Care and Breeding of the Severum

Although the Severum needs a large aquarium, it has a gentle disposition and is compatible with many other cichlids from South America.

The Severum is a cichlid from the Amazon Basin in South America and was introduced to North America in the early 1900s. It belongs to the Cichlasoma family and the four species are H. fasciatus, H. spurius, H. notatus, and H. severus.

The common names for the Severum are Banded Cichlid, Heckled Cichlid, and Heros.

Traits of the Severum

The Severum has a round, compressed body with a small mouth and nose. This fish has a steep forehead and a pointed nose. An adult can grow up to 13 inches in length.

There are two predominant colorations of Severum. The green Severum has a dark green body and black stripes, plus an iridescent sheen. The gold Severum is a product of cross breeding the green Severum and has less pronounced stripes. The females are usually smaller than the males and have very faint stripes

The Severum should only be kept with fish the same size and those that are not highly aggressive such as Blue Acaras, Key Hole Cichlids, Dwarf Rams, Angelfish and most catfish.

Freshwater Aquarium Conditions for the Severum

The ideal water conditions should be:

• PH value of 6.5 to 7.5
• DH value of 4 to 7
• Temperature of 70 to 84 degrees Fahrenheit

The minimum aquarium size should be 48 gallons. The young fish grow quickly so using a smaller tank should only be done on a short-term basis. Tank decoration should include rock caves for hiding places and driftwood. If using plants, make sure they are anchored in pots because the Severum will push them around. This fish also has a tendency to nibble on plants if there are insufficient vegetables in its diet.

Because the Severum is a large fish, it will produce a lot of waste. The water needs to be well filtered and 25% water changes done bi-weekly. The Severum is very sensitive to inferior water conditions.

In the wild, the Severum eats algae, fruit, plants and seeds. In the aquarium it will eat flake food, live small food, freeze dried food, white worms, and baby brine shrimp. Vegetables, such as pieces of lettuce or zucchini, can be placed inside the aquarium for the Severum to nibble on.

Breeding the Severum

The best way to find a breeding pair of Severums is to buy a group of small fish and let them pair off on their own. Once a pair is established, the best way to get them to breed is to keep them in a divided tank so they can see each other but not get to each other. Feed them high protein food for two weeks before lifting the divider.

For breeding, the aquarium water should be made softer and more acidic. The water temperature in the aquarium should be raised to the mid 80s. This should encourage the Severum pair to spawn.

As long as the Severum is given a large tank, clean water and passive tank mates of the same size, it will fare well in a freshwater aquarium.