Severum

Heros severus

Animalia›Chordata›Actinopterygii›Cichlidae

📍 Amazon & Orinoco Basins, South America

Large, deep-bodied cichlid with a friendly temperament for its size. Comes in green, gold, and red colour variants. Often bonds strongly with its keeper and will hand-feed.

Size8"

Min Tank55g

semi-aggressive

Zonemid

Care Guide

Diet

Severums are omnivorous and should receive a varied diet of high-quality cichlid pellets, vegetable-based flakes, and regular supplements of frozen foods like bloodworms and brine shrimp. Feed once daily in amounts they can consume in 2-3 minutes. Include blanched vegetables like spinach and zucchini weekly to support their herbivorous tendencies.

Behavior

Severums are intelligent, curious cichlids that often recognize their keepers and may hand-feed with patience. They are semi-aggressive and territorial, especially during breeding, but generally peaceful toward similarly-sized fish. They spend most time in mid-water zones, foraging and exploring, and benefit from environmental enrichment like caves and driftwood.

Breeding

Breeding severums in captivity is moderately difficult and requires a dedicated breeding pair, soft acidic water (pH 5.5-6.5), and temperatures around 26-28°C. Pairs are monogamous and will aggressively defend eggs and fry; remove other fish during breeding. Expect 200-3,000 eggs per spawn, with fry becoming free-swimming in 5-7 days.

Tank Mates

Bristlenose Pleco

Nocturnal algae eater that avoids conflict; helps maintain tank cleanliness without competing for food

good

Cardinal Tetra

Small schooling fish that stay in upper water column; too small to trigger predatory behavior in well-fed severums

good

Rummy Nose Tetra

Peaceful schooling fish that occupy different zones; their small size and speed help them coexist safely

good

Discus

Similar size and water requirements, but both are territorial; only compatible in larger tanks (75+ gallons) with careful monitoring

caution

Common Diseases

Ich (Ichthyophthirius multifiliis)

Symptoms

White spots on body and fins, rapid breathing, flashing against objects, lethargy

Treatment

Raise temperature gradually to 28-30°C, perform 25% water changes daily, use aquarium salt (1 teaspoon per 5 gallons) or commercial ich treatment; continue for 10-14 days

Hole-in-the-Head (HITH)

Symptoms

Small pits or holes developing on head and lateral line, loss of appetite, white stringy feces

Treatment

Improve water quality with frequent changes, enhance diet with quality foods and vitamin supplements, consider activated carbon filtration; may indicate nutritional deficiency or poor water conditions

Fin Rot

Symptoms

Frayed or deteriorating fins, discoloration at fin edges, lethargy

Treatment

Perform 25% water changes every 2-3 days, maintain pristine water quality, use antibacterial treatment if severe; often caused by poor water conditions or injury

Bacterial Infections

Symptoms

Red streaks on body, swollen areas, open sores, cloudy eyes, loss of appetite

Treatment

Isolate affected fish, perform daily 25% water changes, use broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment; maintain optimal water parameters to prevent secondary infections