# Yo-Yo Loaches and Angelfish...Bad Idea?????



## Boredomb (Feb 21, 2011)

So today I went to Petco to get some dog food. As usual I have to stop by the fish section. They had some Yoyo Loaches that they just got in today. I have never seen any before and they look so cool. I thought about getting them but wasn't really sure about water parameters. I checked the profile on them when I got home. My parameters are 10dgh and a ph of 7.4 with a temp of 78° . So that should work but then I saw this in the profile "Long-finned upper fish should be avoided to prevent fin nipping; suitable upper fish are barbs, rasbora, danios, characins." :shock: Are Yoyo loaches fin nippers and there for a bad idea with Angelfish?

P.s. I didn't get them but would love to have them just don't want to cause any trouble with my Angels.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Most loaches are risky with angelfish but due more to their activity; this species does carry a nipping warning though. Re the activity, they have a high social structure among the group, and chasing is a natural part of that. This species, which may actually be a species complex of perhaps different "species," is particularly active. It will uproot many plants (it digs tirelessly in the substrate, and is as good as cichlids in rearranging the tank), and is an avid snail eater [mention this because with Malaysian livebearing snails the loach will really dig].

For a very similar-looking loach, but one that is less trouble, consider Botia kubotai. Still active, but mine are not too bad. Not sure I would mix them with angelfish though.


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## iamgray (Jul 16, 2010)

I had angelfish in my tank for quite awhile, and was constantly replacing them until I gave up... I also have yoyo loaches in my tank. I never saw them nip at the angelfish at all.... but I also have lost every angelfish that ever went in that tank. Could be a correlation there... but I don't know for sure.


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## spike0544 (Aug 29, 2010)

Another thing to consider would be the size of your tank. Without looking at the profile, I believe Yo-Yo Loaches get to be 5-6 inches long and do better in groups of 5 or more. I think you would need something larger than a 55 gallon tank to support a group of them with a group of Angels. They are very cool fish though, I hope to own some one day when I have the space. I have read they are excellent for controlling snail infestations.


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## iamgray (Jul 16, 2010)

They are a favourite of mine for sure, if not THE favourite in my tank right now. I could sit and watch them for hours. Oh wait... I HAVE!

And they are excellent for controlling snails. I know snails are good, but I just hate them. If I see an outbreak of snails (every so often my java moss becomes literally polka dotted with tiny snails), when I look the next day, they are all gone.


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## Boredomb (Feb 21, 2011)

Thanks everyone for the information. I think I will stay away from them (maybe loaches altogether) and look at some of the Corys. I really want a bottom feeder that won't harass the Angels. Also my tank is only 2 months old thinking I need to let it run a little bit longer before I try some corys or loaches or any bottom feeder for that matter. Thanks again.


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## Boredomb (Feb 21, 2011)

Reading more into that. I have hundreds of Malaysian trumpet snails in my tank. Not sure I won't a loach digging into it constantly for them. LoL I work at getting them and getting the numbers up to aerate my soil/sand substrate to much just see them all get eaten.

So yeah a bad idea! LoL Thanks for all the help!


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## ginagv (Oct 26, 2010)

I have angels and yoyos in my 55 gal and they get along fine. The 5 yoyos are quite active, but they pretty much just chase and wrestle with each other ( although I did have to get used to their laying on their sides when they relax.. lol kinda heart stopping if you don't know they do this) and leave the angels alone. I would have to say that you can make general statements about fish species and their behavior, but as I'm sure everyone knows, individual personalities can change any general statement.

BTW they have totally taken care off the huge MTS issue I had. The loaches to leave the Assassin snails alone though, which sort of surprised me, but I guess they don't taste good.

My 2 cents.

Gina


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