Severum advice

[Mike_G]

I bought a 35 gallon tank for my wife. After I set it up she was disappointed with the size of fish that will go in a 35. Stocked it last week with a few very small guppies and platys to start with, and we'll continue to fill it out as the tank matures.

The positive side of all this is that she's fine with me putting a larger tank down in the basement. I'm going to pick up a 75 gallon soon. I kept fish when I was a kid, but we always stayed away from cichlids because of their size and aggressiveness. While searching stocking options for the 75 I came across the Severum...wow! Both of us love its looks and the way it swims in the tank. Temperament wise, it seems like the labrador retriever of the cichlid world. It's big enough to take care of itself, but by most accounts it's docile enough that I can at least try to throw in a shoal of tetras and bottom feeders without the Severum decimating the tank's population. Of course I understand that like some aggressive labs, there are probably a few Severums that can get nasty, but the odds seem pretty good that it will be a good pet and tank mate. I plan on getting a single Severum with a couple of smaller plecos and a school of 10 or so Columbian Tetras.

I'm going to leave the aquascape design to the Mrs, but we're going to stick to trying anubias and java ferns for vegetation along with some driftwood and rocks for the smaller fish. Are any other plants even worth trying with the Severum? I understand they're pretty tough on vegetation, and I'll move to plastic if I have to, but I'd at least like to give live plants a shot.

As far as buying the fish itself, I'd like to start out with a juvenile. I saw a 6" (approximate) Severum in a really tough neighborhood tank at an LFS...he was in a 125 with a Jack Dempsey, Texas, Red Devil, and a few large Silver Dollars. Kind of felt bad for him, but I'm not crazy about starting with a fish that big and trying to work the other small fish into the tank around him. I think it would probably be best with a smaller one and let him get acclimated to the relatively speaking little guys. Are there any advantages or disadvantages to starting with a juvenile compared to a more mature Severum? Would a school of larger tetras bully a small Severum?

I also saw a couple of juvenile golds at a Petco (which had a very nice healthy looking bunch of fish compared to the local Petsmart and even a LFS)...are Severums ok to buy at big retailers, or will I be better off getting one from elsewhere? I know that there are risks with buying some types of fish at the big stores, but I'm not sure if the Severum is in this category as well.

Finally a filtration question. I've done some reading and will probably go with a double Fluval 406 or Aquaclear 110 set up. Is there any thing else I'd need to put in the tank to keep a clean and healthy environment?

Thanks!

 

[mrrobxc]

Nothing is more fun than planning a new tank.

I would recommend that you run more than one filter. On my 75, I use an aquaclear 110 with two extra sponge filters. I used to run two aquaclear 110's but shut one down. A fluval 406 is a great filter. I owned one but gave it to a friend. You can go with both the 110 and the 406 but save your money. 110's are the best filter for the buck.

As far as severums, I'd recommend you keep the rotkiels (red shoulder severums). They stay smaller with males maxing at 8 inches. The notatus and the common "green" severums can get large and will make the 75 a cramped place to be.

You can mix in a small school of Cory Cats on the bottom and get a small shoal of a deeper bodied tetra. Colombian Tetras, Serpaes, black or red phantom tetras, lemon tetras, and pristella tetras all come to mind.

Add one or two Bushynose Plecos to round it out and you're complete.

 

[mrrobxc]

Most stores can order the rotkiel severums for you. Get a small group and let them pair off. Keep the pair, sell the rest. Once they pair, they will harass the unpaired fish. My pair ripped apart it's kin in a lightly stocked 225 to give you an idea.

 

[Mike_G]

Nothing is more fun than planning a new tank.

I would recommend that you run more than one filter. On my 75, I use an aquaclear 110 with two extra sponge filters. I used to run two aquaclear 110's but shut one down. A fluval 406 is a great filter. I owned one but gave it to a friend. You can go with both the 110 and the 406 but save your money. 110's are the best filter for the buck.

As far as severums, I'd recommend you keep the rotkiels (red shoulder severums). They stay smaller with males maxing at 8 inches. The notatus and the common "green" severums can get large and will make the 75 a cramped place to be.

You can mix in a small school of Cory Cats on the bottom and get a small shoal of a deeper bodied tetra. Colombian Tetras, Serpaes, black or red phantom tetras, lemon tetras, and pristella tetras all come to mind.

Add one or two Bushynose Plecos to round it out and you're complete.

A pair of Aquaclears is definitely easier on the wallet. Since the tank will be down in my basement, any extra noise won't be a problem for me.

