Botia almorhae Profile**x

[Martin Thoene]

*Work in progress*

Scientific Name: Botia almorhae (Gray, 1831)

Common name: Yoyo Loach, Almorha Loach, Pakistani Loach, Reticulated loach.

Synonyms: Botia lohachata.

Distribution: India Nepal, Bangladesh.

Sexual Dimorphism: Females generally plumper all over than males and can get extremely fat when full of eggs. Males exhibit redness around barbels and mouth.

Maximum size: 6 inches.

Similar to: [ur=lBotia rostrata, http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php?t=2885 Botia histrionica[/url].

Care: In nature, the fish live in calmer water pool areas of highland streams. The young are usually found in more lowland waters. The tank should include lots of hiding places amongst rocks and driftwood. Excellent diggers that appreciate a sand substrate to protect the delicate barbels. Lighting should be subdued.

Feeding: Good quality flake, sinking pellets, algae wafers, chopped earthworms, thawed frozen Bloodworm, Mysis Shrimp, chopped Cocktail Shrimp. Avoid over-feeding as these fish are very greedy.
This species is an avid consumer of snails.

Water parameters: pH:6.5-7.5. Hardness: Medium. Max dh:

Temperature: 76ºF to 82ºF(22-27.7°C)

Breeding: Not bred in aquaria, but mature females regularly fill with spawn.

Notes: Botia almorhae is a generally peaceful, robust loach that is regularly available. They should be kept in a group of their own species. Like Clown Loaches, they have a social structure, and a certain amount of in-fighting will be seen. For this reason, provide numerous hiding places so that less dominant fish may escape the attentions of more boisterous individuals. During times of fighting or sometimes at feeding time, a pair of fish may "gray out." The base colour will darken considerably, changing the contrast between the markings and the regular body colour, so that the fish resembles more the colouration shown in the picture of the highly reticulated adult below.

Body markings can be very variable in this species, and there is a marked difference between juveniles and adults. Adults develop more "in-fill" of the juvenile markings to a point where the whole fish may be reticulated, hence one of its common names.

Within the ornamental fish trade and in most countries in the aquatic community, the fish is now known as the Yoyo Loach. This term was coined because of the noticeable juvenile pattern consisting of alternate 'Y's and 'O's along the fish's sides, and is credited to our long-term Loaches Online member, Ken Childs while he was working at Dolphin International, a fish importers in Los Angeles.


Caption: A "Classic" Y-O-Y-O young Botia almorhae.
Credit: Emma Turner


Caption: Very unusually marked youngster.
Credit: Graeme Robson


Caption: young Y-O-Y-O.
Credit: Emma Turner


Caption: Two youngsters. Note differences in pattern.
Credit: Emma Turner


Caption: Older fish showing start of reticulation.
Credit: Emma Turner


Caption: Note vast difference in markings.
Credit: Emma Turner


Caption: Posed Botia almorhae
Credit: Graeme Robson


Caption: More mature fish with reticulated markings.
Credit: JP


Caption: Mature reticulated fish..
Credit: Ola Ahlander


Caption: Mature reticulated fish..
Credit: Richard Wildeman


Caption: Highly reticulated adult.
Credit: BHU420

[Emma Turner]

This looks fantastic!

I did one teeny weeny little edit and changed your spelling of lohochata to lohachata.

Emma

[Martin Thoene]

DOH! typo!

Merci.

Martin.

[shari2]

Has B. rostrata been done yet and I am just missing it? need it for a link in the B. almorhae sd...

[Graeme Robson]

Not yet Shari.

[shari2]

I vill vait.

[Graeme Robson]

I hear a *hint* when i hear one.

Hmmm...... this could be a tricky one. Everyone's input is needed here.

[Martin Thoene]

Easy enough.....but I have The Book text in front of me

Martin.

[Graeme Robson]

*phew*

[Martin Thoene]

What I'm realizing as we go on is that in most cases these profiles are more in-depth than the book, due to space restraints. Here we can be more expansive.
Where the book really scores though, is in the leads-ins to the various species sections and all the other loach-specific info that's never been published before.....well still hasn't

Shame we can't include it on-site yet.

Martin.

[shari2]

Can we include stuff direct from there even AFTER it is?

[Martin Thoene]

I think "direct" is a little......direct. There are lots of ways to say the same thing you know.

It is my personal belief that would be too cheeky. One must find another way of expressing the same information as I am sure you are aware.

See.....two ways to say the same thing But it does have to wait till after publication. You know the sort of stuff that's in there. The crown-jewels of loach-porn.

Martin.