# ? About Cichlids w/ yo yo loaches...



## Junebug76 (Sep 29, 2006)

We moved this past summer and decided to go with freshwater fish... Well I miss having cichlids. We plan on moving the fish currently in our 55g tank to our son's 29g freshwater tank. The problem is that we have snails in the tank thanks to trying our hands at plants. I currently have 2 Yo Yo Loaches and 6 Kuli Loaches in the tank that I'd like to keep in there if possible. My question is "Can I?" and if so what can I put in there with them? I plan on having the following:

Yellow Labs
Maingano's
Red Zebras - possibly
Electric Blue or Colbalt Zebras
Yellow top Mbamba Bay (if I can find them here)

I'm trying to go for less aggressive if I can... that is why the Red Zebra is only a possibility... one of the ones we had was "King" of the tank we had back in Alaska and was very territorial of his area... the entire middle of the tank...

Any input or fish suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## Metalshade (Feb 14, 2009)

I copied this info form somewhere that may help you. I wish I had copied the whole article so I could include the author's name.

<A common question is â€œWhat other kinds of fish can I put with my cichlids?â€


----------



## Metalshade (Feb 14, 2009)

I have no clue if a Yo Yo Loach is any different than a Botia Loach, but I have read that if you keep the pH toward the lower end in a cichlid tank that many other types of fish can adjust.

Also, snails may not be a problem since some cichlids eat snails. But again, you would have to get more research from someone with alot more experience than myself.


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Choose 3 species for a 55G tank. Yo yo loaches will help with the snails, but a cichlid tank is not ideal so great if you can put them back where they belong once the snails are gone. My mbuna eat the snails but not so much the peacocks or Tanganyikans. Of course, the mbuna eat the plants too, LOL.


----------



## Junebug76 (Sep 29, 2006)

I put the yo yo's in to eat the snails, which doesn't seem to be happening... The kuli's were put in so that they could keep the sand from becoming anaerobic, which they aren't doing... Our son's tank has 4 Kuli's for the same purpose... same issue... they don't bury themselves, instead they hide in the decor. I'm willing to move the kuli's to my son's tank with the guppies and zebras...But I'd like to keep the yo yo's. So I'd like to put in mbuna to help take care of the snails, which was just another reason to switch back to cichlids, because I know they eat snails too. But the yo yo's are really cool looking and funny... they typically only come out at night which means that they too will need their own hiding space. So if anyone has had any experiance with them I'd really appreciate the input.


----------



## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

I kept yoyos with my angels. Which was a BAD plan. They were really aggressive towards the angels and started in motion the death of them both. I don't know if they'd be able to stand up to Mbuna style aggression thought. Depends on what you stock Mbuna wise. They might be alright with something like Yellow Labs perhaps.


----------



## AltechLansing (Oct 4, 2008)

It all depends on how you introduce them. Usually loaches in generally do not go well with mbuna or any type of cichlid. However though if you grow them up together they may get along well. If you have a big enough tank the aggression may also be limited. But a 55g is a pretty small tank, so I would not put in the loaches with them. But I have seen people be successful with loaches and cichlids, without growing them together. These people had bigger tanks than 55g though, but also it is imperative if you are going to do this, you must introduce the loaches before the cichlids. But still something I would not recommend.


----------



## Junebug76 (Sep 29, 2006)

The loaches are still very small...about 2 inches. Is it any type of loach because yo yo loaches only reach 5 inches and we have 2 of them or should I try to later move them into my son's tank also??? I really didn't want to and they are gonna be very hard to catch. And the problem is that my son already has 10 neon tetras, 4 kuli loaches and 3 zebra danios in his 29g tank... and I have to move 10 male guppies, 6 kuli loaches, 3 that I can't name and possibly 3 zebra danios into his tank to switch back to cichlids. Now I know it is possible to use zebra danios as dithers in a cichlid tank because they are so quick... would anyone recommend keeping them in the 55g? The 29g will be crowded but it has a good filter on it that can handle the load.

Or possibly if I introduce cichlids soon do you think it might work with the loaches in there? If I have enough hiding places in the tank could mixing them work? I'd love to keep the loaches in the 55g. I can also overstock the 55g because I have 2 Marineland 350 boi-wheels on this tank... which should cut down on any aggression.

