Question on mixing schools of loaches

[tmcmullen]

I have 6 clowns, one kuhli, and one yoyo currently. I know the clowns and yoyos are botiine loaches (at least I think they are). I've read you should have no less than 5 of each species. The LPS didn't have any more yoyos and I'm waiting for them to come in. My question is, if I mix several botiine loach species will that be sufficient, or do I need to have at least 5 of each type (example: 5 yoyo, 5 clown, 5 kuhli)?

Thanks!

[Keith Wolcott]

They will be much happier if you have at least five of each kind. They are very social and do interact with others, but my experience is that they definitely prefer their own kind and in a group, will be more interesting for you to watch.

[tmcmullen]

Thank you Keith. I love the clowns and the yoyo seems to be thriving and quite happy all by himself, but I would like to make him happier when I find him a friend. He's such a little guy - about 3/4 of an inch long. I've had him for about a month and I've called the LPS each day to see if they have more, but they haven't been getting any in lately. I have seen similar loaches at Petsmart, but they weren't called "YOYO" and the looked slightly different than mine so I passed them up. I didn't want to make the mistake of adding the wrong type of loach.

Teri

[tmcmullen]

One last question - I raised my temp because I am treating ich and now the clowns and the yoyo are dancing. I wonder if that may be because they enjoy the warmer temps more than the cooler temps. My tank is usually between 76 and 78 degrees.

[Keith Wolcott]

The clowns probably do like a warmer temperature better. I try to keep mine at 80 degrees F (26.7 C). Be sure that with the increased temperature that you have plenty of surface agitation to supply the water with enough oxygen. Also, read the sticky note on treating ich at the top of this forum.

[tmcmullen]

I've read the note, and I'm being very careful with the treatment. I have two long air stones providing oxygen and I'm going to change the water tonight. This will be the first water change since starting the treatment 3 days ago.

Thanks again.

[raecarrow]

I have seen similar loaches at Petsmart, but they weren't called "YOYO" and the looked slightly different than mine so I passed them up. I didn't want to make the mistake of adding the wrong type of loach.

Teri

They were probably Angelius (sp?) loaches aka Juvenille Polkadot loaches or B.Kubotai. I have never seen a Yoyo at a Petsmart.

I thought that my one yoyo was a happy, enjoyable little bugger when it was just him and one Striata, but he is so much more enjoyable now that I have 4 buddies for him. The yoyos get SOOOO much more playful when there is a group of them.

[tmcmullen]

Thanks Raecarrow. I definitely want more Yoyo loaches, just need to find someone who has them!

The loaches I saw at either Petco or Petsmart weren't polka dot - they had vertical lines just like yoyo's. I really think they may have been yoyos, but they were more greyish/yellow in color than mine, which is almost pure white and black. I will have to look again when I go back to that store, but I think it may have been a yoyo and they may have used the scientific name for it, which I didn't recognize.

[raecarrow]

I really think they may have been yoyos, but they were more greyish/yellow in color than mine, which is almost pure white and black.

I think they may have been Botia Rostrata
http://www.loaches.com/species-index/botia-rostrata
They are not the same loach.

[tmcmullen]

Yes, they really do look like the ones I saw. Thanks again!

[tmcmullen]

Great news! I picked up two more yoyos today!

[Keith Wolcott]

Excellent!!! They will be happier and I think that you will notice that they will interact a lot among themselves.

[raecarrow]

You will find that they are MUCH more enjoyable in groups. I know my original yoyo was so much more active when I added 3 more of them. I then picked up a whopper of a yoyo (a nice 4" long fatty) and that changed the dynamic even more.

Enjoy!