5" or 10" lima shovelnose

[amazonfishman]

I wouldn't house a 10" Lima in anything less than a 55 for more than a few minutes personally. I've had plenty of experience with shovelnose catfish and they need their swimming space. If you're worried about quarentine why not just dose your 125 with some extra chemicals "just in case" before adding the new fish or if anything arises dose accordingly afterwards....

Even a 5" lima would be cramped significantly in a 10 gallon and might be small enough to house in a 20 gallon for a couple weeks but I wouldn't do it any longer and thats on the 5" only definately not on the 10". I would buy the 10" and throw it in the 125 if it was me. ~Trent

 

[pwmin]

ok, thanks. ill decide between either getting a 10 and putting it right into the 125 or getting a 5 and growing it up for a couple weeks, hoping it will get 7", which is very unprobable. i'm not sure why a tank that is as wide as the fish and 3x as long would be too cramped, but i dont have any experience with limas, so i bow to experience

 

[killerfish]

$60 for a lima seems like alot go for those little guys there alot more fun plus they are eazier to feed the bigger they are the harder it is to get them onto differn't foods so i'd say go with one of the bigger 5''-6''s hes got pic out a fat one

 

[pwmin]

i've seen one a little bigger than 10 (maybe 12) for $50 but the tail was messed up and ive seen a 7"er for $50. it seems a little bit much to me, too, but its still less than buying one online and paying for shipping plus i get to see them. an LFS in FoCo had a 3"er for $22. i'm leaning towards the biggest, fattest 5"er. anyone else think i 5"er wouldnt be okay in a 20L until it gets 7-8"?

 

[pwmin]

anyone else w/ any ideas? should i just get the 7"er for 50, save a little money, and just put it in the 125?

 

[DJC776]

I would definitely quarantine if you already have fish i your set up. I added a Godmani and a trio of synspilum to my 3000l community and the fish in the tank all went down with fungus and bacteria. Luckily(???) I only lost 2 of my albino oscars.

I learnt my lesson big time. As long as you have excellent filteration in the 10 Gal I would quarantine every time. Feed very sparingly and carry out water changes using water from your 125 so the lima gets used to the water parameters.

 

[ksfishguy]

I picked up a five/six inch Lima for $15 in Wichita a few months ago. I wouldn't feel bad about paying more, this little guy has turned into a family pet in no time, his name is "Whiskers". He eats Hikari Cichlid pellets like there is no tomorrow, they look cool sticking out of his tummy. He goes to the top of the water with my cichlids during feeding time. He didn't do this for quite some time, but now that he is comfortable he is all over the place.

I don't know anything about bichir's, but if I would get whatever you feel would be safe. I would hate turning the lights off at night and worrying about my new lima. Won't your other fish grow in relationship to your lima? In other words, won't your other fish be two inches bigger as well?

As for a five inch lima in a 20 gallon long, I think he will be fine. I wouldn't offer feeders and eventually he will start eating pellets.

 

[pwmin]

i decided to go w/ a 10"er. its actually about the same size as my bichir and knife. the 5"er were pretty small and just laid on the bottom of the tank anyway. doesnt seem too cramped in the 20g and is a little skittish, but doesnt go crazy or anything, so i think it will be fine in there during a couple weeks of quarantine.

 

[PoopSmart]

Yeah I would go with the 10 incher amnd quarantine for alittle while then put it in the 125.

I would just be worried about the shovelnose slamming into the side (since there isn't much room) and breaking its face.

 

[pwmin]

I would just be worried about the shovelnose slamming into the side (since there isn't much room) and breaking its face.

seems pretty calm. the one time it darter a little, it seemed under control hopefully, he wont have any problems. i will probably be impatient and only quar it for 1 week. i'm anxious to get it into the 125 and get the jags into the 20 to free up my 2.5g for raising guppies.

btw, found a 250 gal (72x27x30) tank someone wants to make a trade for (traded a 55g for it but couldnt get it down to the basement, lol) so im hoping they will do a trade for my 125 and 55 with accessories. keeping my fingers crossed. that size of a tank should last me for quite a while.