i got me a nice small severum to stay with my small Os, hoping they'll grow together and be tank mates 1 day.
how fast do Severums grow? (optimum and minimum rates)
how fast do Severums grow? (optimum and minimum rates)
severum question
- Thread starter goldfries
- Start date
I've had/have 3 Severums. In my experience they grow slow to 3 inches. Then they have a spurt from 3 to 6 inches. After that they slow down again as the reach their final size of 8 or 9 inches.
It's hard to pinpoint an absolute timeline, but I grew my Gold Severum from 1" to 4" in about one year, then after another six months it reached 6". It topped out at about 7.5" after two and a half years.
Just keep up with water changes, and feed them a high protein diet. Use quality pellets as a staple. Severums grow to be thick, tall bodied fish, so they look a lot bigger than the length would imply. They are also tougher than they look, so you should have no problems keeping a smaller Severum with a bigger Oscar, as long as it can't fit in it's mouth.
It's hard to pinpoint an absolute timeline, but I grew my Gold Severum from 1" to 4" in about one year, then after another six months it reached 6". It topped out at about 7.5" after two and a half years.
Just keep up with water changes, and feed them a high protein diet. Use quality pellets as a staple. Severums grow to be thick, tall bodied fish, so they look a lot bigger than the length would imply. They are also tougher than they look, so you should have no problems keeping a smaller Severum with a bigger Oscar, as long as it can't fit in it's mouth.
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I got a Green severum that's been making life HELL for my Oscar. Both are around 6 " with the Oscar looks a little bigger. They'll locked mouths and then bang Oscar's getting pinned on the walls, floor, driftwood, allover the place.
NickH is pretty right on about their growth spurt, although my sevs went from 1-3" in about 6 months and then they had a growth spurt to about 7"(at about 1 yr.) and now theyre about 7 1/2" growing very slowly. I also have a 7" Oscar and they all seem alright together, but the Oscar has been growing quick, so I expect him to be larger than the sevs pretty soon.
Slightly off topic, but since I have some severum people around I'll ask.
I have a breeding pair it seems. they like to scare everybody off and make a patch of gold colored eggs on a rock in the tank. Can this rock be removed to a hatching and grow out tank? The parents them seem to slowly snack on the eggs is why I ask.
I have a breeding pair it seems. they like to scare everybody off and make a patch of gold colored eggs on a rock in the tank. Can this rock be removed to a hatching and grow out tank? The parents them seem to slowly snack on the eggs is why I ask.
Are you sure it's the severums that are eating the eggs? I would suspect it is the other fish you have in the tank that pick them off while the light is off. What else do you have in there? I know I had trouble with my pleco eating the eggs at night. I would remove the other fish before they spawn again, if you intend on successful breeding.
If the severums are eating the eggs, it could be that they are eliminating the ones that did not fertilize. The unfertilized eggs are a different color than the rest.
You should notice that they take turns in their duties: one will fan the eggs and circulate water around them, while the other fish runs "perimeter defense." They also give each other eating breaks. Severums (and cichlids overall) are usually good parents, which is why I would be shocked to hear they would destroy something they put so much effort into.
If the severums are eating the eggs, it could be that they are eliminating the ones that did not fertilize. The unfertilized eggs are a different color than the rest.
You should notice that they take turns in their duties: one will fan the eggs and circulate water around them, while the other fish runs "perimeter defense." They also give each other eating breaks. Severums (and cichlids overall) are usually good parents, which is why I would be shocked to hear they would destroy something they put so much effort into.
There is a pleco in the tank. I suppose I will find an alternate home for him and give them another chance, I'd love to see them actually get some to maturation.
It's a 55 gallon long tank, I might also just put a divider in.
It's a 55 gallon long tank, I might also just put a divider in.