Yoyo Loach (Botia almorhae)

yoink

While looking for a small loach to eat snails I discovered the yoyo. Bought a group of 7 juveniles, about an inch long & skinny like an earthworm. One month later they have grown an inch in length & a 1/2 inch in depth. Funny fish! They are NOT nocturnal, although they do disappear for hours taking catnaps. Otherwise they frolic day & night. They love hiding places, and carefully explore all the rock caves I built. They stretch out on flat surfaces, and have a phenomenal sense of smell. If your tank appears "loachless" adding food will bring them out of hiding.

Joyce Doonan

This fish eats snails and likes chopped banana too! It sometimes nips other fish and shoals with other boatias.

Jayesh Patel

Very active, robust little guys. I had 4 until one jumped to his death But they were all in the 4" range and big eaters of anything they could find. The loved to chase and were able to live in a tank with several moderately aggressive cichlids (Firemouth, Severum). Just be sure you have a top on the tank or they might jump!

Ryan

cobra1713

Great little loaches. One of the first additions to my new 60 gal, and love the little guys. bought them a little less than one inch now closing in on 2 1/2 in. very active, good scavengers, and get at least two its great to watch them play around together.

shwerm601

got 1 for my first planted tank, I love it... realized they are better in groups larger then 1. I bought 2 more the next day, the first one is larger then the 2 newer ones but all 3 play together and are enjoying one anothers company... good for snails, great for snails actually!!!

Gezza

I my mums tank, she had lots of fish given her, and we didn't know what this was. It seemed to just hide behind the rock all the time, and come out at night so we assumed it was nocturnal, but reading your comments, I decided to buy my mum another one, though the first is nearly 2 inches, the new one is only about half an inch, but they still seem happy in each others company, hopefully, with time the other will grow large too. I do have to agree though, they are excellent at getting rid of snails, everytime we buy a new plant, it seems to bring dozens of snails, which it enjoys "playing with".
Thanks for the helpful comments.

Batch

I have 9 of these guys, all of them are in the 4-5" range. The max size is ~6".
They should be considered semi-aggressive and they may take out small tetras and the like (mine did). Very cool fish! Will rid your tank of pond snails faster than you thought possible, and can be rough on leafy plants.

lauraleellbp

I love my yoyos, but have been unable to keep them in planted tanks because of digging.