Severum vs Severum how to reduce aggression

AquaticAustin

AquaticAustin

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Sep 29, 2011
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Orlando, Fl (UCF)
So i recently upgraded to a 165g tank, I decided I wanted to go with SA cichlids as the favorite fish I had in my old tank was my severum (which I kept along with my angel and rainbows). My LFS gets trade ins all the time and last visit they had a gold severum just a tad larger than my green severum (they are both 6-7" ish?). First off the green one which I have had since he was a baby harassed the gold one pretty bad, its tail fin showed a little ruffling and just wouldnt leave it alone until it hid. A week passed and the larger gold severum turned the tides and is now chasing my green one seemingly all the time, however all the finnage/body is in perfect condition on both and both still eat so its not actually hurting it just chasing it. With severums is it better to have 3 or more like I know it can be for some fish? Totally open to getting a third, just have to wait to find one of a similar size.

Also the whole food situation, my green severum eats flakes or algae wafers but refuses pellets which I recently got for him because hes a cichlid and getting to be a larger one now and I am sure he needs more than he gets in the flakes. Also the gold one wont eat pellets or flakes but only algae wafers which I am sure isnt much of a balanced diet. Any suggestions?
 
Easiest way to lower aggression is to lower the temperature. A fish which is psychotic at 82F can be a model citizen at 74F. Of course with trops you can't go too low, but mid 70s isn't a problem for most fish, Severums included.
 
In addition to lower temp, a different aquascape sometimes helps. The idea is to give them something different to explore and create their own territories. A third may also help as long as it's the same size or larger.

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As far as food goes....feed them nothing but the pellets until they eat them. When they are hungry enough...they will eat them! It's good to get them eating a variety of foods. More balanced that way.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions! I bought a third slightly larger than both of them so I hope that helps. as far as the pellets all my small fish try to ear them while my big guys don't even act like theres anything up there. Which is better sinking pellets or floating? I have omega one floating cichlid pellets

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Since they seem to like the algae wafers (sinking), I would think they would accept sinking pellets a little more quickly. Don't severums eat a lot of vegetation naturally? Algae wafers might not be a terrible choice. Better to have them all eating a variety though.

I'm curious how the severum and rainbow combination is working out. I have rainbows and tiger barbs in my 125 gal and am hoping to add some red spot gold severums, if I can find them ever.

wren
 
The Severums (largest being full grown and smallest being 6-7") have never chased or shown any aggression to my rainbows. I have 6 Australian rainbows and 6 turquoise rainbows and the turquoise ones are only half grown. I also have them in with dwarf cories and Rosy barbs. From my experience the severums are gentle giants except with eachother it seems lol


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Actually, I wondered if the busy rainbows bothered the calm severums! I wasn't very specific, was I? LOL!

I've had severums before. Quite a few years ago. They were big and slow and mostly calm. Even pretty good with each other (I suspect I had 2 females and they were in a 125 gal). The rainbows can be pretty crazy busy. The tiger barbs too, actually.

I had 7 skunk cories in with the rainbows, tiger barbs and clown loaches. The lived ok, but they sure didn't thrive. I moved them into a tank with RCS and some small tetras and they are out all the time now.

wren
 
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