Yo Yo Loach

The yoyo loach (Botia almorhae, often still listed as Botia lohachata) comes from clear rivers in northern India and Nepal. Young fish carry dark markings that genuinely do read as a joined-up Y, O, Y, O along a silvery body; as the fish matures the pattern breaks up into a busy reticulated network. It is a busy, curious loach that spends its day nosing through the substrate and under decor rather than hiding.

Aquarium care

• Active and social, with a clear pecking order within the group.
• Keep five or more so the squabbling is spread out.
• Wants caves, pipes and wood to claim, plus a soft substrate.
• Eats pest snails readily, which is one of the main reasons people buy it.
• Bottom-dweller: sinking pellets, wafers and frozen bloodworm.
• Will click audibly and rest on its side; both are normal.

Suits a robust community with barbs, danios, rainbowfish and larger tetras. It is too boisterous for very timid or slow fish, and it is not a match for a tank where you want to keep ornamental snails.

Stock rotates with each shipment, and livestock is sold for local pickup at our Lethbridge store. See the current loach and botia list.