Severum, the serious looking cichlid.

Here is some basic information on Severums, occasionally mislabeled as Striped Gold, or Banded cichlids. Severums are South American cichlids that prefer mid 70's temperature at a ph of about 6.5, a little more acidic than other cichlids may prefer. Tank set ups can include some plants, but Severums will more than likely eat your plants. Fine Gravel is better than sand and substrate as Severums can/will dig and scatter the substrate clouding the water. Placing larger, thin flat stones will also make the severums more comfortable.

The flat stones will also promote breeding between males and females. The pair will lay there eggs on the flat stone, and like other cichlids are excellent parents. Fry are very active and the parents have a full time job keeping them rounded up. Remove any other fish that in with your severums when breeding occurs. Severums will lock jaws, play tug of war, and start cleaning the flat surface that will they breed on, shortly after these activities breeding will occur.

Severums are excellent parents and will protect their young against anything they see as possibly threats. This does include all other fish in the tank. Remove your other fishes when the severums are going to breed, and watch your hands if you move or clean up any tank decorations.

With out fry Severums are actually pretty calm fish. They may look very serious, with there low set eyes and mouths turned downward, but when introduced into an established tank they are usually pretty standoffish and shy. Once settled they are peaceful, but will swim with their heads turned up as if they are overly proud of something. Severums do make good community fish, if you have the room, full grown they can get over 8 inches.

Severums also have variations, there are albino and golds. Generally common Severums are occasionally labeled green severums, or banded cichlids. Many time males will not show their true colors until they are next to a female they want to impress. They have bands that fade and intensify with mood that run vertically on their bodies, and blue to green coloration with "metallic" squiggles, mainly around the head. When not trying to impress they can, and often appear gray with short dark vertical bars on their stomachs. Gold severums do not have the green and blue coloring, they are white-to gold with gold/yellow metallic squiggles. Most albinos I have seen are lightly colored golds. Severums do have reddish eyes, and they become more red the older they get especially with males.

To tell male and females you can look at several things. Males are larger, and broader, also their eyes are "more" red, the markings are prominent around the face, fin length is not a good indicator of sex on the severum. Females are smaller, and usually much duller in colors, some say they fins are shorter but there is not a consensus on this.

Do not fear about sexing, the male and female can tell each other apart if you can't.

Diets with the severums are mixed, they are omnivores and need some type of plant matter added to the rotation in their diet. Sea kelp, algae wafers, or another similar product can be mixed with cichlid food/pellets or given separately. If you have live plants they may just eat those.