Help ID Severum

[Kastor48252]

I saw this 1.5 inch lone badly beaten severum in a Malawi tank and bought it immediately, assuming it to be a true Heros severus. LFSs around here usually stock only H.efasciatus, that too mostly golds.
But on close inspection at home, I was surprised to see that the 6th band is partial (Heros severus has a partially formed 7th band). This is a first timer for me.
What is my fish? A Variant, an anomaly, another species or a hybrid?
Sorry for the bad snapshot.

 

[kno4te]

Gourami Swami Stanzzzz7

 

[Kastor48252]

?

 

[Hendre]

?

He tagged people that may know better.

 

[ryansmith83]

I’ve been breeding wild severus for a few years and there is a lot of variation in the bars. It’s supposed to be a half seventh bar but I get half sixth bars, half fifth bars, etc. in the fry. I also get fry that have 8 bars with no half bar at all. Sometimes the fry will be “normal” on one side and have an aberration on the other side.

Heros sp. Inirida also frequently show half bars and are often mislabeled as severus when small. They often get imported together. A lot of people have been burned by paying big money for small severus only to find out later they were Inirida.

Your best bet is to let it grow and heal and see what it turns into. Right now it looks like it’s way behind in growth based on the massive size of the eye in relation to its head.

 

[Kastor48252]

Thanks. I will update it's progress in the future. As for the money it just cost me 1.2$. So no regrets there.