Aquariumloach · freshwater
Yoyo Loach: adult size, tank size & tankmates
The Yoyo Loach (Botia almorhae) grows to about 7.6 in (16 cm SL). It needs a tank at least 47 inches long and about 64 gallons. Keep at least 6 together, at 66–82°F.
How big it really gets
Drawn to scale against common tank lengths. Green bars meet the minimum tank length from our sources.
Outgrows most home tanks. Often bought singly as snail control for small tanks; grows to 16 cm SL and needs a group in a 120 cm (47 in) tank.
Will it fit your tank?
Quick facts
- Adult size
- 7.6 in (16 cm SL)
- Minimum tank
- 47 inches long and about 64 gallons
- Temperature
- 66–82°F
- pH
- 6–7.5
- Hardness
- 2–12 dGH
- Group size
- 6+
- With other fish
- semi-aggressive
- With its own kind
- semi-aggressive
- Swims
- bottom of the tank
- Diet
- omnivore
- Care level
- intermediate
- Lifespan
- not stated in sources
Watch for: nips fins · eats shrimp · eats snails · eats live plants · jumps, so keep a lid
Yoyo Loach tankmates
Checked with the same rules as our tank builder: temperature overlap, pH and hardness, predation and mouth size, fin-nipping and temperament. Tank size is left out here; check it in the builder.
Good tankmates
- Bristlenose PlecoAdult ~5.9 in · 70–79°F
- Tiger BarbNeeds careAdult ~2.8 in · 68–79°F
- SwordtailNeeds careAdult ~6.6 in · 61–82°F
- Buenos Aires TetraNeeds careAdult ~2.8 in · 61–82°F
- Firemouth CichlidAdult ~5.7 in · 68–90°F
- Black Skirt TetraAdult ~3.5 in · 68–79°F
- Electric Blue AcaraNeeds careAdult ~7.1 in · 72–82°F
- Convict CichlidNeeds careAdult ~7.1 in · 75–82°F
- Three-spot GouramiNeeds careAdult ~7.1 in · 75–86°F
- Paradise FishNeeds careAdult ~3.8 in · 50–72°F
Use caution
- Neon TetraYoyo Loach grows 5× longer than Neon Tetra and may treat it as food.
- Cardinal TetraYoyo Loach grows 5× longer than Cardinal Tetra and may treat it as food.
- Harlequin RasboraYoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Harlequin Rasbora.
- Ember TetraYoyo Loach grows 8× longer than Ember Tetra and may treat it as food.
- Chili RasboraYoyo Loach grows 8× longer than Chili Rasbora and may treat it as food.
- Celestial Pearl DanioYoyo Loach grows 8× longer than Celestial Pearl Danio and may treat it as food.
- Cherry BarbYoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Cherry Barb.
- Rummy-nose TetraYoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Rummy-nose Tetra.
Avoid
- BettaNeeds careYoyo Loach nips fins, and Betta has long fins.
- Cherry ShrimpYoyo Loach will eat Cherry Shrimp.
- Amano ShrimpYoyo Loach will eat Amano Shrimp.
- Nerite SnailYoyo Loach eats snails, including Nerite Snail.
- Mystery SnailYoyo Loach eats snails, including Mystery Snail.
- Assassin SnailYoyo Loach eats snails, including Assassin Snail.
- Bamboo ShrimpYoyo Loach will eat Bamboo Shrimp.
- Crystal Red ShrimpYoyo Loach will eat Crystal Red Shrimp.
