Yo yo loaches

[Tyler777]

As many of you know I will set up my new 125 gallons tank soon. You also know I have a dwarf gouramie n I would like to add angel fish some tetras n I have swordtails n mollies. I wanted to add clown loaches but you told me they will grown to big so I was doing some research n found yo yo loaches. Would it be ok to add yo yos to my tank along with the other fish ?

 

[Colin_T]

What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website (Water Analysis Report) or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

Depending on what the GH of your water is, will determine what fish you should keep.

Angelfish, discus, most tetras, most barbs, Bettas, Botias (loaches), gouramis, rasbora, Corydoras and small species of suckermouth catfish all occur in soft water (GH below 150ppm) and a pH below 7.0.

Livebearers (guppies, platies, swordtails, mollies), rainbowfish and goldfish occur in medium hard water with a GH around 200-250ppm and a pH above 7.0.

If you have very hard water (GH above 300ppm) then look at African Rift Lake cichlids, or use distilled or reverse osmosis water to reduce the GH and keep fishes from softer water.

If the GH is suitable for loaches, then a group of 6-10 Botia lohachata (yoyo loaches) would be fine.

 

[Coryking]

I would advise caution with yo, yo loaches. I had a group many years ago and they were vicious. They attacked and killed my other fish including a pretty large angel fish. They also grow rapidly, are impossible to catch and aggressive during maintenance . Dwarf chain loaches are a good peaceful alternative.

 

[Tyler777]

What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website (Water Analysis Report) or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

Depending on what the GH of your water is, will determine what fish you should keep.

Angelfish, discus, most tetras, most barbs, Bettas, Botias (loaches), gouramis, rasbora, Corydoras and small species of suckermouth catfish all occur in soft water (GH below 150ppm) and a pH below 7.0.

Livebearers (guppies, platies, swordtails, mollies), rainbowfish and goldfish occur in medium hard water with a GH around 200-250ppm and a pH above 7.0.

If you have very hard water (GH above 300ppm) then look at African Rift Lake cichlids, or use distilled or reverse osmosis water to reduce the GH and keep fishes from softer water.

If the GH is suitable for loaches, then a group of 6-10 Botia lohachata (yoyo loaches) would be fine.

Can my API test kit

I would advise caution with yo, yo loaches. I had a group many years ago and they were vicious. They attacked and killed my other fish including a pretty large angel fish. They also grow rapidly, are impossible to catch and aggressive during maintenance . Dwarf chain loaches are a good peaceful alternative.

Thanks for the tip. I will re think bout em

 

[Colin_T]

I would advise caution with yo, yo loaches. I had a group many years ago and they were vicious. They attacked and killed my other fish including a pretty large angel fish. They also grow rapidly, are impossible to catch and aggressive during maintenance . Dwarf chain loaches are a good peaceful alternative.

I never had a problem with them in my tanks. I kept rainbows, barbs, pygmy perch, empire gudgeons, Corydoras and suckermouth catfish with them.

@Coryking, what did you keep them with?

 

[Coryking]

I never had a problem with them in my tanks. I kept rainbows, barbs, pygmy perch, empire gudgeons, Corydoras and suckermouth catfish with them.

@coryking, what did you keep them with?

I had some four or five years ago when I was quite new to the hobby so I overlooked random deaths and damages that probably came from them. I had them in two tanks, firstly a baby gifted by family in a 20 gallon I noticed it attacking my Corydoras on a number of occasion and any guppies that got near it. The only thing it left alone was a large bristle nose pleco probably because it was four times it's size. Once I noticed i soon caught it (after hours of trying to catch it) and moved it over to my four foot tank where I had another two fully grown loaches. I had a group of platies that slowly died one at time, a female betta I temporarily housed in there had it's fins torn and bitten. My red garra had scales missing all over , my weather loach was constantly chased and had torn fins, and my large angelfish was attacked and left for dead. Nearer the end the chased each all around the tank none stop. The only thing they didn't bother were my kuhli loaches. I didn't have all these fish at the same time it was over a year or two. A few fish were impulse purchases which was probably my fault. At first they were peaceful and quite fun however I didn't have much time to observe the tank so i might of missed somethings. Nearer the end they got more active and far more aggressive.

 

[Colin_T]

Lack of numbers and a small tank would be the main reasons they act aggressively. They live in big groups in the wild and it's ruled by a female. I had 20 in a 4x2x2ft tank and they were fine. I put another 10 in a 6ft tank with neons and angelfish and they were fine too and never bothered anyone. The fish in the 6ft tank got to 6-8 inches (6 inches for the males and 8 inches for the dominant female), which is twice the size they are meant to get. The ones in the 4ft tank only got to 4 inches. All the fish came from the same batch and were wild caught.

Having 1, 2 or 3 of these fish will cause them to act unnaturally and they can get agro when stressed by low numbers. People keeping them should look to have at least 6 and preferably 10 or more. They should all be the same size and added at the same time. The dominant female will take over the group and set up a hierarchy. Once that happens (takes a week or so) they are fine. Try to get them small (around 2 inches long).