The rotkiels look pretty cool. I'll keep those in mind especially with the 8" max size. I don't want to overstock or overload the tank, and I'm not interested in breeding them.

Serpaes and corys? I really like them both. My only concerns with both were their size, but if they're big enough, both are at the top of my list for tank mates.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Rsc89]

Not a fan of the 406. I have a 405 and 406 that came with a 150 gallon I purchased used. Seems like im always rebuilding them or they are extremely loud. Rebuild kits add up over time, not worth it in my opinion. AC 110 is a awesome filter for the $.

 

[mrrobxc]

A pair of Aquaclears is definitely easier on the wallet. Since the tank will be down in my basement, any extra noise won't be a problem for me.

The rotkiels look pretty cool. I'll keep those in mind especially with the 8" max size. I don't want to overstock or overload the tank, and I'm not interested in breeding them.

Serpaes and corys? I really like them both. My only concerns with both were their size, but if they're big enough, both are at the top of my list for tank mates.

Thanks for the advice.

The Serpaes and cories will be fine with the rotkiels.

 

[Buphy]

Seems I'm a little late, but I agree with most of what was said. Really pick what species of severum you want. Advantage of just getting one big, you know what it'll look like. Disadvantage is cost and you loss out on the fun of them growing up. Honestly corys and deep bodied tetras will be fine, especially if you start with juvie severums.

As for the AC 110, go for it! Great filters and with a bed bath and beyond coupon that regularly gets emailed out you can get one for about $65. I do always recommend running a sponge filter though so you can easily move to a sick tank at any point.

 

[tlindsey]

I bought a 35 gallon tank for my wife. After I set it up she was disappointed with the size of fish that will go in a 35. Stocked it last week with a few very small guppies and platys to start with, and we'll continue to fill it out as the tank matures.

The positive side of all this is that she's fine with me putting a larger tank down in the basement. I'm going to pick up a 75 gallon soon. I kept fish when I was a kid, but we always stayed away from cichlids because of their size and aggressiveness. While searching stocking options for the 75 I came across the Severum...wow! Both of us love its looks and the way it swims in the tank. Temperament wise, it seems like the labrador retriever of the cichlid world. It's big enough to take care of itself, but by most accounts it's docile enough that I can at least try to throw in a shoal of tetras and bottom feeders without the Severum decimating the tank's population. Of course I understand that like some aggressive labs, there are probably a few Severums that can get nasty, but the odds seem pretty good that it will be a good pet and tank mate. I plan on getting a single Severum with a couple of smaller plecos and a school of 10 or so Columbian Tetras.

I'm going to leave the aquascape design to the Mrs, but we're going to stick to trying anubias and java ferns for vegetation along with some driftwood and rocks for the smaller fish. Are any other plants even worth trying with the Severum? I understand they're pretty tough on vegetation, and I'll move to plastic if I have to, but I'd at least like to give live plants a shot.

As far as buying the fish itself, I'd like to start out with a juvenile. I saw a 6" (approximate) Severum in a really tough neighborhood tank at an LFS...he was in a 125 with a Jack Dempsey, Texas, Red Devil, and a few large Silver Dollars. Kind of felt bad for him, but I'm not crazy about starting with a fish that big and trying to work the other small fish into the tank around him. I think it would probably be best with a smaller one and let him get acclimated to the relatively speaking little guys. Are there any advantages or disadvantages to starting with a juvenile compared to a more mature Severum? Would a school of larger tetras bully a small Severum?

I also saw a couple of juvenile golds at a Petco (which had a very nice healthy looking bunch of fish compared to the local Petsmart and even a LFS)...are Severums ok to buy at big retailers, or will I be better off getting one from elsewhere? I know that there are risks with buying some types of fish at the big stores, but I'm not sure if the Severum is in this category as well.

Finally a filtration question. I've done some reading and will probably go with a double Fluval 406 or Aquaclear 110 set up. Is there any thing else I'd need to put in the tank to keep a clean and healthy environment?

Thanks!

Mike welcome to MFK I personally like growing out juvenile fish because it gives me satisfaction when they mature from my care with good foods and wc's lol.

 

[jonclark96]

Be weary with tetras and severums, in my opinion. I have a pair of liberifer that went through a school of 20 von rio tetras (admittedly, they are on the smaller side of tetras, but not much different than serpaes or lemons) in about 2 weeks. They were an expensive snack.

 

[mrrobxc]

Liberifers are much larger than rotkiels for what it's worth. Don't be discouraged.