All 105 species we checked against the Yoyo Loach
| Species | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Bala Shark | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Black Skirt Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Blood Parrot Cichlid | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Bristlenose Pleco | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Buenos Aires Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Chinese Algae Eater | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Clown Loach | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Common / Comet Goldfish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Common Pleco | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Convict Cichlid | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Denison Barb | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Discus | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Electric Blue Acara | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Firemouth Cichlid | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Iridescent Shark | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Kissing Gourami | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Oscar | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Paradise Fish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Pictus Catfish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Rainbow Shark | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Red-Tail Shark | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Scissortail Rasbora | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Siamese Algae Eater | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Swordtail | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Three-spot Gourami | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Tiger Barb | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Tinfoil Barb | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Weather Loach | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| African Dwarf Frog | Caution | Yoyo Loach grows 5× longer than African Dwarf Frog and may treat it as food.; Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful African Dwarf Frog. |
| Angelfish | Caution | Yoyo Loach nips fins, and Angelfish has long fins. |
| Black Neon Tetra | Caution | Yoyo Loach grows 5× longer than Black Neon Tetra and may treat it as food.; Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Black Neon Tetra. |
| Bleeding Heart Tetra | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Bleeding Heart Tetra. |
| Boesemani Rainbowfish | Caution | Yoyo Loach and Boesemani Rainbowfish only share 81–82°F. That's a tight window. |
| Bolivian Ram | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Bolivian Ram. |
| Bronze Cory | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Bronze Cory. |
| Bumblebee Goby | Caution | Yoyo Loach grows 5× longer than Bumblebee Goby and may treat it as food.; Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Bumblebee Goby. |
| Cardinal Tetra | Caution | Yoyo Loach grows 5× longer than Cardinal Tetra and may treat it as food.; Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Cardinal Tetra. |
| Celestial Pearl Danio | Caution | Yoyo Loach grows 8× longer than Celestial Pearl Danio and may treat it as food.; Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Celestial Pearl Danio. |
| Cherry Barb | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Cherry Barb. |
| Chili Rasbora | Caution | Yoyo Loach grows 8× longer than Chili Rasbora and may treat it as food.; Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Chili Rasbora. |
| Clown Killifish | Caution | Yoyo Loach grows 5× longer than Clown Killifish and may treat it as food.; Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Clown Killifish. |
| Clown Pleco | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Clown Pleco. |
| Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid. |
| Congo Tetra | Caution | Yoyo Loach nips fins, and Congo Tetra has long fins.; Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Congo Tetra. |
| Diamond Tetra | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Diamond Tetra. |
| Dwarf Gourami | Caution | Yoyo Loach nips fins, and Dwarf Gourami has long fins. |
| Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish. |
| Electric Yellow Lab | Caution | Yoyo Loach (pH 6–7.5) and Electric Yellow Lab (pH 7.7–8.6) prefer different pH. |
| Ember Tetra | Caution | Yoyo Loach grows 8× longer than Ember Tetra and may treat it as food.; Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Ember Tetra. |
| Endler's Livebearer | Caution | Yoyo Loach grows 6× longer than Endler's Livebearer and may treat it as food.; Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Endler's Livebearer. |
| Fancy Goldfish | Caution | Yoyo Loach nips fins, and Fancy Goldfish has long fins. |
| Forktail Blue-eye | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Forktail Blue-eye.; Yoyo Loach (2–12 dGH) and Forktail Blue-eye (15–30 dGH) prefer different water hardness. |
| German Blue Ram | Caution | Yoyo Loach and German Blue Ram only share 81–82°F. That's a tight window.; Yoyo Loach grows 4× longer than German Blue Ram and may treat it as food. |
| Giant Danio | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Giant Danio. |
| Glass Catfish | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Glass Catfish. |
| Glowlight Tetra | Caution | Yoyo Loach grows 4× longer than Glowlight Tetra and may treat it as food.; Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Glowlight Tetra. |
| Gold Barb | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Gold Barb. |
| Guppy | Caution | Yoyo Loach nips fins, and Guppy has long fins.; Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Guppy. |
| Harlequin Rasbora | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Harlequin Rasbora. |
| Head-and-tail-light Tetra | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Head-and-tail-light Tetra. |
| Hillstream Loach | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Hillstream Loach. |
| Honey Gourami | Caution | Yoyo Loach nips fins, and Honey Gourami has long fins.; Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Honey Gourami. |
| Julii Cory | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Julii Cory. |
