Spotted severum

Care at a glance

Overview

The spotted severum is a large, calm cichlid for the middle of a roomy tank, mostly peaceful and even a little shy. It is a manageable step up from beginner fish.

Caring for the spotted severum

Give spotted severums a tank of at least 58 gal (220 L), with more space for a group of adults to spread out. Their height and slow, deliberate movement suit a deep tank with tall structure. Use tall plants and tangled wood for a shaded, tea-colored look, which encourages natural behavior.

Keep the water soft and acidic, at 72 to 84°F (22 to 29°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Stain it with tannins from leaf litter and driftwood, and keep the lighting subdued, like its dim forest waters. It can nibble soft plants, so choose tougher species or floating cover. It is largely herbivorous, so feed a vegetable-rich diet of quality pellets, blanched greens and some frozen foods.

Keep it as a pair or in a group with other gentle, medium to large fish. Good tank mates include peaceful cichlids of similar size, large tetras and peaceful catfish. It becomes more territorial when a pair forms and spawns, but outside breeding it is easygoing.

It is a substrate spawner that lays its eggs on a cleaned rock or wood surface. Both parents guard the eggs and fry, and soft, acidic water suits the development of the eggs.

Good to know

The spotted severum is a member of the cichlid family, Cichlidae, with the tall, disc-shaped body typical of the severums. It takes its name from the rows of small dark spots and broken bars on its flanks.

In the wild

The spotted severum comes from the Rio Negro and other blackwater rivers of northern Brazil. It lives among submerged branches, roots and leaf litter in warm, soft, acidic water.

Common questions

Related species

• 

  Inirida severum

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• 

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• 

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• 

  True severum

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• 

  Tailbar cichlid

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• 

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