True severum

Care at a glance

Overview

A pair needs a tank of at least 285 liters at 26 to 30 C and pH 4.5 to 6.5, with soft water. Provide wood, tall plants, and open space in the middle of the tank. Feed pellets, frozen foods, and some vegetable matter. It is mostly peaceful and can share space with other calm South American fish.

In the wild

The true severum lives in blackwater of the upper Orinoco and upper Rio Negro in Venezuela, Colombia, and Brazil. It occupies slow, soft, acidic flooded-forest waters. This is the genuine severum, distinct from the common trade fish. It prefers warm, soft water and a calm setup.

Good to know

Heros severus was described by Heckel in 1840 and reaches about 20 cm, smaller than the common aquarium severum. It is a substrate spawner, not a mouthbrooder, despite years of confusion on the point. The mouthbrooding Orinoco severum was split off as Heros liberifer in 2015.

Did you know

Most of the colorful gold and green severums in shops are actually Heros efasciatus or hybrids, not this true blackwater species.

Related species

• 

  Severum

  Heros efasciatus

  11.8 in (30 cm)65 gal (245 L)72–84°F (22–29°C)

• 

  Spotted Severum

  Heros notatus

  11.8 in (30 cm)58 gal (220 L)72–84°F (22–29°C)

• 

  Blood Parrot Cichlid

  A. citrinellus x V. synspilum

  7.9 in (20 cm)32 gal (120 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)

• 

  Threadfin acara

  Acarichthys heckelii

  7.9 in (20 cm)53 gal (200 L)75–86°F (24–30°C)

• 

  Altum angelfish

  Pterophyllum altum

  7.1 in (18 cm)45 gal (170 L)79–90°F (26–32°C)

• 

  Heckel discus

  Symphysodon discus

  7.1 in (18 cm)75 gal (284 L)82–88°F (28–31°C)