shovel nose catfish

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flower1982

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 1, 2005
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How big of a tank does a shovel nosed catfish need? The reason I ask is because we got one in at work and I was curious to know how big of a tank it's going to need. I know they get big. They get about a foot and a half right? I wanna try and make sure he goes to someone who has a large tank.
Is it peaceful? I'm guessing it's going to need 150 to 200 gallon tank? But since I don't know i'm asking you guys lol. I don't have much experience with monster fish.....since I don't have any lol. Right now he's about 2 and a half inches to 3 inches long.
 
this should really be in the catfish forum. but anywho i assume u'r talking about the lima scorbim (lima shovelnose). they do reach upwards of 20' on occassion. they aren't the most active of fish but do need their swimming room. i'd say a 180g is the smallest they could truely be happy in. be careful though they are pretty sensitive to their water parameters and changes in them. they are pretty peacful and love to hide vertically in tall plants although they will eat any fish they can swollow whole (my 12"er swollowed 3-3" knight gobies without batting an eye). great fish to keep though. good luck with them
 
Well in all honesty they can get from 2 and a half feet to 4 feet long. This guy i talked to before keeps his in a 2000 gallon tank. Thats probably over doing it but just know that they can get huge. they probably wont get 4 feet long but you should probably plan for that just incase. I had one that tripled in size from 3 inches in just a few months. I had to give him up because he ate everything in my tank and was growing to fast. If you have the space though they are really cool fish.
 
Yeah it's a Sorubim Lima. I'll make sure to tell people who are intrested in him that he needs a 200 gallon tank and that he will eat smaller fish. So they get about 2 feet to 4 feet long? I don't really know why someone ordered this catfish. I don't know many people around here who would have a large enough tank for it. Hoping that who ever takes him can provide him with a large enough tank. He looks cool though.
 
i think u'r getting the lima confused witht the size of the tiger shovelnose. limas definitely don't get 4' ever. check out planetcatfish.com that should help you a lot
 
What species? Limas max out just over 20", P. mucosus (one spot shovelnose) only get about 8" but you never see them for sale.
 
8" is a good size for an aquarium fish...why dont you see them for sale?
 
nothing less than a 500 gallon unless you want to kill your fish.

I am building a 1500 gallon just for 2 of these amazing fish.
 
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