Are 'Red Head Severums' Rotkeils?

**GS1981** · 08-01-2012, 04:03 PM

I bought 5 'Red head Severums' from a local 'know nothing' LFS today, they look like generic small natural coloured severums at the mo, yellow anal fin, black and grey pattern, few spots.

None have facial markings yet, they are about 1"

Anyway, are these going to grow into Rotkeil Severums or are they something different again? i have had Rotkeils before, i bought them from the net, but never seen them in a lfs before, in one of the other lfs's i have seen 'Orange Shoulder Severums - Heros Appendiculatus' which look nothing like Rotkeils but have an orange shoulder and are much bigger adult sizes.

Anyway, any idea? its pointless me putting up a pic because they just look like small green Severums but with darker stress bars and a yellow anal fin instead of orangey red.

He has 8 vertical bars, i noticed Greens normally have 9

**Demjor19** · 08-01-2012, 05:50 PM

Yes...Rotkiels are the same as Red Headed Severums.

I have raised a group of 1" Rotkiels that i bought off the web and they looked like normal Greens as well. I would say give them time and see what they grow into. Our LFS gets them in from time to time.

**GS1981** · 08-01-2012, 06:10 PM

Originally Posted by Demjor19

Yes...Rotkiels are the same as Red Headed Severums.

I have raised a group of 1" Rotkiels that i bought off the web and they looked like normal Greens as well. I would say give them time and see what they grow into. Our LFS gets them in from time to time.

Hi thanks for the response.

Problem is there seems to be 3 types that are similar.

1. "the best one, and the one that i want" Heros Sp. Rotkeil (aka Red Shoulder Severum) which is non existant in my part of England and the last 10 i had a few years ago were bought of the web, not locally....they grow to about 8" and a yellow or red anal fin.

2. Orange Shoulder Severum, usually labelled as 'Heros Appendiculatus' they grow to about 12", have a orange neck and a normal green severums body and a red anal fin.

3. Heros Sp. Rotkeil x Heros Efaciatus hybrid, my friend has these, thye grow to about 12" and are much duller than a true Rotkeil.

I'm hoping i have number 1! any more info would be great :)

**Marshal** · 08-06-2012, 08:01 PM

Got these Red Streak Severums at LFS when they were about 1inch, now their are 3-4 inches and have been in my tank 3 months. Your picture looks like a green Sev to me.

I think the LFS sold me Gold Severums for Red however. What do you think?
P1011343.JPG

**skullduggery1** · 08-07-2012, 03:54 PM

The red color could brighten up,if you feed some blood parrot color enhancing food.

**Lady Hobbs** · 08-07-2012, 04:01 PM

What about the Red Shoulder severums? Same as the Red Head? I haven't seen Orange Shoulder.

**skullduggery1** · 08-07-2012, 08:38 PM

They should be the same,but there are many "hybrid" severums colors out there.

**MCHRKiller** · 08-07-2012, 09:13 PM

It will take Rotkeils until they are around 4" to color up. Much of this depends on the gender and genetics of the fish. My own wild caught male Rotkeil didn't develop facial markings until over 6". They do look like common greens for the most part until they progress into the more "teenage" months. I wouldn't look for them to be fully colored until the fish are around 1.5 years old.

Here is my male now...bit over 8" and about 2.5 years old:

Same fish when I got them at, it was around 1.5"

**Northerly** · 08-08-2012, 06:52 PM

+1 to the above, however, all the greens i've ever seen dont have those spots on the bottom of their sides. From my experience, they only have the bar on the back. Also, the rotkeil have a bit more of a brownish reddish hue at younger ages. Although, i've spent hours and hours starting at these fish as they are my favorites, so to someone less obsessed than me they probably look exactly the same.

btw, MCHR, that is a BEAUTIFUL severum. may i ask where you purchased it and for how much?

**MCHRKiller** · 08-08-2012, 07:29 PM

There are subtle differences between greens and rotkeils in the juvie stages...I also think Rots have more prominent yellow/orange coloring to the anal fin where greens have more of a brownish red hue. However for most people and on casual glance...they look pretty much the same.

I purchased the fish from Jeff Rapps(tangledupincichlids.com). I think I paid somewhere around $15 each for the Rotkeils.