Hello, just joined TFF :) Can someone help me identify this fish?

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Flyer99

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I believe its some sort of pleco, but im not quite sure which one exactly. These fish are currently in a temporary tank as I prepare my 20 gallon one.

Thank you :)
IMG_5255.PNG
 
I believe its some sort of pleco, but im not quite sure which one exactly. These fish are currently in a temporary tank as I prepare my 20 gallon one.

Thank you :) View attachment 131493
Welcome to the forum! This is a yoyo loach! You can tell by the distinct marking on the sides that spell out "YoYo" if you look closely! Quite a beautiful one at that, too. How many do you have? These loaches tend to do well in groups of at least three, so if you only have one it may be best to get another few to keep it happy and social.

Would love to see more pictures!
 
Hey there! Thank you for the reply, now I can do some research on it! The loach actually came with a bunch of other beautiful fish as the person was moving out. Unfortunately it is only one, and I agree a few more would be best, I like when fish are in groups. Im currently scaping the tank where the YoYo and other fish will go. I tried to post a video but not able, I will take a few more pics of tank with the YoYo tomorrow as the lights are off right now.

Trying to find some nice rocks for the scape below
IMG_5258.jpg
 
Ooooo very nice scape already! Hmm I would say white dragon stone would be really cool but you could also go for contrast with black slate :)
That's exactly what I want, I have been looking everywhere for some dragon stone but no success. My next option was some small pieces of black lava rock I like the porous texture or rough texture. :D
 
That's exactly what I want, I have been looking everywhere for some dragon stone but no success. My next option was some small pieces of black lava rock I like the porous texture or rough texture. :D
I love dragon stone haha and honestly try amazon.. I know what you're thinking but honestly they are great for it in fact I buy mine from amzon with prime so next day free delivery aswell! Black lava rock is also beautiful :cool:
 
Yoyos are definitely happier in a group, they're a smart social fish that forms hierarchies and social bonds. But there isn't room in a 20 gallon for a group of botia either, I'm afraid. It also wouldn't be smart to add just one or two more, as that hierarchy thing kicks in. With two, one will be dominant, and that can leave the more submissive one bullied and stressed, and with three, two are likely to gang up on the weakest one. Groups of at least five are recommended for botia species, for these reasons, so you're looking at a tank of 55 gallons at a minimum really for these guys.

Rehoming is a possibility, but one newbie being added to a pre-existing group is also likely to be picked on, or have to work hard to negotiate her place in the group structure. Really the best bet is if you can find a fish store that would be willing to take her and add her to a batch of yoyos they've bought in, so they're all in a sales tank together (perhaps after a quarantine period), rather than being in pre-existing territories and groups.

But that's a pretty tricky ask. It might be kinder to just keep the one on her own to live out her lifespan with the other fish she's lived with for a long time. Or you could try adding two more at the same time you move this one to the new tank, hoping they'll all be on roughly the same level playing field by entering the territory at the same time, and crossing fingers that they spread out the bullying, rather than picking on one most submissive one... and on the condition that you plan to upgrade to a larger tank soon.

If you keep this one or get more, they benefit a lot from having hiding spots like caves, driftwood, coconut huts, things like that, so worth bearing in mind when you scape. Tend to be more active at night, pretty flighty when you get near the tank. I suspect that yours is a female, going by body shape.

Oh! also avoid snails while you have one of these in the tank, botia love eating snails :)
 
Yoyos are definitely happier in a group, they're a smart social fish that forms hierarchies and social bonds. But there isn't room in a 20 gallon for a group of botia either, I'm afraid. It also wouldn't be smart to add just one or two more, as that hierarchy thing kicks in. With two, one will be dominant, and that can leave the more submissive one bullied and stressed, and with three, two are likely to gang up on the weakest one. Groups of at least five are recommended for botia species, for these reasons, so you're looking at a tank of 55 gallons at a minimum really for these guys.

Rehoming is a possibility, but one newbie being added to a pre-existing group is also likely to be picked on, or have to work hard to negotiate her place in the group structure. Really the best bet is if you can find a fish store that would be willing to take her and add her to a batch of yoyos they've bought in, so they're all in a sales tank together (perhaps after a quarantine period), rather than being in pre-existing territories and groups.

But that's a pretty tricky ask. It might be kinder to just keep the one on her own to live out her lifespan with the other fish she's lived with for a long time. Or you could try adding two more at the same time you move this one to the new tank, hoping they'll all be on roughly the same level playing field by entering the territory at the same time, and crossing fingers that they spread out the bullying, rather than picking on one most submissive one... and on the condition that you plan to upgrade to a larger tank soon.

If you keep this one or get more, they benefit a lot from having hiding spots like caves, driftwood, coconut huts, things like that, so worth bearing in mind when you scape. Tend to be more active at night, pretty flighty when you get near the tank. I suspect that yours is a female, going by body shape.

Oh! also avoid snails while you have one of these in the tank, botia love eating snails :)
Hey there! Thank you so much for this, really appreciated. I do really enjoy looking at the YoYo, and the person who had tank had the YoYo with the rest of fish for a very long time and are all very peaceful with each other so I think they must have a nice bond by now. I will definitely take the advice of my limited tank volume, I wont introduce more YoYos in this tank! I do have a 40 gallon tank, so perhaps one day could swap the fish in the bigger tank.

