Loaches Online Forum

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...

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

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 ...

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