Yoyo Loach Tank Mates

Yoyo Loach is semi-aggressive, so its tank mates need choosing with care. Here are the 24 freshwater species that pair well with a yoyo loach — plus the 64 to avoid — with a live checker you can tune to your own tank.

By The Aquarium DB Team • Updated June 7, 2026 • Full Yoyo Loach care guide →
Best matches

The best tank mates for a yoyo loach

  • Corydoras Catfish ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6.5 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Spotfin Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6.5 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Peppered Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 7 cm · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Spotted Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 7 cm · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Burmese Loach ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 9 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Kuhli Loach ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 10 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–30 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Porthole Catfish ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 10 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Upside-down Catfish ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 10 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Bristlenose Pleco ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 12 cm · 23–30 °C (73–86 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–30 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Giant Kuhli Loach ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 12 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–30 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Rubber Lip Pleco ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 12 cm · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Marbled Hoplo ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 14 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Spotted Talking Catfish ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 15 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Sterbai Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 6.5 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–30 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Pantanal Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 8 cm · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Clown Pleco ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 9 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Leopard Frog Pleco ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 9 cm · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Zebra Loach ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 9 cm · 23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Bearded Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 10 cm · 18–24 °C (64–75 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–24 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Medusa Pleco ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 12 cm · 26–30 °C (79–86 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 26–30 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Spotted Rubbernose Pleco ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 12 cm · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Striped Eel Loach ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 12 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Banjo Catfish ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 15 cm · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Zebra Pleco ✅ Compatible
    Hard care · Peaceful · 10 cm · 26–30 °C (79–86 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 26–30 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
With caution

Yoyo Loach tank mates that can work with care

  • Adolf's Cory ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Peaceful · 5.5 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Yoyo Loach may bully the smaller Adolf's Cory, though its armour makes it a hard meal — give it caves and driftwood to retreat into.
  • Afra Cichlid ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 10 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    pH preferences only just meet (Yoyo Loach 6.5–7.5 vs Afra Cichlid 7.8–8.6) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
  • African Butterfly Cichlid ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 8 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Yoyo Loach and African Butterfly Cichlid can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
  • African Dwarf Frog ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    African Dwarf Frog is small enough to tempt Yoyo Loach; only risk it in a densely planted setup with hiding spots.
  • Agassiz's Corydoras ⚠️ With caution
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Yoyo Loach may bully the smaller Agassiz's Corydoras, though its armour makes it a hard meal — give it caves and driftwood to retreat into.
  • Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 9 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
  • Altifrons Geophagus ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 25 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
  • Amano Shrimp ⚠️ With caution
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
    Adult Amano Shrimp might survive with Yoyo Loach, but expect the young to be eaten — plant heavily.

+ 244 more “with caution” pairings — see the interactive checker above.

Avoid

Fish to avoid keeping with a yoyo loach

  • Wels Catfish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 300 cm · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
    Yoyo Loach and Wels Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
  • Alligator Gar ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 250 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Yoyo Loach and Alligator Gar are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
  • Redtail Catfish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 120 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    Yoyo Loach and Redtail Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
  • Fire Eel ⛔ Avoid
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 100 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Fire Eel (100 cm) is big enough to swallow the 15 cm Yoyo Loach whole.
  • Clown Knifefish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 90 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Yoyo Loach and Clown Knifefish will hold territory and clash.
  • Koi ⛔ Avoid
    Medium care · Peaceful · 90 cm · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
    Size gap is too large (90 vs 15 cm): Koi will treat Yoyo Loach as food.
  • Spotted Gar ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 90 cm · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    Yoyo Loach and Spotted Gar are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
  • Wolf Cichlid ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 72 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Yoyo Loach and Wolf Cichlid will hold territory and clash.

+ 56 more to avoid — the checker above flags every one.

Interactive tool

Check any fish against a yoyo loach

Dial in your exact tank size and filter by result — the checker scores every species in our database against a yoyo loach, with the reasoning for each verdict.

Tank-mate checker

Will it live with a Yoyo Loach?

We compare each fish against your yoyo loach on temperament, size, water parameters and swimming zone. Set your tank size and filter the results.