Some time ago I tried asking a fish store if they wanted to take some fish in exchange for store credit but declined :(

Great tips will be taking it all into consideration, nothings better than a happy fish! :)

Thanks AdoraBelle
 
Hey there! Thank you so much for this, really appreciated. I do really enjoy looking at the YoYo, and the person who had tank had the YoYo with the rest of fish for a very long time and are all very peaceful with each other so I think they must have a nice bond by now. I will definitely take the advice of my limited tank volume, I wont introduce more YoYos in this tank! I do have a 40 gallon tank, so perhaps one day could swap the fish in the bigger tank.

Some time ago I tried asking a fish store if they wanted to take some fish in exchange for store credit but declined :(

Great tips will be taking it all into consideration, nothings better than a happy fish! :)

Thanks AdoraBelle
No problem! I inherited my father's 57 gallon tank that had two botia loaches. Not yoyos, but similar markings. Having just the two in there wasn't ideal, since one often "greyed out" (a sign of stress), but adding more when those two fish were already elderly and might not cope well with it, and the tank was already overstocked with other fish, wasn't ideal either. Sometimes when you're not picking the stock for yourself, and you're taking in rescues or inherited fish, it's kinder to just keep them the best you can in less ideal circumstances for the rest of their lifespan. :)

Since yours is likely a few years old, and their lifespan is usually around five years, it would be even harder on her to be moved, join another group, or join a big batch of juveniles in a store. Lots of stress and no guarantee that any potential new home would be any better than she has now. So like my two inherited ones, probably is better to keep her as a singleton until she passes naturally. :)

I loved those two inherited botia though, really sold me on the species! For your 40 gallon if you ever have the tank space and inclination, have a look at another botia species, the dwarf chain loach :D Botias are such a fascinating, active fish and so entertaining in big numbers, and a 40 gallon would easily house a nice sized group of dwarf chains!

Oh, final note about your tank set up for this girl and any other botia you keep in the future - they also like to squeeze themselves into tight spaces, they're born explorers. Worth triple checking that any hides are large enough and not small enough for them to get stuck, and that the filter isn't accessable! When cleaning the filter once, the plastic intake thing fell down into the tank, only on the floor for a matter of minutes, but I still had to rescue a loach who had wedged herself in there!
 
No problem! I inherited my father's 57 gallon tank that had two botia loaches. Not yoyos, but similar markings. Having just the two in there wasn't ideal, since one often "greyed out" (a sign of stress), but adding more when those two fish were already elderly and might not cope well with it, and the tank was already overstocked with other fish, wasn't ideal either. Sometimes when you're not picking the stock for yourself, and you're taking in rescues or inherited fish, it's kinder to just keep them the best you can in less ideal circumstances for the rest of their lifespan. :)

Since yours is likely a few years old, and their lifespan is usually around five years, it would be even harder on her to be moved, join another group, or join a big batch of juveniles in a store. Lots of stress and no guarantee that any potential new home would be any better than she has now. So like my two inherited ones, probably is better to keep her as a singleton until she passes naturally. :)

I loved those two inherited botia though, really sold me on the species! For your 40 gallon if you ever have the tank space and inclination, have a look at another botia species, the dwarf chain loach :D Botias are such a fascinating, active fish and so entertaining in big numbers, and a 40 gallon would easily house a nice sized group of dwarf chains!

Oh, final note about your tank set up for this girl and any other botia you keep in the future - they also like to squeeze themselves into tight spaces, they're born explorers. Worth triple checking that any hides are large enough and not small enough for them to get stuck, and that the filter isn't accessable! When cleaning the filter once, the plastic intake thing fell down into the tank, only on the floor for a matter of minutes, but I still had to rescue a loach who had wedged herself in there!
I could probably message the person and ask, as I havent actually asked the exact age, might be worthwhile asking him, and I can get a better understanding. That's very true, I think the stress of more yolo's would make the situation more stressful. I was never a big fan of these fish, but now that I have had him for a few days I am too really intrigued by it, its by far the most active fish which is really enjoyable to watch.

Funny you mention about them squeezing into places, I have two filters in the tank the yolo is in currently, as I am cycling a filter, and somehow he managed to squeeze himself between the suckers that hold the filter, looked like it was taking a nap in there??

Thanks for the wise words there!
 
Funny you mention about them squeezing into places, I have two filters in the tank the yolo is in currently, as I am cycling a filter, and somehow he managed to squeeze himself between the suckers that hold the filter, looked like it was taking a nap in there??

Thanks for the wise words there!
You're so welcome!
Love when they wedge themselves somewhere odd like that (when they're not stuck, anyway!) have caught mine stretched out resting on a long cryptocoryne leaf, and resting like that in the space between the tank glass and the net of a net breeder box :lol: Of course the minute I grabbed the camera to get a photo, he wriggled away.

Also saw you said about a video, the video function on here doesn't work, but if you ever want to share a video, you can upload to youtube then share the link here, that's what most people do to share videos here :)
 

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