# Yoyo loaches are lying on their side



## RoseHawke

Hmmm, I've not seen it with my yo-yo's, although the clowns I had at one time were notorious for "sleeping" this way. Always wanted to poke them with something to make sure that they were still alive :biggrin: . Of course, my yo-yo's spend probably 80% of their time in the shrubbery, so if they're sleeping on their sides I would be unlikely to catch them at it.


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## spypet

if the tips of their noses are blood red, they may have suffered
a pH shock and will die within a week. I'm not aware of any cure.
remember all loaches are scaleless which makes them a lot more
vulnerable to dramatic changes in water chemistry. as they are
still acclimating, just giving them time to adjust may the issue.


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## distrbd

Thanks for quick replies,
The tips of their noses is not red at all so I guess this is good news.
So I gather this is normal behaviour to a point .I'll wait and see what happens next week.


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## Wasserpest

My Yoyos party 'til early in the morning, then sleep in. They wake up between 11 and 1 pm, and then go about their regular business.

So around 10 am, when the lights turn on, I can often see them motionless stuck between plants. Sometimes the current moves them to their sides.

First this got me a good scare, but then I figured out that this is just their way... I wouldn't say they are all and always sleeping on their sides, but I heard that too from Clown loaches.

Encountering a Yoyo head down stuck in some plants, thinking he's dead and when trying to fish 'em out, they shake their heads and find a quieter spot... definitely one of the weird experiences in fish keeping. 

Edit: Hard to say from your picture, but the one there looks starved... maybe they are sick... are they eating okay? Anyway, hard to say from your picture.


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## Hoppy

My tank is heavily planted, so my Yoyos are generally doing their thing where I can't see them. But, when I do see them they aren't on their sides like that. I have noticed one being very still for a long time in the plants, asleep, I assume.


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## Lupin

Yoyos do lie on their sides. I tend to have mine do that often. I agree with Wasserpest. The loach seems hardly well-fed as I noticed the abdomen looks sunk.


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## essabee

I have the same experience as Wasserpest with my botias, especially yoyos. They take such fun in playing dead, will even allow pokes from other fishes, moved as if dead. Gave me lots of heart-stopped moments. The present group have been doing it for the past three years, but at other times, especially at feed times are highly active.


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## TheOtherGeoff

eh my clown loach does that all the time, lays on the ground next to his SAE buddy. hehe


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## LS6 Tommy

Bluebell said:


> Yoyos do lie on their sides. I tend to have mine do that often. I agree with Wasserpest. The loach seems hardly well-fed as I noticed the abdomen looks sunk.


Mine lays on his side, but not quite like that. I concur with Wasserpest and Bluebell, he does look malnourished.

Tommy


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## fusQer

It is perfectly normal for them to lay on their side, its pretty cute too


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## eklikewhoa

i have clownloaches that do that and even lay upside down wedged into a hole.


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## original kuhli

Totally normal behaviour for a loach...no concerns!


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## fresh_lynny

My kuhli loaches lay on their sides in my plants like they are noodles. It is cute.


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## distrbd

There is no more snails in sight!The yoyos are all doing well ,the reason why they weren't interested too much in Brine shrimp pellets was ,they were feasting on snails!!Thank you all for you replies which were very comforting,now I know this behaviour is normal .


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## crazy loaches

I have seen my Yoyo's laying on thier sides like this. Much more common behavior from the clowns, but the yoyos do it also.


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## Mori

It was great when my mom visited. She doesn't really approve of fish tanks in public areas, and there in front of the living room sofa was a dead loach. Nuh uh! He's fine!

It was a family joke: uhoh...dead fish...

Some act deader than others. Of course, the fish may truly be ill, but flopping over isn't the symptom.


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## fresh_lynny

can you get them to come eat my snails? lol


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## Mori

Alas I had to rehome them recently because I moved a good long ways. They are eating someone else's snails and playing dead for *sob* someone else now.

Such cute fish though...more personality and entertainment value than any fish except maybe a goldfish.


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## Eddlott

*Yes!*

mine does the same.. i just thought it was due to a weight issue.. lol


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