  • Banjo Catfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 15 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Bearded Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Medium care · 18–24 °C (64–75 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–24 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Bearded Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Bristlenose Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 23–30 °C (73–86 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–30 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Burmese Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Clown Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Corydoras Catfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 6.5 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Corydoras Catfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Giant Kuhli Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–30 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Kuhli Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–30 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Leopard Frog Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Marbled Hoplo✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 14 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Medusa Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 26–30 °C (79–86 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 26–30 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Pantanal Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Pantanal Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Peppered Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Peppered Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Porthole Catfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Rubber Lip Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Spotfin Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 6.5 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Spotfin Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Spotted Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Spotted Rubbernose Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Spotted Talking Catfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 15 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Sterbai Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 6.5 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–30 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Sterbai Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Striped Eel Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Upside-down Catfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Zebra Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Zebra Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Hard care · 26–30 °C (79–86 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 26–30 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Angelfish⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Yoyo Loach and Angelfish can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
  • Blue Flash Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~210 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Calvus Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 14 cm · Medium care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    • pH preferences only just meet (Yoyo Loach 6.5–7.5 vs Calvus Cichlid 7.8–9) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
    • Yoyo Loach and Calvus Cichlid can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~120 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Clown Barb⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Yoyo Loach and Clown Barb can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~132 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Clown Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Denison Barb⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 15 cm · Medium care · 18–25 °C (64–77 °F)
    • Yoyo Loach is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Denison Barb — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~200 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Denison Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Dolphin Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    • Yoyo Loach and Dolphin Cichlid can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~208 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Electric Blue Acara⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 16 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Yoyo Loach and Electric Blue Acara can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
  • Emperor Peacock Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 16 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Different pH ranges (6.5–7.5 vs 7.6–8.6); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
    • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~210 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Eureka Red Peacock Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • pH preferences only just meet (Yoyo Loach 6.5–7.5 vs Eureka Red Peacock Cichlid 7.8–8.6) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
    • Yoyo Loach and Eureka Red Peacock Cichlid can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~200 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Firemouth Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · Medium care · 22–29 °C (72–84 °F)
    • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~200 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Giant Glass Catfish⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 15 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    • Expect Yoyo Loach to harass Giant Glass Catfish at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~120 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Gold Zebra Loach⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · Medium care · 25–29 °C (77–84 °F)
    • Yoyo Loach and Gold Zebra Loach can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~130 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Green Phantom Pleco⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · Medium care · 26–30 °C (79–86 °F)
    • Yoyo Loach and Green Phantom Pleco can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~150 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Moonlight Gourami⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 15 cm · Easy care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
    • Yoyo Loach and Moonlight Gourami are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add moonlight gourami in a group to spread the pressure.
  • Rainbow Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 14 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Yoyo Loach and Rainbow Cichlid can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~130 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Snowball Pleco⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 16 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~150 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Alligator Gar⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 250 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Yoyo Loach and Alligator Gar are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
    • Yoyo Loach is bite-sized to a 250 cm predatory alligator gar — it will be eaten.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~3785 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Clown Knifefish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Yoyo Loach and Clown Knifefish will hold territory and clash.
    • Yoyo Loach is bite-sized to a 90 cm predatory clown knifefish — it will be eaten.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Fire Eel⛔ Not recommended
    Semi-aggressive · 100 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Fire Eel (100 cm) is big enough to swallow the 15 cm Yoyo Loach whole.
    • Yoyo Loach and Fire Eel can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Koi⛔ Not recommended
    Peaceful · 90 cm · Medium care · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
    • Size gap is too large (90 vs 15 cm): Koi will treat Yoyo Loach as food.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~3800 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Redtail Catfish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 120 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    • Yoyo Loach and Redtail Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
    • Size gap is too large (120 vs 15 cm): Redtail Catfish will treat Yoyo Loach as food.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~5700 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Spotted Gar⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    • Yoyo Loach and Spotted Gar are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
    • Spotted Gar (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 15 cm Yoyo Loach whole.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~600 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Wels Catfish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
    • Yoyo Loach and Wels Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
    • Wels Catfish (300 cm) is big enough to swallow the 15 cm Yoyo Loach whole.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~20000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Wolf Cichlid⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 72 cm · Hard care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Yoyo Loach and Wolf Cichlid will hold territory and clash.
    • Size gap is too large (72 vs 15 cm): Wolf Cichlid will treat Yoyo Loach as food.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~760 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.

Compatibility is computed from each species' care data — a strong starting point, not a guarantee. Individual temperament varies, so always introduce new fish slowly and watch them.

Setting up a yoyo loach community tank

Give the group a stable, planted 115 L+ tank with a gentle filter, a reliable heater and plenty of cover — broken sight lines and hiding spots let mid-water and bottom dwellers keep out of each other's way. Cycle it fully and stock gradually.

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How to choose

How to choose the right tank mates for a yoyo loach

Being semi-aggressive, yoyo loach can nip or harass smaller, slower or long-finned fish — give it space, broken sight-lines and similarly robust companions. It mostly occupies the bottom of the tank, so it pairs naturally with species that use the other levels.

Yoyo Loach grows to about 15 cm, so avoid tank mates small enough to be seen as food — as a rule of thumb, skip anything under roughly 8 cm. Match its water, too: aim for 24–30 °C (75–86 °F), pH 6.5–7.5 and 5–12 dGH. Fish needing very different conditions — coldwater species, or hard-water lovers against a soft-water fish — rarely thrive side by side.

Yoyo Loach is a shoaling fish — stock a group of 5+ of its own kind first, then build compatible tank mates around them. Whatever you add, introduce new fish slowly, watch for bullying in the first days, and have a backup plan if temperaments clash.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can a yoyo loach live with other fish?

Yes — with the right companions. Our checker finds 24 compatible freshwater species for yoyo loach. Pick calm, similarly-sized fish that share its water needs and add them to a mature, well-planted tank.

What is the best tank mate for a yoyo loach?

Easy, peaceful, similarly-sized species top the list — for example Corydoras Catfish, Spotfin Corydoras, Peppered Corydoras. Use the checker above to match against your own tank size.

What fish should you avoid keeping with a yoyo loach?

Avoid Wels Catfish, Alligator Gar, Redtail Catfish and similar — usually a temperature, size or temperament clash. The full "avoid" list below gives the reason for each.

How big a tank do yoyo loach tank mates need?

Start from Yoyo Loach's own minimum and scale up with every addition. The checker above defaults to a 115 L community tank and flags pairings that need more room — drag the slider to match your setup.

← Back to the full Yoyo Loach care guide