Loaches Online Forum

Hi Guys,
I have two Yoyo (Pakistani) Loaches. I bought them when they were both the same size but now on is way bigger than the other one and worries me. One is still about the same size when we bought it but other is nearly 7cm in length. i think he/she is eating all the food and other one might be starving... Have you had similar case?

Cheers

They can grow at different rates. I would also get more if you only have two. They like to live in a group. My females are also really hefty as they get older.

Is the small one skinny? What I mean is the head looks skeletal and the body is very thin. If that is the case, it may have internal parasites. If that is the case, look on here for the article on skinny disease, and follow the instructions. I treat my loaches that are thin with levamisole.

Also are they in a small tank? Do you do a lot of water changes?

What are you feeding them? I give mine algae wafers, shrimp pellets, cucumber, zucchini, froze blood worms and frozen brine shrimp. I also give them chopped up cocktial shrimp. They are get dried blood worms and flake.

YoYo is a commercial name. Actually we have 2 different species: botia lohachata and botia almorhae. I can give you a clue later, but try to research them first personally. You will discover that they have different colorations and sizes, but in the same batch at your local pet store you can buy both of them without knowing. Younglings look identical. The same happend to me and now I have 3 bigger, pale ones and 2 smaller, vivid colour and different pattern.

wingedskull wrote:YoYo is a commercial name. Actually we have 2 different species: botia lohachata and botia almorhae. I can give you a clue later, but try to research them first personally. You will discover that they have different colorations and sizes, but in the same batch at your local pet store you can buy both of them without knowing. Younglings look identical. The same happend to me and now I have 3 bigger, pale ones and 2 smaller, vivid colour and different pattern.

Um I'm pretty sure those are the same fish, they just renamed it from botia lohachata to botia almorhae.
As for sizes, its not unusual for the alpha to be larger than the others. My alpha is a male and he is the largest fish in my aquarium at ~4.5" long and he's fatter than my jumbo Molly.

Um I'm pretty sure those are the same fish, they just renamed it from botia lohachata to botia almorhae.
As for sizes, its not unusual for the alpha to be larger than the others. My alpha is a male and he is the largest fish in my aquarium at ~4.5" long and he's fatter than my jumbo Molly.[/quote]

I was under that impression as well, however that's not to say they're not still another variety, there being many species in relatively close proximity and are often sold under an assumed name while they are still young, for example I was sold a "Yoyo loach" what I later identified to be a botia kubotai, however from the same LFS on a later date they were selling Botia Almorhae as same.

As a note, my kubotai is around 5-6 months older than my 3 yoyo's, both types bought about 5cm long, and yet the yoyo's are now about 9.5cm compared to about 7cm, and yet if anything the kubotai is the more dominant one although they're all pretty active.

The situation described in my post were confirmed by many other owners. Official names does not matter sometimes. There exist two different varieties, and they differ in size and pattern-colour intensity. I have five of the same age and this diffrences are clearly visible.

wow thats weird. I have 2 yoyos with slight colour diffs but they look the same. Also here in aus they usually sell kubotai as lochata because they are illegal

wingedskull wrote:The situation described in my post were confirmed by many other owners. Official names does not matter sometimes. There exist two different varieties, and they differ in size and pattern-colour intensity. I have five of the same age and this diffrences are clearly visible.

I would love to see your sources

Numerous additional owners validated the condition I stated in my essay. Sometimes official names don't matter. There are two distinct varieties, and they vary in size and the strength of the pattern and colour. I have five children who are the same age, and the differences are very obvious. basketball stars