New Lima Shovelnose

[thebiggerthebetter]

I'd be careful with too much crustacean in the diet. Eventually. Perhaps, for starters it's ok. But when it's adjusted, I'd keep the crustaceans to ~1/3 or less of the diet due to thiaminase that abounds in them. And the rest 2/3 should be somewhat diverse and contain vitamin B1, which is killed by thiaminase.

These guys like anything fleshy, so any frozen-thawed foods of aquatic and/or cold-blooded animal origin are good.

 

[annamarie92]

I'd be careful with too much crustacean in the diet. Eventually. Perhaps, for starters it's ok. But when it's adjusted, I'd keep the crustaceans to ~1/3 or less of the diet due to thiaminase that abounds in them. And the rest 2/3 should be somewhat diverse and contain vitamin B1, which is killed by thiaminase.

These guys like anything fleshy, so any frozen-thawed foods of aquatic and/or cold-blooded animal origin are good.

Thanks for the advice!! I've read about the thiaminase problem with too much crustaceans. I'm going to try to get him on a balanced pellet like massivore or something and then just supplement with frozen/fresh foods. I've also thought about making my own frozen type food so I can add in vitamina myself. I'm researching into that now.




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[Zeke]

They do better in a school IMHO. Keep trying to get it on Hikari Massivore Pellets. Shoving it into other meaty foods will help get it used to the taste, like has already been mentioned. The hard texture is the part that fish don't like.

 

[cochito]

You might wanna add chicken-, or beef-heart and chicken-, or pork-liver to the menu. They are rich in vitamins.
Good luck!

 

[Big Jay]

When I had one it was super easy to feed. Don't feel it for a couple days. At night drop some pieces of fresh tilapia or clam or something in. Krill might work as well. Mine gobbled it up no issue at all.

 

[Zeke]

Another thing that will happen....just so you don't freak out. The Lima Shovelnose Catfish sheds its slimecoat periodically and usually eats it. This is normal behavior, as far as what I've experienced while keeping these catfish. Earthworms are usually relished. They may be a good first step to get away from live fish. White market shrimp and think strips of fresh fish fillet, would be my second choice. I kept one individual from 1990 to 2006 in one of my predator community tanks.I bought it at 4"+/- and when it died in 2006 it was 18.25" long. That individual would eat almost anything and would feed from my hand at the waters's surface. I really enjoyed keeping that shovelnose catfish.

 

[Big Jay]

Another thing that will happen....just so you don't freak out. The Lima Shovelnose Catfish sheds its slimecoat periodically and usually eats it. This is normal behavior, as far as what I've experienced while keeping these catfish. Earthworms are usually relished. They may be a good first step to get away from live fish. White market shrimp and think strips of fresh fish fillet, would be my second choice. I kept one individual from 1990 to 2006 in one of my predator community tanks.I bought it at 4"+/- and when it died in 2006 it was 18.25" long. That individual would eat almost anything and would feed from my hand at the waters's surface. I really enjoyed keeping that shovelnose catfish.

16 years is super impressive. Gives you food for thought on how long some of these fish live and thrive. I have an L200 that's pushing 8 years old (maybe more) and I thought that was a lot.

 

[annamarie92]

Thanks for all the advice!! I've been feeding krill and silversides with no problem. I've started putting nls pellets into the silversides to try and get him on those. He's doing great!!


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[annamarie92]

Another thing that will happen....just so you don't freak out. The Lima Shovelnose Catfish sheds its slimecoat periodically and usually eats it. This is normal behavior, as far as what I've experienced while keeping these catfish. Earthworms are usually relished. They may be a good first step to get away from live fish. White market shrimp and think strips of fresh fish fillet, would be my second choice. I kept one individual from 1990 to 2006 in one of my predator community tanks.I bought it at 4"+/- and when it died in 2006 it was 18.25" long. That individual would eat almost anything and would feed from my hand at the waters's surface. I really enjoyed keeping that shovelnose catfish.

Thanks for the warning! lol this is something I have yet to see. He feeds from my hand at the surface too. Great bonding time for me! wow 16 years is a long time, I can only hope mine does as well as yours! Thanks for the advice!!



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