I can also move some of the fish into the quarentine tank that I am setting up this week to keep it cycled. It should be cycled within 3 days...(using material from cycled tanks) any recommendations on which to use for that?


----------



## Metalshade (Feb 14, 2009)

I say give it a go, since you do not want them anywhere else.
You can always put in a tank devider to isolate them until you can sell them or give them away .
Rember to keep the pH on the lower end of the cichlid requirements and adjust the Loaches to it slowly.


----------



## Junebug76 (Sep 29, 2006)

Botia almorhae (Yo Yo Loach) these are the loaches that I have... So if botia loaches are compatible with cichlids... then it should be okay right???


----------



## Metalshade (Feb 14, 2009)

I did a quick search on this website and came up with one hit, but it was a cookie cutter for an angelfish aquarium with neutral pH. Your Yo Yo was not listed in any of the cichlid cookie cutters. Sorry, that is the best I can do. You will either have to wait for someone who has tried it before, or be the first to try it. Look at it this way, you will be able to answer the next person who frantically needs an answer to the same question, and lead them down the right path.

Here is the link to the angelfish cookie cutter and other cichlid cookie cutters:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/c ... er_29g.php


----------



## tdd1964 (Nov 14, 2006)

I have 2 Yoyos and 2 Kubotai in 55 G, with 3 Frieri (1 m, 2f), 2 OB peacocks, 1 Eureka peacock, 1 victoria hap, and 1 demosoni. All cichcild are adults or close to adult. The Yoyos are 5" and Kubotai are 3". I kept them for more than 2 years, no problem so far. Actually I used to keep 5 clowns (for 5 years!) together with these loaches, unfortunately they were killed during an ich treating, but yoyo and kubotai survived, then I converted the tank to cichlid tank. Cichlids push or chase loached away once in a while, but no hurting.
IMHO, YOYOs are better than CLowns in term of compatibility, and less demanding of water chemistry.
Because your YoYos are still young, and are introduced later, I am not sure it will be the same case.

TD


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Loaches can be done with cichlids and many do. I have considered it in the past and decided against since the parameters would have to be a compromise for each fish...I'd rather have ideal for each fish. You will also hear people say tank raised fish are all acclimated to the same pH and water flow and temperature, etc. and there is no longer any need to provide specific parameters for specific fish. IMO that's no fun at all!

Lot's of people have yo yo's with cichlids, try doing a search. Don't they prefer to be in larger groups? No need for dithers with cichlids, regular danios would probably survive for a time but eventually become victims.

Best way to cycle a tank if you already have an established tank is run the filter for the new tank on the established tank (along with the old one) for two weeks before adding fish.


----------



## Junebug76 (Sep 29, 2006)

Thanks everyone, Yo Yo's do like to be in groups of 3 or more and I would like to get one more to make it 3 the lfs only had 2 when we purchased them... I thought I had read that they could be kept with cichlids...depending on the cichlids... that's why I wanted to go with less aggressive cichlids. The yo yo is one of the more aggressive loaches and I thought should be able to hold its own. I would like to go with Yellow labs and mainganos for sure... any other recommendations are welcome.

TDD1964 : The two loaches I have now are already established in the tank and appear very happy, the cichlids will come later. And I plan on purchasing the cichlids while they are still relatively small, do you think this would be a good plan??

I set up our quarantine tank last night, the problem is that I don't want to remove anything from the 55g because I'm afraid that it may have snail eggs on it. In the past I have removed filter media and run it in the new filter to speed up cycling. But even the filter's had snails in them. I am over run with these little pests. I may be able to remove something from my son's tank though. The previous 10g quarantine tank we had cycled in 3 days using this method. So I'll keep checking the water and wait for everything to level out before I put anything in... As for keeping the tank cycled... should I keep a few guppies in it while there isn't need for use as a quarantine tank? Last time it became our nursery for fry... so I didn't have to worry about it.

My only other option is to go with a dwarf puffer in the 10g and feed it all the snails it can handle!!! But then again I'd be right back to where I started... a scarcly populated 55g with tiny little fish in it... Not the best option after keeping big colorful cichlids. :fish:


----------

