Loaches Online Forum

I have two YoYo loaches, Botia Almorhae, that I got about a year ago when they were 1 inch long. They are about 4 inches long now and I assume mature. They have been chasing each other around a lot recently (more than usual) and last night I saw just the tail of one sticking out from under a large rock. I looked like it was digging a cave under the rock. I am wondering whether they are getting ready to lay eggs. There isn't much information on sexing them also, so I didn't (and don't) know whether I have a pair.

I can't find much about their breeding habits on line. Apparently they are not regularly bred commercially. I was wondering whether anyone has noticed this type of behavior in YoYo loaches? Has anyone ever seen them bred?

We've heard of gravid Yoyos - laden with eggs - but I don't think anyone has successfully bred them in the tank. A lot of loaches depend on seasonal changes like flooded fields to reproduce. Some apparently migrate up or down stream to do this. Commercially, a number of loaches seem to be bred successfully, but it is likely with the use of hormones to stimulate their systems. It's exceptionally rare for any of the Botia species to breed in captivity.

Chasing each other around is pretty normal yoyo behaviour I think, and they could just be establishing a pecking order now they're bigger. Digging under bits of tank furniture is pretty normal, too. I have no experience of breeding any fish (except white clouds, who are, I think, the rabbits of the fish world) but I'd say your fish are just being normal yoyos...

There is not any reports of them being bred in home aquariums. I'll try and tell you all i know of their natural habitat so you can copy it for them.

PH Range and Hardness= Tolerates varied conditions. In the wild, pH ranges from 6 - 8 are accommodated. Water hardness (GH) between 5 - 12 dH. Temperature Range: 75 - 82 degrees F.

Throughout the Botia Almorhae's range, the Yo-Yo Loach is found primarily in very large slowly-flowing bodies of water although it is also found in ponds and lakes. It is primarily a bottom-dwelling fish (as we know) and prefers a substrate composed of smooth rock, silt and gravel. Hiding places in the form of caves or plant cover are much appreciated by the Botia Almorhae.

From studies of fish in the wild it is known that eggs are laid on the substrate and receive no parental care.


Graeme.