will a yoyo loach really grow to 6 inches? I listed a few sites that say otherwise...?

Question

http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_lohachata.php

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=16&cat=1949&articleid=2583

http://www.aqua-fish.net/show.php?id=70&cur_lang=2&what=fish

Answer 1

This fish is an ideal community fish for the beginner to the advanced. Generally peaceful, yet very active.

Quick stats:



Listed tank sizes are the minimum
Size: 6" (10cm)
Tank: 36 inches
Strata: bottom, middle
PH: 6.0 to 7.5
Hardness: soft to medium. dH range: 2.0 - 10.0
Temperature: 75ºF to 86ºF (24-30°C)

Classification:

Order: Cypriniformes
Suborder: Cyprinidae
Family: Cobitidae
Genera: Botia
Species: Almorhae








Common name:

Yo-Yo Loach, Pakistan Loach


Image gallery:

Additional species photographs

Distribution

Pakistan and India


General Body Form:

One of the longer and thinner of the Botia, the Yo Yo loach has the classic loach shape. The belly area is fairly straight and the back curves in a convex shape. The mouth has four pairs of barbels. As with most of the family the spine reaches to just below the eye


Coloration:

The body is Gray / Silver with many vertical and oblique dark stripes which vary in thickness scattered along the back and sides. Dark oval spots or blotches can be seen between the bands The translucent fins are marked with the same stripes as found on the body.


Maintenance:

Minimum number of this species in your tank should be 3. Yo-Yo’s kept as a single fish, or even in pairs do not exhibit the same behavior as small shoals.. The active behavior of the fish has endeared it to the hobby. Especially fun to observe is the “dance” that occurs as they frolic through the tank. They become a writhing, tumbling, somersaulting mass, swimming from end to end of your tank. Caution: due to the highly active nature of this species they are not good tank mates for shy skittish fish. This fish is a bottom feeder (not scavenger). As a consequence the substrate should range from sandy to small, smooth aggregate to avoid barbell injury.. You will find them constantly nosing through the substrate looking for any uneaten food that has fallen to the bottom of the tank. They will accept virtually any type of food. Sinking pellets and wafers are a must. Like most loaches they have a voracious appetite for snails. Live foods, vegetables, flake, frozen Hobbyists should provide caves for hiding/resting places. Small caves that offer a “snug” fit are best as large, open caves are often shunned. Driftwood offering an open area lounging spot is good. As are plants. But, the hobbyist should be certain the plants are well embedded because of the constant nosing through the substrate in search of food. Since they are mountain stream type loaches, strong filtration offering a medium to strong current is appreciated by this fish. Although it is not necessary. The Yo-Yo does best in slightly acidic water. pH range is in the 6.6-7.2 range. They are a hardy fish that will acclimate to higher pH. A heat tolerant fish. 75-86F. 79-82F is a normal range. They prefer warmer than usual temps. Tank size is an important consideration. They are very active swimmers with large space requirement for proper development.. A tank of 3’ will work when they are small. As they grow they really require something along the line of 4-6’. A lot of space for a small fish.


Biotope:

Found in the streams of India and Nepal. The mature/adults specimens usually migrate to higher altitudes.

Breeding:

Little (or nothing) is known of their sexing and breeding habits

Answer 2

I have a small school of 8 yoyo loaches in my tank that are all in between 6-7 inches.

When my internet connection decides to cooperate with me I will try and provide some links to credible sources for you.

OK here goes. These sites are pretty credible and contain accurate information:

http://www.loaches.com/species-index/botia-almorhae (this site has a forum you can ask them for help there, I am not a member there)

http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile79.html

There are more, just search for "yoyo loach" and the information is all over the place. Although the internet is not the best place to find information. It would be better if you spent a little time in the library looking up these fish not just in aquarium books but in other books as well. That's how you get the most accurate information. Make sure the books are fairly new and not out of date.



Don't believe for a minute that fish won't grow to their full size in an aquarium. This only happens as a result of improper conditions, i.e. poor water quality, too small of a tank, ect. When a fish does not grow to it's full potential, that is called stunting. Stunting is extremely harmful to the fish.
http://freshwater.fanatics.googlepages.com/fishstunting

Answer 3

In a way, this is like asking if a goldfish will grow to be 20 inches (some do grow to 23). The answer is MAYBE.

Yoyo's are capable of a 6" size. Does that mean they're going to reach that size? Not necessarily.

Conditions in aquarium are a lot different than conditions in the wild - less water volume, different feeding/foods, less seasonal changes. So they may not realize their full potential.

ADDITION: since a "certain question" was deleted, I'll post this info here. After researching, the max length of a yoyo loach (Botia almorhae) is 15.5 cm - roughly 6.1 inches: http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=24687&genusname=Botia&speciesname=almorhae

ADDITION 2: regarding why most yoyos may not get this large in a home tank - as mentioned in previous questions, yoyos need a good amount of space. If not given adequate room, their growth may be stunted. There are examples of this even in the outdoors - look at bluegills kept in ponds, for example: http://web1.msue.msu.edu/msue/programs/wildlife/public_html/E-1776.pdf If given a large enough tank ,you may see larger fish

Answer 4

This loach doesn't reach 6 inches -- lots of loaches do - like the popular clown loach will easily reach 1 foot in the wild but not in an aquarium. I know your yoyo loach is supposed to reach 3 inches but I have never seen one (in 65 years) that got that large in an aquarium.

Answer 5

properly you do maximum of your starting to be throughout puberty, and puberty in lots of cases ends between an prolonged time sixteen and 18 in men. i might assume which you're on the brink of the top of puberty. although, your physique won't end starting to be in lots of cases till you're 19-20. i won't cite any materials for this, yet as a reference, my mom is 5'9, my father is 5'11, and that i went from 5'11 to 6'0 from as quickly as I became 17 to as quickly as I became 18. for the reason that your mothers and dads are plenty taller than you, and top is rather reflective of your mothers and dads genes, you ought to probably assume a minimum of yet another inch and probably a pair extra.

Answer 6

Hence part of the problem with always using common names, what I call a yo-yo may be a different fish in another area of the country or in an other country.

MM

Answer 7

my father in laws are 5 inches

Answer 8

as far as i know
yoyos dont grow
however...you can do some awesome tricks with them.