Lima ShovelNose Info/Problems

[richardhmc]

Hey everyone.. just yesterday I bought a lima shovelnose from the pet store nd I would like to know some things about it

-How fast does it grow?
-Does it have specific temp range/ph range/water chemistry

This one is about 5 inches but still very small. When I bought it, one of the employees told me that it just ate one of the other fish in the tank because of its fat belly. and today, i found what looked liked the remains of a small fish and that now im assuming it was that fish eaten at the fish store.

However, the fish isnt that active... it just lays on the floor kinda dead looking but still breathing. If I tap on the glass (which i know im not supposed to do) It jerks for a second nd then settles back down. Could it be that its just not used to the tank yet? Right now, i have it in a 55 with 3 dempseys - small. The tank is divided and the Shovelnose is by itself.

 

[richardhmc]

Some pictures ( I had to tap the glass to get the fish up for a pic)

 

[Bderick67]

-How fast does it grow?
-Does it have specific temp range/ph range/water chemistry

Richard, these are the type questions you are suposed to ask BEFORE you buy a fish. I don't have any experience with shovelnose cats, but I do know they get quite large. Good luck with this guy and nice pics

 

[richardhmc]

I Sort of knew a little info plus alot of impulse made me buy this

 

[DrZacharyus]

mine lay on driftwood and put their feelers out. IMHO this is hunting mode. My larger one eats shrimp and feeders, the smaller one eats carnivore pellets and wont touch feeders. They hit each other with their noses every once and a while.

 

[richardhmc]

do they eat veggies by any chance?

 

[rob0521]

do they eat veggies by any chance?

I don't think so, mine is pretty picky, it only eats sinking carnivore pellets from Hikari and market shrimp.

 

[richardhmc]

well mine isnt moving whatsoever.. it is just standing vertically with its nose on the heater..

 

[milkman407]

lima's get around 18". They normmaly when small, lay with their tail in the air and there face towards the bottom of the tank. Mines pretty active, and eats anything i drop in the tank, freeze dried krill,shrimp,feeders,worms,sinking pellets,pellets, you name it he eats it. Let him settle in and before you know it he'll be swimming in no time.

 

[Bogwoodbruce]

I've got 2 of them, one at 10" and the other at 8". In a 6x2x2 they don't move around much but they love sitting with each other and following each other around.