Severum? Too large for 55 gallon?

[Lady Hobbs]

The more I read about severums, the more interested I become with this fish. I would like one tank that has a show fish but read Severums get 8 inches.

Do you think a 55 gallon is too small for one? I was thinking between the tank being only 12" wide and this fish growing to 8" he will not have enough room.

[Glasstapper]

Personally, I think a severum would be fine in the 55. There's plenty of room to swim back and forth, and plenty of room to turn around. I say go for it. I know you've been looking at them for a while, and I have no doubt that you'll be able to care for it very well.

[Lady Hobbs]

Thanks Glasstapper. I sure will miss you when you're gone! You won't want to even talk about fish since you'll be missing yours, I'm afraid.

I will have to think of some little guys I can put with a severum as the tank will sure look bare until he decides to grow some. I may put my Silver Dollars with him since they don't get along with plants, either. Their growth seems to have stopped at about 4 inches which is a far cry from the 8 inches I read about on the web. They are a year old and should have reached maturity by now, wouldn't you think?

[Glasstapper]

Oh, I'll ALWAYS want to talk about fish! They are my passion!

A year old and only 4 inches? Maybe it's possible that they are done growing. I know with some fish they slow down their growth at about a year and gain an inch or two per year after that. Not sure if silver dollars are like that, though. I hope yours get to that impressive 8 inches, though.

I've heard that severums are the more "peaceful" cichlids, so I would imagine most quick schooling fish would be compatible. I know I just love the tiger barbs, so I'll always reccommend them for cichlid dithers. They're not at all shy and have a lot of personality.

Have you thought about another cichlid? The festivums seem to often be with severums because of the similar aggression. They usually get to be about 4 to 6 inches full grown, but I hear they can also be a little shy. There's always the option of getting a severum of the opposite gender to see how they color up for each other and show off for each other.

[Glasstapper]

oh, and the blue acara is a peaceful cichlid reacing about 6 inches. Those are so pretty.

[Lady Hobbs]

I was also thinking of those until I read this on-line:

From: Joyce (joycedonley@yahoo.com)
Date: 07/17/2001
http://badmanstropicalfish.com/clear25.gifFestivum are large 8" Cichlids and can be territorial . Contrary to popular belief they do not always get along with angels. They will eat any pond snails in your tank. I suggest keeping in at least a 40 gallon as they can be a bit rowdy like Oscars and tend to knock heaters and equipment around if kept in too small of a tank. They really interact with their owners and have lots of personality.

Just above that post it was written they grow to 4-5 inches as you stated.
I somehow think this was a fluke tho as everywhere they are stated at much smaller.

That's for the suggestion. This sounds like a winner to me. :)

[Lady Hobbs]

oh, and the blue acara is a peaceful cichlid reacing about 6 inches. Those are so pretty.

I saw those too! They are very pretty indeed.

[Glasstapper]

I was also thinking of those until I read this on-line:

From: Joyce (joycedonley@yahoo.com)
Date: 07/17/2001
http://badmanstropicalfish.com/clear25.gifFestivum are large 8" Cichlids and can be territorial . Contrary to popular belief they do not always get along with angels. They will eat any pond snails in your tank. I suggest keeping in at least a 40 gallon as they can be a bit rowdy like Oscars and tend to knock heaters and equipment around if kept in too small of a tank. They really interact with their owners and have lots of personality.

Just above that post it was written they grow to 4-5 inches as you stated.
I somehow think this was a fluke tho as everywhere they are stated at much smaller.

That's for the suggestion. This sounds like a winner to me. :)

Perhaps joyce was thinking of the festae? That's what it sounds like she's describing to me. I've never heard of a festivum behaving anything remotely like an oscar before, but those festaes are something else.

[Abbeys_Mom]

I have had festivum and they are great, so long as you don't have two males. I had them in with fairly aggressive cichlids and they held their own. Mine only got 5-6 inches and they were in a 55g. I had them for a few years, so I don't think they get much better then that.

[Lady Hobbs]

Thanks ! I don't feel like going thru all the dominance and mating deal anyway so would most likely try to get same sex myself.

[Severus]

A severum would definitely be fine in a 55. This is weird because i have been looking at them as well. At my LFS they have a few VERY little guys that i would love to have. They are about the size of a silver dollar! (coin).

[Lady Hobbs]

It's really a good thing I haven't had the money for another tank before this as I have changed my mind 20 times as to what I wanted to stock it with. First it was peacocks, then Labs, then dwarfs. sheesh However, a Severum was nearly a first choice from way back when I decided to have a cichlid tank. Will stick with my first choice!

I also thought of having a couple Blood Parrots with them. That one is still on the iffy side.

[Glasstapper]

I've never kept blood parrots, so I don't really know, but I've heard they can be pretty mean. Has anyone else heard anything on their behavior?

[Nautilus291]

Hey hobbs just to let you know I had festivums with my severum and he would chase them around all day, so watch out. although mine seems to be more aggressive then what people say, he leaves my ebjd though.

[Severus]

I have heard blood parrots can be a real toss up. Some are little terrors while others just kind of chill out. I guess its their messed up genetics.

[Lady Hobbs]

It's that the case in all cichlids? LOL I love it when you read about a fish and it tells how docile and sweet it is and someone buys one and it's a holy terror.

[Abbeys_Mom]

I think it is a Jeckle Hyde thing. If they are the only fish in the tank, they are sweet as pie. If they are the largest fish, they pick on the smaller guys and if they are the smallest, they are cowed.

[Nautilus291]

Its all about the other fishes personalities for me. If the fish are timid they pick on them and if they are even a little bit aggressive they leave them alone. except for my ebjd, they are really timid and the severum doesnt touch them.

I have a firemouth that is bigger than the severum and the severum still chases the firemouth around. but when I had my less than 1 inch gb rams in the tank he would leave them alone. they owned the tank.

[Severus]

It's that the case in all cichlids? LOL I love it when you read about a fish and it tells how docile and sweet it is and someone buys one and it's a holy terror.

That is true, when it comes to Cichlids you really cant go off of peoples past experiences with a certain fish. I think that is why i love Cichlids so much! lol

[reddevil6]

a 55G is to small for sevs,sevs get to about a 30cm long in all of cases an my friends. a 350-400 litre min

[cocoa_pleco]

This thread is a month and a half old!