Sad little lima... :(

[EnbyNewbie]

so I recently grabbed a little LSN, about 5 inches long, from my lfs. He was sitting there for SO long, literally, like, 5 months and was always with aggressive tankmates like pacu. I felt so bad for him, so I finally caved and took him, but he's just SO shy and still cowers in the corners. I filled his tank with many, many plants and a large driftwood so he could feel safe, but he just sits in the same spot under the log. He has a great appetite and LOVES earthworms, so I know he's at least healthy, but is there any way I could make him happier? Would he like sand?? Another log??? More plants????

 

[tlindsey]

so I recently grabbed a little LSN, about 5 inches long, from my lfs. He was sitting there for SO long, literally, like, 5 months and was always with aggressive tankmates like pacu. I felt so bad for him, so I finally caved and took him, but he's just SO shy and still cowers in the corners. I filled his tank with many, many plants and a large driftwood so he could feel safe, but he just sits in the same spot under the log. He has a great appetite and LOVES earthworms, so I know he's at least healthy, but is there any way I could make him happier? Would he like sand?? Another log??? More plants????

Fishman Dave
thebiggerthebetter

 

[Kolton13]

I figured with some of my more personable fish ive kept just being around them and being there. Maybe talk to them a bit and enjoy a cold one while doing so. Maybe you already do and this is pointless. But I kept some toys when I had my FH and a mirror and all that good stuff so he always had something to do. I used to just sit there with my 1st flowerhorn ever and just kind of watched him and try and play with him with a ping pong all I added to his tank. Best of luck my friend Limas are a dream fish of mine.

 

[fishguy1978]

Dithers?

 

[The Masked Shadow]

My Congo tetras were SUPER skiddish, and only sat in this one little plant. I rescaled, and added more plants where they were sitting, and I also sat in front of the tank while watching YouTube or something so that they would incorporate me into their life. It seems you have already done plants, but maybe just sit in front of him.

Edit: Dithers is also an option that completely flew Fromm my mind.

 

[EnbyNewbie]

My Congo tetras were SUPER skiddish, and only sat in this one little plant. I rescaled, and added more plants where they were sitting, and I also sat in front of the tank while watching YouTube or something so that they would incorporate me into their life. It seems you have already done plants, but maybe just sit in front of him.

Edit: Dithers is also an option that completely flew Fromm my mind.

I try to sit with him and interact as much as possible, he likes to look at me, but he still doesn't come up to me like my other catfish used to. I had some guppies in with him to try and make him more comfortable and instill some hunting instincts, but he didn't go for em

Dithers?

Had some guppies with him, but he didn't go for them, and he would always back away when they came near him

I figured with some of my more personable fish ive kept just being around them and being there. Maybe talk to them a bit and enjoy a cold one while doing so. Maybe you already do and this is pointless. But I kept some toys when I had my FH and a mirror and all that good stuff so he always had something to do. I used to just sit there with my 1st flowerhorn ever and just kind of watched him and try and play with him with a ping pong all I added to his tank. Best of luck my friend Limas are a dream fish of mine.

I've had him for about a month now, I try to be around him as much as possible, he seems to be afraid of other fish, so I think a mirror would spook him, but I'll see if I have anything he could play with!! I usually like the big mouth + tiny eyes catfish, so limas are the complete opposite, but I really love him and I think he's just as cute!! Good luck getting one, hopefully in the near future!!

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

At the face value of what you said in the OP, the LSN could be just a bit traumatized by tank mates. Were its fins bitten or bitten off or the body scratched or bitten? That's what pacu could do.

If you have plenty of cover and the fish feeds with gusto, you have nothing to worry about, I'd say. With size and age it will become calmer and bolder, and if you work on it, even interactive, even hand feeding, touching your hand with barbels, etc. Plus one month may likely be not long enough to adjust.

 

[Jexnell]

Limas's are lurkers by nature. Sit motionless till dinner swims close enough. Mine was never very "active".

There are times he would swim about to find a new spot, but for the most part, stayed in a spot waiting for that meal to swim by.

 

[EnbyNewbie]

At the face value of what you said in the OP, the LSN could be just a bit traumatized by tank mates. Were its fins bitten or bitten off or the body scratched or bitten? That's what pacu could do.

If you have plenty of cover and the fish feeds with gusto, you have nothing to worry about, I'd say. With size and age it will become calmer and bolder, and if you work on it, even interactive, even hand feeding, touching your hand with barbels, etc. Plus one month may likely be not long enough to adjust.

A couple times when I'd go to the lfs, his tail would be ripped a bit, and he's even scared of guppies, so he probably is a bit traumatized. He runs away from my hand if I even put it near him, but I'll try and keep interacting with him!! Thank you!! I hope he is just still adjusting and will come out of his shell eventually

 

[EnbyNewbie]

Limas's are lurkers by nature. Sit motionless till dinner swims close enough. Mine was never very "active".
View attachment 1457747View attachment 1457748View attachment 1457749
There are times he would swim about to find a new spot, but for the most part, stayed in a spot waiting for that meal to swim by.

Yeah, I know limas are generally pretty stationary, i did a lot of research before taking him home, but he tucks his barbels in flat to his face and sometimes he just sits on the bottom rather than hover and fan his whiskers out like all the other pics I've seen, so I figured he was unhappy. Very cute lima btw, they look much happier than mine!!