Any Advice?

[kevbc03]

I was looking on Aquascape and was thinking about ordering a few super red severums. Anyone have any experience with these?

Max size? Temperament? Diet? Breeding info?

Aquascape says they do better in schools..true?

Tank space shouldn't be a problem, I have a 110gal and a 120gal open.

Any input would help before I decide to purchase.

 

[ryansmith83]

Max size would be 8 - 10". They are just like any other severum. Temperament and personality will vary from fish to fish, but they're usually pretty mellow. They will go through a period around 2 - 4" where they really give each other a hard time with chasing and bullying, but if you buy them all at once and raise them together they should be fairly tolerant of each other. If you want more than one, get at least four. IME if you only keep two or three, you tend to see more bullying and harassment.

Severums eat anything. A good, staple pellet is fine. They also enjoy frozen and freeze-dried treats now and then. Mine will eat Romaine lettuce and pick at other greens that I offer to my plecos. They will also strip plants of leaves and roots in most cases, so don't plan to keep them in a planted tank.

Breeding isn't going be an issue, most likely. It's rare to find super reds that will spawn, and if they do they are rarely fertile. You may still have some pair bonding once they get old enough, though.

 

[kevbc03]

Thanks for the info

Would 4 be okay in a 120gal or should I look into something else?

 

[ryansmith83]

What's the footprint? Multiple adults would probably be best in a 6' tank considering they're large, bulky fish. This is especially true if they pair up because pairs can get pretty aggressive and territorial.

Having said that, it takes them 18 - 24 months to reach that size, so you would probably be fine for a while. You could always reduce the numbers or change things up down the road if necessary.

 

[kevbc03]

120 gal = 48x24x24

110 gal = 48x18x30

I think I'm just going to go with another choice. I'm not going to get a fish if I can't house it properly for life.

I appreciate the help man.