| Kribensis | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Kribensis. |
| Kuhli Loach | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Kuhli Loach. |
| Lambchop Rasbora | Caution | Yoyo Loach grows 5× longer than Lambchop Rasbora and may treat it as food.; Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Lambchop Rasbora. |
| Lemon Tetra | Caution | Yoyo Loach grows 4× longer than Lemon Tetra and may treat it as food.; Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Lemon Tetra. |
| Marbled Hatchetfish | Caution | Yoyo Loach grows 5× longer than Marbled Hatchetfish and may treat it as food.; Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Marbled Hatchetfish. |
| Molly | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Molly.; Yoyo Loach (2–12 dGH) and Molly (15–30 dGH) prefer different water hardness. |
| Moonlight Gourami | Caution | Yoyo Loach nips fins, and Moonlight Gourami has long fins. |
| Neon Tetra | Caution | Yoyo Loach grows 5× longer than Neon Tetra and may treat it as food.; Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Neon Tetra. |
| Odessa Barb | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Odessa Barb. |
| Otocinclus | Caution | Yoyo Loach grows 5× longer than Otocinclus and may treat it as food.; Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Otocinclus. |
| Panda Cory | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Panda Cory. |
| Pea Puffer | Caution | Yoyo Loach grows 5× longer than Pea Puffer and may treat it as food. |
| Pearl Danio | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Pearl Danio. |
| Pearl Gourami | Caution | Yoyo Loach nips fins, and Pearl Gourami has long fins. |
| Penguin Tetra | Caution | Yoyo Loach grows 4× longer than Penguin Tetra and may treat it as food.; Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Penguin Tetra. |
| Peppered Cory | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Peppered Cory. |
| Platy | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Platy. |
| Pristella Tetra | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Pristella Tetra. |
| Pygmy Cory | Caution | Yoyo Loach grows 5× longer than Pygmy Cory and may treat it as food.; Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Pygmy Cory. |
| Rosy Barb | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Rosy Barb. |
| Rummy-nose Tetra | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Rummy-nose Tetra. |
| Serpae Tetra | Caution | Yoyo Loach grows 4× longer than Serpae Tetra and may treat it as food. |
| Silver Hatchetfish | Caution | Yoyo Loach grows 4× longer than Silver Hatchetfish and may treat it as food.; Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Silver Hatchetfish. |
| Silver Tip Tetra | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Silver Tip Tetra. |
| Sparkling Gourami | Caution | Yoyo Loach grows 4× longer than Sparkling Gourami and may treat it as food.; Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Sparkling Gourami. |
| Sterbai Cory | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Sterbai Cory. |
| Upside-down Catfish | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Upside-down Catfish. |
| Variatus Platy | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Variatus Platy.; Yoyo Loach (2–12 dGH) and Variatus Platy (14–30 dGH) prefer different water hardness. |
| White Cloud Mountain Minnow | Caution | Yoyo Loach grows 4× longer than White Cloud Mountain Minnow and may treat it as food.; Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful White Cloud Mountain Minnow. |
| Zebra Danio | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Zebra Danio. |
| Amano Shrimp | Avoid | Yoyo Loach will eat Amano Shrimp. |
| Assassin Snail | Avoid | Yoyo Loach eats snails, including Assassin Snail. |
| Bamboo Shrimp | Avoid | Yoyo Loach will eat Bamboo Shrimp. |
| Betta | Avoid | Yoyo Loach nips fins, and Betta has long fins. |
| Cherry Shrimp | Avoid | Yoyo Loach will eat Cherry Shrimp. |
| Crystal Red Shrimp | Avoid | Yoyo Loach will eat Crystal Red Shrimp. |
| Ghost Shrimp | Avoid | Yoyo Loach will eat Ghost Shrimp. |
| Japanese Trapdoor Snail | Avoid | Yoyo Loach eats snails, including Japanese Trapdoor Snail. |
| Malaysian Trumpet Snail | Avoid | Yoyo Loach eats snails, including Malaysian Trumpet Snail. |
| Mystery Snail | Avoid | Yoyo Loach eats snails, including Mystery Snail.; Yoyo Loach (pH 6–7.5) and Mystery Snail (pH unknown) prefer different pH. |
| Nerite Snail | Avoid | Yoyo Loach eats snails, including Nerite Snail.; Yoyo Loach (pH 6–7.5) and Nerite Snail (pH 8–8.4) prefer different pH. |
| Ramshorn Snail | Avoid | Yoyo Loach eats snails, including Ramshorn Snail. |
Care notes
Needs: Needs tight-fitting lid; 120x45 cm base minimum; keep away from slow long-finned fish; group of 6+ with cover
Group: SF: at least 5 or 6, preferably 10+; forms a dominance hierarchy and kept singly or in pairs/trios can become withdrawn or aggressive
Temperament: semi-aggressive toward other fish, semi-aggressive toward its own kind. Lives in the bottom of the tank.
Common questions
How big does a Yoyo Loach get?
About 7.6 inches (16 cm SL) as an adult, according to seriouslyfish.com.
What size tank does a Yoyo Loach need?
At least 47 inches long and about 64 gallons. The smallest standard tank that meets that is a 75 gallon.
How many Yoyo Loachs should be kept together?
At least 6. SF: at least 5 or 6, preferably 10+; forms a dominance hierarchy and kept singly or in pairs/trios can become withdrawn or aggressive
What fish can live with a Yoyo Loach?
Species that passed every check include Bristlenose Pleco, Tiger Barb, Swordtail, Buenos Aires Tetra, Firemouth Cichlid, Black Skirt Tetra.
Gear for a Yoyo Loach setup
TankSmallest standard tank that meets its minimum: 75 gallon (48 in long).Find on Amazon →HeaterAbout 2 × 200 W for 75 gallons, holding 66–82°F.Find on Amazon →LidIt jumps. A full lid keeps it in the tank.Find on Amazon →FoodSinking food reaches the bottom before tankmates grab it.Find on Amazon →Test kitCheck ammonia, nitrite and pH. Cycle the tank before adding fish.Find on Amazon →
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Related guides
Sources
Values come from these pages, in our own words. Status: verified (independent spot-check). Last reviewed 2026-10-12.
- seriouslyfish.com /species/botia-almorhae/
- fishbase.se /summary/Botia-almorhae.html
- fishkeepingworld.com /yoyo-loach/