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Are there crrently any members who have long-term experience in keeping sorubim lima? I have recently bought a juvenile just a little over a week ago and could definatly use any tips or advice that anyone might know. Thanks, a concerned Shovelnose Cat owner

According to the catelog, there are 22 other keepers of , many of them are regular forum posters so am sure there will be some help along soon. In the mean time, if you have any specific concerns, then please post them up here so we can start helping.
HTH
Martin

These can get to a foot plus (SL) easily enough in captivity so a big tank is called for. although by nature they are predators like their larger kin the red tails & tiger shovelnose they can be kept very successfully with fish large enough not to be considered a meal - silver dollars, large barbs, etc & they are also good to keep in groups. Like other shovelnoses they can be skittish & can travel great distance at speed (hence a big tank). In captivity they'll eat mussels, cockles, prawn as adults & bloodworm, small earthworms whilst young, some dried food is also eaten by some individuals but "meaty" foods are best.

What are you keeping him/her with at the moment? What size is the tank?

A slightly acidic or neutral pH is required, in a large tank with plenty of swimming space but a few areas of concealment such as branches, for them to thrive. Obviously predatory fish produce large volumes of waste so enhanced water change regimes are required.

I am currently keeping him in a 10 gal. tank which i intend on replacing with a much larger one in the near future but that isnt my concern right now. My main concern right now is in feeding. I have only had him since the 20th and he hasnt eaten but I have been told not to worry yet. I am currently keeping him with a Rineloricaria eigenmanni and several local minnows who inhabited the tank for nearly a year before the lima was introduced. The minnows have repopulated since and ther are quite a few small fry in there who are not very quick and would make good live food but he doesnt seem interested yet. The water is neutral (7) and I do a near 35% water change every few days until I get the larger tank. He has some artificial plant where stays during the day but comes out at night and just stays still mostly. Once i seen it take a snap at a minnow but missed and have seen nothing since.

When you say juvenile, how big/small are we talking? 10 gallons is extremely small for a lima, so would suggest getting the bigger tank sooner rather than later. Ensure when you move him up to the new tank it's all cycled otherwise you risk causing further problems.
Not feeding for a week is OK, even more so when larger (fasting is part of life for the larger pimeloids), but am surprised he hasn't taken a minnow yet. I'd suggest not getting him onto live food at all if you can help it, but if you are concerned, as Richard suggests, try some small earthworms, or pick up some live river shrimp from your LFS and see if either of these get him intertested. If feeding worms, try dropping one in front of him when lights are out and see if it gets taken. Ensure that it doesn't get ignored and remove it if not eaten the next morning (or earlier if you are worried).
HTH
Martin

He is currently about 6 inches long. I will try some ghost shrimp tonight and see how he does...

That's probably going to push a filter normally combined with a 10g tank pretty close to it's limit. Large pims will produce quite sudden doses of ammonia, so the fish may not feel particularly hungry.

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Mats

When I first got mine I fed them frozen bloodworms for the first few months as this was the only thing they would take, i then moved onto frozen lance fish and then moved them onto Tetra Doromin sticks, they do take a while to settle in and would only take the food when the lights were off from dusk onwards. They do appreciate some cover as well to lurk in. Now they come to the front of the tank at any time of the day when I pass and wait for food and are at the surface where they know the food will be dropped in when I lift the lid. It took them a good while to become this trusting. One thing I have noticed is if my pH unexpectedly crashes they do suffer from it and quite rapidly too. I always look at their barbels and if they have them clenched back against their bodies I start checking things out straight away.

Thanks for the help, I really appreciate all the help and advice you all are giving. I will keep the ammonia problem in my mind. I already do regular 35% water changes every other day and replace the filter weekly or bi-weekly. It will probably be a month or so before I get th 55 Gal. Is there any other advice you may have before then? Thanks

boucher84 wrote:and replace the filter weekly or bi-weekly

Which parts do you replace? This would be destroying your bioligical filter if that is what you mean.

