Loaches Online Forum

Hi all!
I moved my two yo-yos from their q-tank into the 100 gallon with the 6 clown loaches and 8 angels. In the month since I got them, the yo-yos have almost doubled in size. I am amazed at how big and fat they look.

Now, I am wondering if my clown loaches are stunted since they have not grown very fast at all. The clowns are active and show no signs of problems but they just have not gotten much larger since last January. Are they slower at growing than the yo-yos? The yo-yos are now about the same size and may even be a little longer than some of the clowns. They are also more active at feeding.

Yoyo's have far the fastest initial growth rate, in my case going from 1"->3" within 3 months, then they slow down. Someone (ckk?) mentioned them going from 1" to 5" within months.

Growth rates depend also on each individual fish.
One of my "histies" is growing at an alarming rate compared to its buddys, all bought at the same time. If it keeps growing so quickly it'll soon be 2x the size of some of the others I got with it.
On a side note
years ago I bought 5 straita from a store and noticed one more 6 months later in that same tank, from the same batch that was hiding unknown to the store. Poor lonely guy hadn't grown at all
Brought it home and that small loach hasn't ever caught up in size to the others.
Like humans and other animals, a poor diet can stunt ones growth.

Lol....get a few little yoyos...powerfeed them, and then u'll know how fast they grow.

Indeed ckk,

My alpha YoYo had an amazing grown up here. Take a look:

April 24 when she got here (2-3"):


5 days ago (5-5.5"):

... I´ve underestimated the growth of the Y.Caudipunctata, got them as they are very rare (after withstanding for 6 month!) as they were small anyway. Now my tank is defenitely far too small. There is NO comparison with growth of my clowns.
What caused my miscalculation, was watching the Y.C´s grow only 1 cm (1/2") in 6 months at the lfs. Ater 1 Month in my crowded tank, 2 of them got fat very fast, all of them grew too quickly. Now I´m under pressure re tanksize.

The Y.Nigrolineatas were really babys and are now between 3cm and 4.5 cm, they did by far not grow as fast as the Y.C´s, did definitely increase their lenght considerably, but not as fast.

I would consider my Y. N´s just about the same growing-rate as clowns (also got the clowns at the same size as the Y.N.) The Y.N´s do eat worms only though, I guess that´s what slows them down. Clowns ate everything (except veggies "of course"), Y.C´s are "pigs" too...

Hi, Recently in a similar discussion Emma mentioned that the alpha loach could emmit a growth inhibiting hormone!!!! I can understand this as far as evolution is concerned but would like to know more about this.