Lima Cat Feeding

[wiggywhitetrash]

Showing some signs of improvement. He's certainly not fussy and is now taking any pellets offered, as well as chopped prawns, cod and mussel.
The hard part is actually getting the food in front of him. Easier said than done as the tank has a high flow (2 FX5s and 2 power heads) and he shares the tank with a jag cichlid, who is a very aggressive feeder. Currently having to turn the power heads off when I feed so it's easier to get the food to him without it getting blown away. He seems to be getting gradually better though so I guess I'll see how it goes.


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[catfishacr]

If you want to try to get him to get out and hunt down his food. I soak krill/shrimp in some garlic guard and within seconds my lima is out trying to find the food. If you need to keep feeding the food right around him, buy a long plastic tube ( aka: gravel Syphon) and you can put the food in the tube and drop the food right on his whiskers. I have to use this method to get my Pictus cat to eat and it works great!

 

[wiggywhitetrash]

If you want to try to get him to get out and hunt down his food. I soak krill/shrimp in some garlic guard and within seconds my lima is out trying to find the food. If you need to keep feeding the food right around him, buy a long plastic tube ( aka: gravel Syphon) and you can put the food in the tube and drop the food right on his whiskers. I have to use this method to get my Pictus cat to eat and it works great!

I'll bear this in mind, thanks.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

IME and IMO, a poorly eating lima is a stressed lima, granted mine never were that fond of pellets, except Hikari. Mine always relished anything fleshy stuffing themselves chuck full to a nice round shape.

Lima needs to be relaxed to eat well. They like the company of their kin when growing up. They like vertical plants and sticks, wood, etc. in which they float vertically head down and blend into the environment. They are rather timid and do not take bullying well at all. They do not like too much current as it makes it impossible for them to behave naturally, be ~ motionless, floating, and other stealthy ways - they are not a fast water fish. They should not have a need to hide / for a hidey-hole. If they do, they are stressed. As ~all catfish, they are stressed by much light.

 

[wiggywhitetrash]

IME and IMO, a poorly eating lima is a stressed lima, granted mine never were that fond of pellets, except Hikari. Mine always relished anything fleshy stuffing themselves chuck full to a nice round shape.

Lima needs to be relaxed to eat well. They like the company of their kin when growing up. They like vertical plants and sticks, wood, etc. in which they float vertically head down and blend into the environment. They are rather timid and do not take bullying well at all. They do not like too much current as it makes it impossible for them to behave naturally, be ~ motionless, floating, and other stealthy ways - they are not a fast water fish. They should not have a need to hide / for a hidey-hole. If they do, they are stressed. As ~all catfish, they are stressed by much light.

Thanks for the input. I wouldn’t say that he’s ‘eating poorly’ per say. If I get the food in front of him, he’ll chow down happily.The issue is more that he doesn’t seem to chase anything down or actively lookfor food.
Interesting, what you said about the current, as mine staysin between 2 powerheads almost exclusively.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Sorry, too curt. Yours is newly rehomed so it is normal for it not to be normal yet I mostly expressed my opinion on this topic in view of other posts so you don't think that LSN are finicky, poor eaters. When all is right, they are a delight to feed according to numerous hobbyist reports.

E.g., per this thread, which is concurrent to yours, LSN can even swallow a rock accidently when feeding with zeal: http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/f...-My-LIma-Cat-ate-a-rock&p=7099125#post7099125