snails - yoyo botia - skunk botia

K. Elliot · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 3

I currently have a 55 gallon planted tank with the following fish:
- five bleeding heart tetras
- one otocinclus (had three but two didnt make it)
- one clown pl*co (had two but one died for no apparent reason).
- many snails that I would like to get rid of

I have been reading about different fish that I can introduce to the
tank in order to keep the snail population to a minimum (or eradicate
it). Three contenders have emerged: Clown Loach, Skunk Botia, and
Yoyo Botia (aka pakistani loach). I am pretty sure that i can
eliminate the clown loach because of the size of mature adults can
reach approx. twelve inches.

I was told (by the LFS)that the skunk and yoyo botias will grow to
about 3-4 inches and that they would be fine in my tank with tetras (I
plan to add different varieties of tetra to my tank in the future -
black phantoms, red-eyes & diamond tetras)

Does anyone know if they will coexist peacefully with the clown pl*co
and oto?

Any info is greatly appreciated. Let me know if anything above is
incorrect or just plain stupid. Thanks.

Kevin

Archived from group: rec>aquaria>freshwater>misc

Jim Brown · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 177

My experience with skunk loaches is that they will indeed do in the snails.
However, they also seem to have an unnatural diet choice of fish eyes. The
trio is kept in a 20 gallon tank of their own, and only placed in snail
infested tanks when the other fish are removed. This trio is at least 4
years old and in the 3"+ size. When smaller and skinnier, they didn't
bother the other fish.

Jim

K. Elliot wrote in message@posting.google.com...
> I currently have a 55 gallon planted tank with the following fish:
> - five bleeding heart tetras
> - one otocinclus (had three but two didnt make it)
> - one clown pl*co (had two but one died for no apparent reason).
> - many snails that I would like to get rid of
>
> I have been reading about different fish that I can introduce to the
> tank in order to keep the snail population to a minimum (or eradicate
> it). Three contenders have emerged: Clown Loach, Skunk Botia, and
> Yoyo Botia (aka pakistani loach). I am pretty sure that i can
> eliminate the clown loach because of the size of mature adults can
> reach approx. twelve inches.
>
> I was told (by the LFS)that the skunk and yoyo botias will grow to
> about 3-4 inches and that they would be fine in my tank with tetras (I
> plan to add different varieties of tetra to my tank in the future -
> black phantoms, red-eyes & diamond tetras)
>
> Does anyone know if they will coexist peacefully with the clown pl*co
> and oto?
>
> Any info is greatly appreciated. Let me know if anything above is
> incorrect or just plain stupid. Thanks.
>
> Kevin

Victor M. Martinez · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 36

K. Elliot wrote:
>I was told (by the LFS)that the skunk and yoyo botias will grow to
>about 3-4 inches and that they would be fine in my tank with tetras (I

Except for the fact that botias are gregarious animals and should be in
groups of at least 3. That gives you 3x4 = 12 inches worth of fish.

>Does anyone know if they will coexist peacefully with the clown pl*co
>and oto?

The yoyos will be fine, the skunk botias are more aggresive fish.

--
Victor M. Martinez
martiv@FAKE.che.utexas.edu
http://www.che.utexas.edu/~martiv

Djay · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 33

My experience with Skunks was a disaster. They were very aggrssive towards
all of the other fish in my tank. Eventually I gave them back to the LFS.

I've never had YOYOs but hear they are wonderful

DJay

"K. Elliot" wrote in message@posting.google.com...
> I currently have a 55 gallon planted tank with the following fish:
> - five bleeding heart tetras
> - one otocinclus (had three but two didnt make it)
> - one clown pl*co (had two but one died for no apparent reason).
> - many snails that I would like to get rid of
>
> I have been reading about different fish that I can introduce to the
> tank in order to keep the snail population to a minimum (or eradicate
> it). Three contenders have emerged: Clown Loach, Skunk Botia, and
> Yoyo Botia (aka pakistani loach). I am pretty sure that i can
> eliminate the clown loach because of the size of mature adults can
> reach approx. twelve inches.
>
> I was told (by the LFS)that the skunk and yoyo botias will grow to
> about 3-4 inches and that they would be fine in my tank with tetras (I
> plan to add different varieties of tetra to my tank in the future -
> black phantoms, red-eyes & diamond tetras)
>
> Does anyone know if they will coexist peacefully with the clown pl*co
> and oto?
>
> Any info is greatly appreciated. Let me know if anything above is
> incorrect or just plain stupid. Thanks.
>
> Kevin

Graham Ramsay · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 23

"K. Elliot" wrote
> Any info is greatly appreciated.

I have 2 Yoyos with 12 Cardinal Tetras and 5 Otocinclus Affinus.
No problems, no snails.
They make a great noise when they eat and take turns to
chase each other out of their cave. They are funny to watch
when they burrow head first into the gravel and just stay
there for a few seconds with just their tail sticking out.
One reads YiYiYi and the other YllYllYll.
They both read YoYoYo when they were small.
Great fish, highly recommended!

--
Graham Ramsay
Blairgowrie (UK)
www.ibrox.freeserve.co.uk/aquarium.htm

SueBRoo · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 1

Yes I must agree ......
The yo-yo is a great fish I have 8 in my 55 gallon .They are a funny kind of
fish to sit and watch. About a month after I got them I thought one was dead
because he was just laying there on his side, not moving, and when I went to
get him he darted away,like he was saying nanny nanny poo poo, ha ha ,
look at me I fooled you, and now I have seen them do this alot, but now I
look and see if they are breathing .
It's funny to think something so small can give you so much enjoyment .
Again I Think you would really enjoy the yo-yo, very cool.
good luck in your choice,

Sue Smile

"Graham Ramsay" wrote in message$ieh$1@news7.svr.pol.co.uk...
> "K. Elliot" wrote
> > Any info is greatly appreciated.
>
> I have 2 Yoyos with 12 Cardinal Tetras and 5 Otocinclus Affinus.
> No problems, no snails.
> They make a great noise when they eat and take turns to
> chase each other out of their cave. They are funny to watch
> when they burrow head first into the gravel and just stay
> there for a few seconds with just their tail sticking out.
> One reads YiYiYi and the other YllYllYll.
> They both read YoYoYo when they were small.
> Great fish, highly recommended!
>
> --
> Graham Ramsay
> Blairgowrie (UK)
> www.ibrox.freeserve.co.uk/aquarium.htm
>
>
>

donovan n · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 13

I have a trio of yo-yos in a tank with several small tetra (neons, ect)
a trio of panda cories, a handful of amano shrimp, a few guppies, a flag
fish and a SAE.
The yo-yos have decimated the pond snail population and have reduced the
trumpet snail population. They are nonagressive, and very entertaining. They
do make a clicking noise when they eat. And can eat just about anything,
they aren't picky. They do dig a bit but they haven't uprooted any
established plants. They have the odd habit of resting on their sides. The
loaches seem to take naps during the day and when they do they lie on thair
side or even on their back giving the illusion they they are dead or dying.
They will ocasionally chase other fish away from food, but are usually
willing to share.
I reccommend getting three, as only one will hide all day and having two
will result in one always getting picked on.

--donovan