Yoyo loach

Behaviour and habits

The yoyo loach is a muscular, sociable loach with a checkered pattern that shifts and fades as it ages, and it is a characterful, active fish. A group is bold and playful, resting together in caves and roaming the tank, but a single loach often turns nippy toward tankmates. It also hunts and eats small snails, digging through the substrate in search of them, and it needs space, cover and company.

What to feed, and how often

Sinking foods and frozen bloodworm, plus the odd vegetable and snail; feed once or twice a day. It is an enthusiastic eater that needs its share at the bottom, away from faster fish, and it will happily take small pest snails.

Water changes and maintenance

Change about 25% weekly with a gentle vacuum. Provide caves and cover, keep the water clean and well-oxygenated, and keep a group. It can be rough with very small fish, so choose tankmates with care.

Care and how easy it is

Needs space, a group and caves; smaller and calmer than the clown loach but still an active, long-lived fish.

Common health problems

Prone to ich and to 'skinny disease' from internal parasites.

If it gets sick

Quarantine and deworm new loaches, and treat ich early with warmth and medication, watching the group closely.