Lima Shovelnose Catfish

South American Lima Shovelnose Catfish or Duckbill Catfish
Sorubim Lima

Common Names: Lima Shovelnose, Duckbill Catfish, Duck-beak catfish, Common Shovelnose catfish, Shovelnose catfish, Hockey Stick Catfish,

syn: Platystoma lima, Platystoma luceri, Silurus lima, Sorubim latirostris
Spatelwels

Here is an oddball active catfish many aquarists will be able to enjoy and love! The Lima Shovelnose is from South American catfish with a nice body shape that resembles a hockey stick of sorts and they grow to a decent manageable size. These can live in your large community aquarium. Definitely consider stocking the Lima Shovelnose catfish!

Native to: All over the Amazon, found in Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Orinoco, and more.
Max Size: Full Grown Lima shovelnose will grow to 12-18’’ in the aquarium. In the wild, some can reach 20″.
Temp: 74 – 86F
Ph: 6.0 – 7.9

These fish have been collected from both open and flowing sections of rivers & tributaries and quieter habitats such as floodplain lakes and oxbows but mostly inhabit cloudy turbid white water rivers. Juveniles often form aggregations around thickets of grasses and reeds or among submerged woody structures such as tree roots.

Full Grown Size: Lima shovel noses have a size range of 12-18’’ in the aquarium hobby. In the wild, some can reach 20’’ but the average size in the aquarium hobby is anywhere from 12-18’’. They are more manageable than the Tiger Shovel nose which can reach several feet.

Tank Size: 125 to the 220-gallon aquarium would be perfect for 2 – 4

Lima Shovel nose catfish are nocturnal which means they are the most active at night. You will need to provide your Lima Shovel Nose with plenty of hiding spaces in order for it to feel secure. You can use driftwood as caves, rock formations as caves, and lots of plants! It will help reduce stress.

Diet: Like all South American catfish the Lima shovelnose catfish are easy to feed! They will eat everything you offer generally. These are carnivorous fish which means they love meat. We recommend that you provide a diet that will consist of freeze-dried shrimp, and bloodworms, try chopped-up pieces of fish such as Cod and Flounder and incorporate earthworms into their diet as it provides a lot of nutrition for them. Pellet foods that are high in protein may also be used, but not all Lima shovelnose catfish will accept pellets initially. But, once established in the aquarium they will accept pretty much anything. Have fun!