Description:

Because only a single juvenile specimen was used to originally describe Botia lohachata, the validity of the species has never been fully resolved, although Grant in 2007 considered it as a distinct species that has definitely been exported for the aquarium trade.

Botia lohachata has a typical bottom dweller shape, its body is elongated with a flat belly profile and arched back. The caudal fin is forked and the base of the tail is wide. Juvenile Pakistani Loaches have a gold to silver metallic sheen that turns a gray to green in adults. The often used vernacular name of "yo-yo" loach is derived from the typical body patterning that comprising a series of alternating 'Y' and 'O' shaped dark brown bars along the fish's sides. This pattern is most clear when the loach is young, giving way to a more solidly reticulated pattern as the fish matures. These markings continue onto the fins: the dorsal fin has 2 to 3 bands, the caudal fin has 3 to 4 bands, the pectoral fins usually have 3 bands, the anal fin has 1 or 2 bands, and the ventral fins usually have 1 to 4 bands. The mouth of Botia lohachata points downward and has four pair of barbels. The Pakistani Loach is often believed to be a scaleless fish but they do have very small scales that are embedded in their skin. In common with other scaleless or small-scaled fish, they are susceptible to ich and other skin parasites and are very sensitive to the medications used to treat it. The Yo Yo Loach have great character, they are always playing and touching each other, and has been known to recognize their owner and become excited to see him. Another interesting thing that they can also make a clicking sound by swallowing air and forcing it through their gills. They frequently rest on their sides and this often causes alarm in aquarists, who may believe that the fish is dead.

Mature females have fuller body particularly when full of eggs. Males exhibit redness around barbels and mouth.

There are no reports about their breeding habits. It may occur that mature females fill with eggs, but they have not been bred in captivity. Breeding them with the use of hormones might be work.

Sources:
http://www.fishbase.org/summary/12253
http://www.loaches.com/species-index/botia-almorhae
http://fish.mongabay.com/species/Botia_lohachata.html
https://www.thespruce.com/yo-yo-loach-1381074
http://www.tropical-fish-keeping.com/lohachata-botia-loach-botia-lohachata.html