Severum

Scientific Name(s): Heros severus

Common Name(s): Severum, Banded cichlid

Origin: Northern areas of South America and the Amazon basin

Family: Cichlidae

Species Type: New world South American cichlid

Maximum Size: 9 in/23 cm

Life Span: 10+ years

Natural Habitat: Lakes and rivers of the amazon basin.

Diet: Frozen and prepared foods including cichlid pellets, flake, worms, shrimp, etc... Not a fussy eater. Severum can also benefit from some blanched fresh vegetables as part of their regular diet. Some options include zucchini, skinned peas, green beans, romaine lettuce, etc…

Temperature: 73-77°/ 23°-25°C

pH: 6.0-6.5

Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons

Tank Region: all

Temperament: The severum is a fairly peaceful fish compared to other cichlids. They can be aggressive when spawning and will often times test their mate to determine whether they are a suitable match.

Possible Tank Mates: Severums should be housed with similarly-sized semi-aggressive cichlids such as oscars, firemouths, convicts, etc… Take care to keep a close eye on tankmates because depending on individual fish temperament there may be aggression issues and fish may need to be rehomed. Armored catfish such as plecos can be a good bottom feeder and are good at cleaning up after the messy severum. Dither fish can be helpful in a severum tank such as larger tetras, danios and rainbows. The dithers tend to help diminish aggression and bring the fish out from hiding.

Filtration and Setup: Good filtration is essential as they can be messy eaters. A water turnover rate of 8 to 10 times per hour is recommended. Smaller gravel or sandy base with driftwood and rocks is preferred. Severums will tend to eat live vegetation so well secured fake plants may be used in lieu of live plants. Hiding places are appreciated.

Coloration: Severums are typically seen in three color variations which are green, gold and turquoise. Pelvic and anal fins tend to take on an orange-copper color. Vertical banding is noticeable across the entire body. Juveniles tend to show several darker bands which may fade as the fish attains adult size. At adult size often times only the one band closest to the caudal fin is visible. However during spawning several bands may become visible. Male severums will often times have longer extensions on the anal and dorsal fins which will extend beyond the end of the caudal fin. However, some females will also have the extended fins in my experience. Typically the best way to determine sex on an adult severum is by markings on the operculum (gill cover). The male will have several noticeable markings on the operculum and the female usually lacks these. Males also will be noticeably larger than females of similar age and are broader than the female between the pelvic fins.

Breeding: Having a male and a female severum will not always guarantee a breeding pair. As previously stated the male will usually test the female to see if she is a suitable mate. Testing of the female can be harmful for the female and she may need to be removed and reintroduced at a later time. Once a pair is formed the fish will be very prolific breeders. Signs of spawning include darkening of the pairs colors, lip locking and waving of tails and shimmying. The female will also usually be bloated with eggs. The female will lay her eggs on a clean, hard, flat surface often times a rock or clay pot. They will spawn on a horizontal or vertical surface which the male and female will usually clean off with their mouths prior to spawning. The female will lay her eggs in a row and the male will follow close behind and fertilize the eggs. Once the eggs are fertilized one of the parents, typically the female, will fan the eggs to make sure they are getting proper water circulation around the eggs. Any unfertilized eggs will turn an opaque white color while the fertilized eggs are usually translucent. The female will often times eat any unfertilized eggs. After approximately 5 to 7 days the eggs will hatch out and become “wigglers”. The fry are not free swimming at this point and will live off the nutrients in their egg sacks. In another 5 to 7 days the fry will become free swimming and will then need to be fed. Baby brine shrimp or crushed (powdered) flake should be offered 3 to 4 times a day minimum. The parents will be very protective of the brood and can be aggressive towards other inhabitants. A single spawning pair should be kept in a minimum of a 75 gallon tank.