Severum Questions

[Etan]

I'm getting ready to restock my 75 and I've decided I would like to have at least one severum. For some reason I always over looked this fish but now I am intrigued.

I would like to have one or possibly two. I would prefer not to have a breeding pair because i would like to have a tank for once that isn't going to turn into the thunderdome.

As far as sevs I can get Rokteil, Red, Super Red, Green and Gold. Is there anything different between any of these other than color?

How do you identify males/females?

As far as other fish I'd like to have in the tank i was leaning towards 3 pictus cats, a small pleco, a school of Buenos Aires Tetras and I would like to have 2-3 other smaller cichlids.

I was thinking perhaps a blue Acara, a Honduran Red Point and maybe a Firemouth.

I know all cichlids have their own personalities but I'm trying to keep the agression pretty low.

Does anyone see any glaring problems or have any other smaller cichlid suggestions to go with 1-2 sevs?

Thanks

 

[neutrino]

2 unpaired sevs (as opposed to 1 or a group or a mated pair) will sometimes work together and sometimes not ime. Mature, good quality rotkeils shouldn't be underrated, beautiful fish, almost electric with the right food and in certain moods. A matter of the eye of the beholder, but I'd take them over golds and reds, which I also like, but I like the rotkeils being a natural morph. The rotkeils tend to stay slightly smaller than other types, not a bad thing in a 4 ft. tank.

Hard to say on the others on your list, looks ok to me, but like you say, it tends to depend on the individual fish. Not sure on the acara and firemouth and severum, in that size tank, ok maybe with the right individuals but not a lot of real estate for them to share. One reliable combination ime is sevs and geos, some of the medium/smaller growing geos would work in a 75. Other combos I've had in a 75 were severum and guianacara, severum and wild angelfish, severum and a green terror and I've seen them with smaller pike cichlid, mesonauta, and small/medium acara to name a few. Also, ime it's not a problem keeping them with decent sized tetras (I'm partial to congos, have also kept them with chalceus).

 

[xraycer]

In regards to sexing, males tends to have markings/worming patterns on face. However, this rule doesn't apply to red sevs.

It really comes down to personal choice in regards to beauty. Most non-fish keepers will be drawn to my red while my personal favorite is my notatus.

Since they are cichlids, there will be a dominance issue, more likely than not. I've had sevs that were total bullies

 

[Rivers2k]

The tank you are talking about describes my tank perfectly and it works out great. I have 2 sevs 1 green and one red spot. I also have a green phantom pleco, 2 platinum HRP, 1 regular HRP. I am also growing out a group of Nics so I can get one nice looking female.

I understand what you mean about breeding I wanted to avoid breeding myself but the last HRP I got turned out to be Female so if she starts getting feisty I will have to remove her.

A few things I want to point out. There are some striking Rotkiels out there but most of the color is in the face but if you look at the fish as a whole I think the body looks drab and grey. But it is all what you want.

I believe the super reds are a gamble. There are some super red adults out there but as juvies it is really hard to tell them apart. My male was pale and had hardly any red when I first got him and not is very brightly colored.

Gender is very hard to tell with the this fish until mature. having a Male and female doesn't mean they will pair. they are much harder to pair than say convicts or fire mouths.

Compatibility. I have found this is a fish by fish bases more so with severums than any other fish. my male hated the other red spot I had in the tank. I got a smaller green and they are fine with each other.

Also be patient I have gotten antsy wanting to add more fish since the sevs grow so slow but I am glad I am waiting it out. This is my favorite tank by far and I don't plan on changing it for years.

 

[neutrino]

A few things I want to point out. There are some striking Rotkiels out there but most of the color is in the face but if you look at the fish as a whole I think the body looks drab and grey. But it is all what you want.

Mine, and I've had a lot of them, have all been much nicer than that description when mature, red extended past the head and into the dorsal area, red/orange along the belly in some moods, electric red/orange fins, green on them easily as nice as a nice green sev, also some blue/turquoise/purple around the face and gills, electric eyes in some moods. But, of course, it doesn't hurt to be picky in selecting one of size or to see the parents of juvies before you buy or else to make sure to get them from a good source.

Also, I'm rarely the one to bring up food and practically never promote a specific brand of food (I do comment when someone brings it up), but ime rotkeils are a fish that love NLS and look better on it than most anything else (NLS is not the only food I like or use). Hands down, food does make a difference with rotkeils.

having a Male and female doesn't mean they will pair.

Compatibility. I have found this is a fish by fish bases

Both true ime.

I haven't found them to be all that slow growing, but that depends what else you compare them to. However, some types do take their time to get full color and rotkeils are one of those ime. They'll look better at two years than one year and may take up to three years to reach their peak.

 

[Rivers2k]

Glad your rotkiels turned out nice. I haven't owned them just going by what I have seen with other users.

I also feed NLS. I hate to swear by a brand name but my fish have done very well on it. I rotate in some other foods as well.

Two to three years to reach peak is slow in my opinion compared to others types of fish. But like I said before it is well worth it. I am impatient when it comes to fish growth.

 

[Etan]

Thanks guys. If I buy Rotkiels I will have to go sight unseen through Rapps. I can only get reds, greens and golds local. I actually am starting to like the greens the most after looking at these guys more.

 

[Rivers2k]

I started the same way. It wasn't until recently until I got into the greens but i really liek mine. They show so much color as adults I cant wait until mine reaches max size.

 

[Snowflake311]

I love the notatus they are amazing. I am a sucker for the Reds they are just so bright. My true love is the basic Green? They are cheap and as they grow they change colors mine looked different as it matured really fun to watch grow. I loved me Severum he was almost 6 years old when I lost him. I am growing out 2 now a red and a green that is deformed he has a missing gill plate.

Right now my little guys are with Angel fish. They are good with most tank mates. My 2 are mellow more my deformed one is a runt and submissive. when picking out my red I made sure not to get the aggressive one. I got the one that kept running away from the mean one. They all have different Personalitys but they also change as they grow and mature.

These are by far my favorite cichlids and I have kept a good amount of different kinds.

 

[Rivers2k]

How big was your 6 year old? I love sevs. I need to get some pics of mine and start one of those Lets see those severums threads. I don't thinks sevs get the love they deserve on this forum.