I am for the time bein using a carbon filled filter which when I get the new tank will be using a bio-wheel.

oh oh you have a nitrate/nitrite/ammonia problem.
I have kept these for years, they are definitely one of my favorite fish.
Like has already been mentioned they do not react well to nitrate/nitrite/ammonia.
They should be kept in at least threes but two is better than one.
If it's not eating the minnows then something is really wrong.
Having kept lots of pims in my life these are only second to Red tailed cats for greedyness.
Mine have, and still do eat anything that moves and anything that isn't moving and smells nice.
Flake food water fleas, blood worms, carnivore sticks, prawns, shrimps, earth worms, insects, fish.....
If they are being kept correctly they will snap at anything.
They are happy in current or still water, try and have some overhanging branches to see him act more naturally, they like to rest among them vertically and snap at things that go past.
When you say a carbon filter which you replace, what exactly do you mean.
Can someone put a link to the basic fishkeeping section on this thread for this person please, otherwise I think that this lima is going to die quite soon.
Keep up your water changes and stop changing the filter weekly.
Good luck I hope it all goes well for you these fish have a really good personality.

I think Matt is referring to this:
http://www.planetcatfish.com/shanesworl ... cle_id=126

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Mats

Correct, nice one Mats

Matt

What does a clear coating coming off of the cat mean?

Sometimes these fish yak up their stomach lining, this appears to happen whatever state of health they are in and it gets caught round about them.
Do not worry about this, but keep an eye on them to make sure it is this process. Your fish will look like it is having a fit, it is quite disconcerting the first time you see it.
Matt

I began daily 35% water changes yesterday morning and noticed an impovement in activity last night. He now seems slighty interested in the minnows but nothing yet. Will try live ghost shrimp tonight. If there is more improvement will start water changes twice a day. Also going to talk to LFS owner as I was ill-informed about the lima. I have found this site to be very valuable.

Added two neon tetra yesterday which were devoured as soon as the lights went out!!! I am so happy!!! Also removed rock substrate and added sand. My whiptail seems to like it better also.

Minnows continue to disppear at night but stays hidden during the day. Will he become more active?

Quite likely that it will be more active. It may take some time tho'.

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Mats

Boy, when they eat, they really gorge themselves...lol

LOL he has eaten all 12 other inhabitants in the tank! woo-hoo!

Here are some pic I though you might enjoy.

You might want to rethink the tank ornaments - if they are pieces of dead coral and shells, this will raise the hardness of the tank and the ph, neither of which are suitable for your fish. Is the sand coral, or just white coloured sand? To get the best from your fish, you will want some large, tall plants, bogwood, with a sand base and the water should be soft with a ph between 6 and 7 i.e. acidic.
It may be feeding, but IMO will not do well long term if you keep it in it's current environment.
Martin

Thanks for the advice, i'll remove the coral, The sand is just sand and the other side of the tank is full of plants which is where he usually stays but I leave that end open as it seems to be where he prefers to catch the other fish.

You might want to think about some background too, it will help the inhabitants feel more secure.
I'd suggest you should really try and get him off live food as soon as possible - leave it too long and it will be harder to wean onto dead food.
HTH
Martin

What would be the best method to try?

Leave it without food for quite some time [at the very least, it should have a "flat" tummy, rather than it's current "beer-belly". Then try to get it to eat for example prawns/shrimp or other tasty "dead" food. Eventually, it will learn to eat food that is not moving. It will take some time, but larger pimelodids will go without food for some days in the wild after eating a good meal.

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Mats

Thanks for the advice. I will try this after all the feeders are gone. thank you

Just an update to let those who contributed advice know that the little bugger is doing quite well now, having acquired a vorocious appetite. He has found him a favorite hiding spot where just his nose sticks out and he waits for a fish to not pay attention and swim in front of him. Bad Mistake....lol. Hes very fast, I put 8 small minnows in and they were in there most of the day. I turned the lights out and came back 30 minutes later and they were all gone. Anyways thanks everybody!!!