I heave read that Lima's prefer to be kept in groups, however my LFS got only one in so that is all I currently have. I am going to put him in a 160g tank with some large, peaceful SA cichlids, and was planning to put a small group of Pictus catfish in as well. Would the Lima school with the pictus? How big will he realistically grow? Should I try to get more Lima's or just keep him with the Pictus? Should I plan to move him to my 700g tank with big cichlids, Achara and Giraffe catfish when he gets big, or would that be a bad idea?
Lima Shovelnose with Pictus catfish
- Thread starter Quo Vadis
- Start date
Not sure about the long term pairing of a Lima Shovelnose and a Pictus catfish. Not saying it will not work. But at some point once that Lima has attained good size he could eat a Pictus. But I am not willing to say it will not work.
I heave read that Lima's prefer to be kept in groups
***Me too. Beware, 99%+ your LSN will turn out a Sorubim elongatus with a 1' max size.
, however my LFS got only one in so that is all I currently have.
***Perhaps a start. There will be more. The season is approaching and they are usually widely available.
I am going to put him in a 160g tank with some large, peaceful SA cichlids
***Which peaceful SA cichlids?
, and was planning to put a small group of Pictus catfish in as well. Would the Lima school with the pictus?
***Not in any schooling sense. May huddle up on the bottom once in a while but even similar-looking fish rarely school with a different species. Pictus do best in large groups of a dozen, BTW.
How big will he realistically grow?
***1'. Per above.
Should I try to get more Lima's
***Yes. Up to 4-6 at least.
or just keep him with the Pictus?
***If size disparity is great, I'd not. If a pictus is say 3"-4" and LSN is 5"-6", that's doable. A 2" pictus may get eaten.
Should I plan to move him to my 700g tank with big cichlids, Achara and Giraffe catfish when he gets big, or would that be a bad idea?
***If the cichlids won't prey on it, yes. Achara and giraffe catfish will not, in all likelihood, bother LSN. I've kept about a good dozen or more 1'-2.5' acharas. IME, they wouldn't touch 3" koi tank mates. Profound scavengers.
***Me too. Beware, 99%+ your LSN will turn out a Sorubim elongatus with a 1' max size.
, however my LFS got only one in so that is all I currently have.
***Perhaps a start. There will be more. The season is approaching and they are usually widely available.
I am going to put him in a 160g tank with some large, peaceful SA cichlids
***Which peaceful SA cichlids?
, and was planning to put a small group of Pictus catfish in as well. Would the Lima school with the pictus?
***Not in any schooling sense. May huddle up on the bottom once in a while but even similar-looking fish rarely school with a different species. Pictus do best in large groups of a dozen, BTW.
How big will he realistically grow?
***1'. Per above.
Should I try to get more Lima's
***Yes. Up to 4-6 at least.
or just keep him with the Pictus?
***If size disparity is great, I'd not. If a pictus is say 3"-4" and LSN is 5"-6", that's doable. A 2" pictus may get eaten.
Should I plan to move him to my 700g tank with big cichlids, Achara and Giraffe catfish when he gets big, or would that be a bad idea?
***If the cichlids won't prey on it, yes. Achara and giraffe catfish will not, in all likelihood, bother LSN. I've kept about a good dozen or more 1'-2.5' acharas. IME, they wouldn't touch 3" koi tank mates. Profound scavengers.
I was planning to put him in the 160g with some Uaru, Krobia, and Crassipinnis Oscars. I don't know if I would want a whole group in the 160g because it may over stock it... but then again 12" of a long-bodied Lima's is nothing like 12" of a cichlid. Or I can get a group and put them in the 700g, which will have the G cat, Achara, Bichirs, clown loaches, Balas, and some bigger/more aggressive cichlids like Vieja, mild(er) Amphilophus, and normal Oscars. Right now he has got to be 4.5-5" inches and he hasn't bothered some <2" fish he is with...