Aggressive Yoyo Help!

[millym]

hi
we've had 2 yoyos for about 3 years. i know theyre considered semi aggressive fish ( realsised this AFTER we got them of course - in the days when i didnt research fish carefully enough before getting them) but up until now we've had no problems. but the biggest loach we have( about 4 inches long) ive noticed has become quite aggressive on a regular basis to some of our other fish mainly our female swordtail & female mollie, on a couple of occasions now ive caught the yoyo swimming next to one of these fish shaking its head from side to side in a very aggressive way & keeps this up until i try to stop it by moving my hand near the tank.

im not sure what to do i love our yoyos but dont want other fish being harrassed. the big yoyo has also started chasing the slightly smaller one around constantly as well. we cannot add another tank to our household as we have no room at all.

could there be any reason why this yoyos behaviour has changed??? we havent added any new occupants lately or changed decor around or anything like that.

i may have to think about finding a new home for this much loved loach im not sure what else to do
any suggestions anybody???

 

[rob newland]

My yoyos chase each other around too, don't worry it's prefectly fine as all loaches tend to do it. How big are the fish it is bullying? Mine do it all the time, but it doesn't look particularly aggressive. If you want a new hoem for them - post them to me . I have been looking for more for ages, but whenever I see them they are really over-priced (like a fiver for a small one) so I end up not getting any.

I love my yoyos to bits and I can see why you wouldnt want to move them.

 

[millym]

hi
the female swordie is quite big about the same as the yoyo the mollie is a bit smaller. im just really worried cos ive just not seen this level of aggression before. its also always the bigger yoyo chasing the smaller (its about 1/2 an inch smaller) around.

rehoming would be a last resort but i dont want to wait until a fish is injured before i do something. i know that it would be better to have 3 yoyos but we just dont have the room in our tank for another fish which will grow to that size or bigger.
excuse my ignorance but where is stratford? (im presuming its not the london stratford or stratford upon avon???)

 

[The-Wolf]

Hi Milly
I would take them off your hands, perhaps swap them for 3 B.striata Zebra loaches

 

[phlawed]

it is common for yo-yo's to be aggressive. I resold mine as a result of this. They have a quite a bit for their size as well just stick your arm in the tank and let them nip you a few times.

 

[Barracuda518]

I often wonder if YoYo's get aggressive when they are the largest loach or the largest group in the tank? The four I have are in the same tank as my clowns and they have not shown much aggression at all. They usually stay with themselves on the other side of the tank. Ive seen them chase a clown one time and the clown chased it back and that hasnt happened again.

Wolf, what is your opinion on this?

 

[krishanu]

I often wonder if YoYo's get aggressive when they are the largest loach or the largest group in the tank? The four I have are in the same tank as my clowns and they have not shown much aggression at all. They usually stay with themselves on the other side of the tank. Ive seen them chase a clown one time and the clown chased it back and that hasnt happened again.

i have a few loaches and consider myself a loach fan. i have observed the same problem amongst two of my yoyo loaches. though they started off the same size (about six months ago) on of them has outgrown the smaller one. though it chases the smaller loach quite often it has not done much harm to it. initially i was quite worried about it injuring the smaller fish, but nothing has happened so far. i think that yoyo loaches are just a bit excitable!

btw i have so far not seen my large yoyo loach (2.5") chase any other fish. in my opinion they are quite harmless. often the competition is about shaded spaces, so make sure that you have enough places for them to hide. they are quite territorial about their little hide-holes!

 

[mikev]

I often wonder if YoYo's get aggressive when they are the largest loach or the largest group in the tank?
............

"Largest" is a slightly wrong word here. My five were a bit nasty (to the dither and to the kuhlis) until I put three Kubotai's into the tank. The largest Kubotai now rules and the yoyo's behave very well. But the largest Kubotai is actually smaller than any of the yoyo's... he is just more determined. Chases them daily so they don't forget who is the boss.

 

[millym]

Hi Milly
I would take them off your hands, perhaps swap them for 3 B.striata Zebra loaches

thanks very much wolf.........i feel very guilty cos i know we should have researched these fish properly before getting them unfortunately that was over 3 yrs ago when we were new to fishkeeping and obviously didnt have much common sense!!

i would love to keep our yoyos but think they would be happiest in a loach tank which i would love to have but as we live in a small flat it is impossible sadly. i would not be looking for anything in exchange all i would want is a good home for them and i know without a doubt that is what they would get with you. my husb did suggest giving them to one of our lfs that has a big showtank but i wouldnt be happy with that as there are some very big fish in it & not much else & to see our loaches in there everytime i went would really upset me.

i'll speak to the other half asap about it & get back to you via pm, if youre still keen.

krishanu we have lots of hidey holes & caves in our tank for the fish & i have seen the biggest loach half heartedly chase other fish before over the years but never with the level of aggression that i have seen lately, this is definately a new thing which is why im worried

 

[Barracuda518]

I often wonder if YoYo's get aggressive when they are the largest loach or the largest group in the tank?
............

"Largest" is a slightly wrong word here. My five were a bit nasty (to the dither and to the kuhlis) until I put three Kubotai's into the tank. The largest Kubotai now rules and the yoyo's behave very well. But the largest Kubotai is actually smaller than any of the yoyo's... he is just more determined. Chases them daily so they don't forget who is the boss.

True, I also have Kubotai's in the tank as well and you saw the pictures as to how big the Kubotai's are. They are in control of the tank for the time being. I think I dont see that much "aggression" yet because all the loaches are still young and the tank is big enough for the time being. Ive got a 125 that going to set up, I just dont know when yet.


Millym, I agree. If you have to give them away, then you know The Wolf will give them a good home. It must be a hard decision either way. Good Luck

 

[The-Wolf]

i'll speak to the other half asap about it & get back to you via pm, if youre still keen.

I am; however I can only collect them this sunday or next thursday morning
as I'm off to Greece soon

 

[millym]

the wolf ive pm'd you