Yo yos hitching lifts...

[Gonzo2000]

Anyone see yo yos riding on the sides of other fish including larger clowns and cichlids ?.....they seem to attach themselves to the side and ride along for a good while....funny stuff...

[Emma Turner]

Hi Gonzo2000,

Yes, this is seen from time to time in many botiid loach species, and is known variously as 'parallel swimming', 'joining up', or 'shadowing'. No-one is entirely sure why they do this but I believe it to be some form of social bonding behaviour. It normally occurs within groups of the same loach species in a tank, but when there are not enough specimens of one type present or there is a lack of a clear Alpha loach (leader) in the shoal, juveniles may look to completely different species to shadow. They will not do any harm, but the other fish may find it a little irritating. I have seen more than 5 per side of one of my larger clowns, and no matter how fast the loach in the centre swims, she/he cannot usually shake them off until they are ready to stop it themselves.

Emma

[Gonzo2000]

Thanks Emma for the prompt response.....very funny behavior...was wondering how they manage to stick alongside the bigger fish....when I approach tank they stop ...

[fish_frenzy]

I have had to move my shoal of clowns from one of my 6' tanks because of this. They were shadowing the Discus and it was driving them mad! I know Discus and clowns aren't a great mix in most tanks, but it seemed to work ok in this tank as I had a power head set up at one end for the clowns and the discus hung out mostly at the other end in the tangle of driftwood.

Tammy