Lima Shovelnose Catfish

[rossitt]

hi
ive got a Lima Shovelnose Catfish about 14 inch and im after another but what size would be best
i dont want to get a smaller one and the one ive got eats it
my tank is 6x2x2 160 gallons any idear what other fish i could have in there, i dont want to over stock
so i want to find out first what would be best, i had a Tilapia buttikoferi but it was evil little b****** so got rid
wanting something whats pretty peaceful
cheers

 

[MartinS]

Obviously, anything large enough to not fit in the limas mouth would be fine, so more 'round' fish like metynnis, large barbs etc should be fine. I would even imagine somethig like large congo tetras would be OK as they are fast and live in the middle water. There are probably several peaceful cichlids that will go as well, though i guess the only issue could come if the cichlids breed - most tend to become very territorial and hammer anything that comes too close.
HTH
Martin

 

[Straydum]

i'd say a 6x2x2 is more of 180 gallons. hmm you can try getting another lima thats more than 10". i think 10" or so should be more or less save. for the other fishes, large spiney eels are peaceful (towards others but not themselves).

 

[rossitt]

nice one cheers ive been in touch with someone in scotland about another lima 13 inch
just need to find out how to get it here im in leeds but its my new mission

 

[rossitt]

my lima shovelnose catfish has not been eating, she has not had nowt to eat now for 5 days
ive had no probs with her eating untill now, not sure what to do
ive done 20% water change on 160 gallon tank. she been eating dead fish from my local shop where she was for over a year!
i had to get her out of that small tank it was in, ive had her now for about 5 weeks
but the bloke from my LFS has gone on holiday for 2 week. and he,s not boverd getting me any in.
i got some mussels she had with no probs, but she wont eat them now. im tryin prawns and she wont touch them
bloodworms, worms, catfish pellets, with no luck at all ?? she,s not had a dead fish now for 1,1/2 weeks, last one she had was one of my convicts i had to hit over the head and i dont want to go back to the shop coz ill go off my head
really not happy with my LFS. not getting nowt from there again, ill have to find out where i can get some from
but could this because she is so used to eating dead fish why she not eating.
my tank been running now for 5 months so its not a new set up. ive left the food in over night and she still not touched it
or yer its been shedding its skin loads maybe this has something to do with it?? please help

 

[Loony Fish]

how big do limas get?

 

[rossitt]

how big do limas get?

To 30" (75 cm) in nature, not usually more than 18" (45 cm) in captivity.