Dwarf CichlidMaingano CichlidMalawi EyebiterMalaysian Trumpet SnailMarble HatchetfishMarlieri CichlidMedaka RicefishMultifasciatus Shell DwellerMystery SnailNeon TetraNerite SnailOdessa BarbOtocinclusPanda CorydorasParadise FishParaguay EartheaterPeaceful BettaPeacock CichlidPearl DanioPearl GouramiPeppered CorydorasPlatyPolka Dot LoachPort CichlidPowder Blue CichlidPurple Emperor TetraPygmy CorydorasRabbit SnailRainbow CichlidRainbow SharkRamshorn SnailRed DevilRed EmpressRed RainbowfishRed Zebra CichlidRed-Tail SharkRedhead CichlidReticulated Hillstream LoachRosy BarbRosy TetraRubber Lip PlecoRummynose TetraRusty CichlidSalt and Pepper CorySalvini CichlidSaulosi CichlidScarlet BadisSerpae TetraSeverumSilver Tip TetraSimilis Shell DwellerSparkling GouramiSpotted HoploStar SapphireStrawberry RasboraSulawesi Cardinal ShrimpSunshine PeacockSveni EartheaterT-Bar CichlidTaiwan Reef CichlidTexas CichlidThai Micro CrabThreadfin AcaraThreadfin RainbowfishThree-spot GouramiTiger BarbTurquoise RainbowfishUaru (Triangle Cichlid)Umbrella Dwarf CichlidVenustus (Giraffe Cichlid)White Cloud Mountain MinnowWrestling HalfbeakX-ray TetraZebra DanioZebra Pleco
Avoid (59)
Adonis PlecoBala SharkBlack Moor GoldfishBrevis Shell DwellerBrichardi (Fairy Cichlid)Calvus CichlidClown LoachComet GoldfishCommon GoldfishCommon PlecoCompressiceps CichlidCuckoo CatfishCylindricus CichlidCyprichromisDemon EartheaterDogtooth CichlidDuboisi TropheusDwarf Petricola CatfishElectric Yellow LabEndlicheri BichirEven-spotted SynodontisFantail GoldfishFrontosaGoby CichlidGolden JulieGreen Spotted PufferfishIridescent SharkJaguar CichlidKoiLemon CichlidMalawi HawkMasked JulieMollyOcellatus Shell DwellerOranda GoldfishOrnate BichirOscarPeacock BassPike CichlidRanchu GoldfishRed TerrorRegan's JulieReticulated Flying FoxRostratusRosy Red MinnowRoyal PlecoRyukin GoldfishSailfin MollySailfin PlecoSand-sifting XenotilapiaShubunkin GoldfishSilver ArowanaSilver MoonySwordtailTelescope GoldfishThreadfin PetrochromisTropheusWolf CichlidZebra Mbuna
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.
Telling males from females
What works for this species, most reliable first.
- Adult sizeA hint only · only across animals of the same age
In many cichlids, catfish and loaches one sex simply grows larger — usually the male, though there are well-known reversals.
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Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Yoyo Loach need?
- A Yoyo Loach needs an aquarium of at least 200 litres (52.8 US gallons) with a footprint at least 120 cm (47.2 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Yoyo Loach need?
- Yoyo Loach does best at 20–28 °C (68–82.4 °F), pH 6–7.8 and a general hardness of 2–12 °dGH.
- What group size does a Yoyo Loach need?
- Yoyo Loach is a social species — keep a group of at least 5 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Yoyo Loach suitable for beginners?
- Yoyo Loach sits in the middle of the difficulty scale — manageable for a careful beginner who has done the reading, but it has specific needs worth researching first.
Sources
Water & tank
Temperature20–28°C
Optimal temp.24–27°C
pH6–7.8
Hardness (GH)2–12°d
Carbonate (KH)1–8°d
Adult size15 cm
Min. volume≥ 200 L
Min. tank length≥ 120 cm
Group size≥ 5
Swimming zoneBottom
TemperamentSemi-aggressive
Water typeFreshwater
FlowModerate
Lifespan~8 yrs
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