Hi! New Here! Question: Lima Shovelnose & Oscar Cichlid

[Noesis]

Hello everyone. New here!! First, I want to say that this is a GREAT website!!!
Question: I have a 75g tank housed with an Oscar cichlid. I'm thinking whether it's possible for me to house a lima shovelnose catfish in my current tank (since i think the water parameters are very similar). I noticed that the cat-elog mentions that 3 Lima would do well in 55g tank. Though my oscar is not yet fully grown (still less than 10inches), i know they are well-capable of growing larger than average lima shovelnoses (11.8 inches). Do you think it's ok for me to add one lima to my tank? or will it be too crowded and cause stress to both lima and my oscar? If not, are there any catfish that might suit well in my current tank? Thank you very much.

[MatsP]

Given sufficient hiding spaces and the Lima being large enough that it's not a "snack" to the Oscar, I think it could work.

Oscar's aren't exactly docile, but they aren't the most horrible monsters either, so I don't think it will be too much of a problem that the Oscar is agressive towards the Lima.

As the Lima is a fairly slender fish, make sure you have some hiding space where it can find respite should the Oscar decide that it "doesn't like the company".

N.B. I haven't kept either of the two fish, I'm just reading the same information that you are, and trying to make sense of the situation.

--
Mats

[costatus7]

Hi There

I keep 2 limas with severums and accaras and they do great. I think it will work with the oscar but keep an eye out for agression, although limas are large i wouldnt say there sturdy like some of the other large pims so makesure you create vertical hiding places using lillys. Limas will hide higher in the water collumn than your oscar will swim and liilys create a great haven for the fish.
I would really recomend limas to you as there great active social cats. i really recomend keeping two atleast as they have great behaviour to there own species. good filtartion is required i have a 450ltr my filtration is an internal juwel jumbo with a 1500 pump and two externals eiheim pumps 600 per hour and tetra tec 700 an hour. This said I have spoke too people that keep limas and they have told me there not as hard to keep water quality wise as is widely written, but makesure you running good mature filtaration and you can judge water changes weekly or two weekly. I would advise you have a planted tank limas love plants and it will control your nitrite which is what to watch out for with them.

ben

2 limas
2 wild green severums
2 gold severums
2 blue accara
1 goldie plec
1 para plec
1 peppermint pleco
1 platydoras costatus

[grokefish]

Lima shovelnoses are cool. Watch out for busted noses though.

[Noesis]

thanks for all the suggestions!!