Severum pair question

[TwistedPenguin]

The Severum pair is are getting ready to spawn in the Oscar's 250 g tank. It's the Oscar's tank & she/he's the dominant fish so I doubt the Sevs are very happy with the situation. I *just put the male Sev in there a week ago, that didn't take long :-/ Is a 55 gal big enough for a Severum pair? (She's 4" w/tail", he's 6" w/tail). I don't want the female getting beat up because the male wants to breed & the tank's too small-are Severum males mean like Convicts to the females? If he's going to beat her up if they have their own tank I'll just leave them in the 250 gal tank with the Oscar. The male's not being mean to her now, she's the one shaking herself at him wanting to spawn. Hussy.
Does anyone have a Severum pair where the male doesn't beat the female up? I won't do the 'divider' thing.

 

[Cichlaholics Anonymous]

you will problably not need to go all out with the divider if they stay in the main tank, but you can definitely set them up in the 55 too, but keep the eggcrate around just in case

 

[TwistedPenguin]

Hmm...well I'm pretty positive the female Sev won't get beat up by the male in the Oscar's tank because the male Sev is too busy staying out of the Oscar's way....it might be a toss-up. They either have to breed under stress in the dominant Oscar's tank or my little female gets harrassed. I was hoping there was an easy answer lol But there's not, is there?

 

[Bobears]

I've had both situations. One where the male beat the female and the other where the female kinda boots the male out. But in either situation it has never gotten to the point where I needed any type of divider. Oh, and yes, a 55 is great for sev pairs, a set of mine are there now.

 

[Lupin]

My gold sevs spawned before. Female suffered only slight fin damage after they tried to fight. They're not as aggressive as other cichlids would be but that's my experience.

 

[craig_uk]

My Sevs spawned many times in their old 55.

My Male has a temper, so a divider was needed some times (usually after a big change in the tank)

Sevs make crap parents though so if you want the fry, move the parents back to the 250 gal (...lucky bugger)

If not, then keep the sevs in the 55 gal. (i used to be against a pair in a 55, but im running it myself for the moment, and everything seems hunk dorey as long as your not tempted by tank mates.)

Remember, keep up on the frozen and live foods, your females going to need all the protein to produce a big clutch of eggs.

Best of luck.
Craggy

 

[TwistedPenguin]

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate the input. I have no interest in keeping the fry. I know a 55 gal is techinically enough big for a pair, but the way things have worked out for these 2 Sevs neither has ever lived in anything smaller than a 125 gal so I'm not so sure either would share a 4'x1' space. I'm undecided after hearing split experiences. I guess I could always try it. It's ought to be fun catching those fast little buggers in an 8' tank. It's Sunday, I need the excitement lol