welp i messed up frontosa with tiger sevrum

[ryansmith83]

My past experience with black water species was bad, and they all came up with HITH. So I am surprised Severum do well this time. I guess keeping plants and doing large WC, 75% weekly, is a game changer.

I am not talking about Heros in general, I am talking about the species Heros severus. You don't have those in your tank from the looks of it. Heros sp. rotkeil and Heros efasciatus (greens, golds, super reds) are fine in higher pH water so long as the water stays clean.

 

[neutrino]

Most Heros are adaptable because they come from a variety of different water types in the wild, but severus are a blackwater-restricted species and the only Heros species that is such (unless sp. Inirida is formally described and shown to be). I’ve been keeping and breeding severus since 2015 and they do not do well in pH over 7 for the long-term. They will start to get HITH usually, unless the water is kept extremely clean with large frequent WC. Hence my initial post about the different water requirements.

Agree. I'm aware of the distinction, though I neglected to mention it in my earlier post and don't know how many generations from wild it remains true with severus. It's good that you bring this up.

 

[tiger15]

The op does not have H. Severus, just another red shoulder Severum named Tiger. So it is adaptable to variable water conditions. He has trouble with compatibility, and I can see why because the Severum is the solo cichlid in the 75. He is the Boss and will not tolerate a second cichlid. But it is OK to introduce several cichlid to diffuse the aggression, except that a 75 is too tight for more than a couple Front size fish.

 

[ryansmith83]

The op does not have H. Severus, just another red shoulder Severum named Tiger. So it is adaptable to variable water conditions. He has trouble with compatibility, and I can see why because the Severum is the solo cichlid in the 75. He is the Boss and will not tolerate a second cichlid. But it is OK to introduce several cichlid to diffuse the aggression, except that a 75 is too tight for more than a couple Front size fish.

The fish in the OP is Heros severus, formerly sp. Curare, formally described in 2016. This is not the same as the rotkeil/redneck severum that you have.

 

[tiger15]

The fish in the OP is Heros severus, formerly sp. Curare, formally described in 2016. This is not the same as the rotkeil/redneck severum that you have.

I bought mine as Red Shoulder Severum, which looks superficially the same as the op H. Severus. I also have the Red Spot Severum. I have no idea of what species they are, but both do surprisingly well in my slightly alkaline water. I know mine are domesticated strain, and the op is wild caught which is one caliber more sensitive.

 

[ryansmith83]

Red shoulder/rotkeil are not the same as H. severus. They both have a red neck and that’s where the similarities end. Very different fish in size, temperament, and requirements.

 

[pred tank]

I am currently keeping a Zaire Tembwe Front with a red spot and red shoulder Severum. The Front is the big boss and ignore the Severum. The two Severum sometimes butt head at each other but do no harm. Front and Severum have similar mild temperament but dissimilar water requirements. Front came from alkaline water, and Severum from soft water, and both do fine in my pH 7.5 water. I had trouble with other soft water SA and am surprised that Severum are adaptable in my mildly hard water.

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ok what should i do i have them blocked off in the same tank but they just stare at one another all day and want to fight?? should i seperate them and then re introduce them??

 

[pred tank]

The op does not have H. Severus, just another red shoulder Severum named Tiger. So it is adaptable to variable water conditions. He has trouble with compatibility, and I can see why because the Severum is the solo cichlid in the 75. He is the Boss and will not tolerate a second cichlid. But it is OK to introduce several cichlid to diffuse the aggression, except that a 75 is too tight for more than a couple Front size fish.

it's a 135 not 75

 

[Zanzag]

Honestly if the severum hates the frontosa you may be SOL on getting them to peacefully cohabitate. Separating has never really worked well for me.

 

[RD.]

ok what should i do

I think what you should do is take some of Ryan's advice that he has most generously offered you regarding the H. severus. Those two species don't belong in the same tank, for reasons already explained. Your LFS gave you some bad advice.