The Best Cichlid to Keep? Severum Profile and Care Guide

Hey everyone, it’s Pierre, and welcome back to the channel! Today’s fish profile and care guide video is about one of the most popular cichlids in the hobby - the severum.

Severums are several species of South American cichlids from the genus Heros which have similar shapes, sizes and care requirements. They are widely available and fairly affordable since they are commercially farmed.
Probably the most important aspect of severum care is that they can grow fairly large. They can reach an impressive size of 8 to 12 inches or 20 to 30 cm in total length. They are also deep-bodied and fairly tall for a fish, so it’s important to house them in an appropriate-sized tank. I recommend 55 gallons for a single fish and 75 gallons for a pair or trio. Bigger is always better when it comes to cichlids! Make sure the tank has plenty of open swimming space, but also areas for them to feel secure. They can live 10-15 years with good care.

Severums are fairly hardy fish. They thrive and even breed in standard tropical aquarium conditions. Aim for Temperature 75-82°F (24-28°C) and pH: 5.8 -7.2. Anywhere between 4-12 dGH of hardness will be fine. In truth, as with most farmed aquarium fish, they will adapt quite easily to your water. That being said, since they are large fish, they will need large water changes to keep up with their waste production. I usually do an 80-90% water change when the nitrates hit 40 to 80.

For aquascaping, think natural! Provide plenty of driftwood, smooth rocks, and fake plants. A sand substrate is good since they will sometimes sift for food on the bottom. They may dig up live plants and so fake plants work best or even some sturdy live plants like Anubias or Java Fern tied to decor.
Put enough structure in the tank to break up lines of sight and provide hiding spots. Severums are generally peaceful for cichlids, but they can be territorial. Good companions include other similarly sized, peaceful cichlids like Angelfish or Keyhole Cichlids, larger tetras, plecos, and robust catfishes. Avoid anything too small or too aggressive although in my experience, they can hold their own in a tank with much larger and more boisterous fish. Oscars are a great tankmate but again, make sure your tank is big enough.

Feeding your Severum is pretty straightforward since they are omnivores and are not fussy at all. A high-quality cichlid pellet should form the base of their diet. Supplement this with frozen foods like brine shrimp, bloodworms, and mysis shrimp. They eat fruits in the wild, and will appreciate vegetable matter, so offer them blanched peas or algae wafers as well.

Severums are fairly resistant to disease as long as water quality is good. I always recommend quarantining any new fish you buy before putting them in your main tank.

You can get severums in a variety of different colors and patterns as well. I personally have kept Heros notatus, efasciatus and liberifer species. Whichever one you wind up with, you will definitely get a large growing fish with lots of personality and a fairly peaceful temperament for a cichlid.

So that’s it for today’s video! With the right care, Severums will be a joy to watch for many years. They’re fairly affordable and easy to care for too!
If you found this video helpful, please hit that like button, subscribe for more content, and let me know in the comments if you keep Severums or are thinking about getting some!

Thanks for watching, and happy fish keeping!

#cichlid #severum #fishtank