Golden Severum

Distribution:
   The Golden Severum is a captive bred color-morph of the Severum, also called the Banded Cichlid. The Severum was described by Heckel in 1840. They are from South American rivers such as the Orinoco River basin and draining in Colombia and Venezuela, as well as the Amazon River basin and the upper Negro River basin. They eat plants, algae, zooplankton, insects and detritus.
   Common names or different spellings these fish are known by are the Convict Fish, Deacon, Sedate Cichlid, Hero, and Striped Cichlid.

Status:
   There are no wild populations of this variety. The wild Severum is not listed on the IUCN Red List.

Description:
   The Severum, like the Discus, is a high-bodied and laterally compressed fish. The background color is green with the belly being tinted a more yellowish gold. There are eight black vertical bands along the sides in juveniles and younger specimens which become less distinct in the adult. These bands gave rise to their common name 'Banded Cichlid'. They have an interesting 'stance' giving them the seeming appearance of always looking up. Several colors have been produced by tank breeding such as brown, green, gold, and turquoise.
  The Golden Severum is a captive bred color morph of the Severum or Banded Cichlid. They have the deep oval shaped body but it is pale yellow in color. Their anal, pelvic and pectoral fins are all yellow, while the tail and dorsal fin tend to be a white with yellow specks. Their eyes are yellow as well.
   All cichlids share a common feature that some saltwater fish such as wrasses and parrotfish have and that is a well-developed pharyngeal set of teeth that are in the throat, along with their regular teeth. Cichlids have spiny rays in the back parts of the anal, dorsal, pectoral, and pelvic fins to help discourage predators. The front part of these fins are soft and perfect for precise positions and effortless movements in the water as opposed to fast swimming.
   Cichlids have one nostril on each side while other fish have 2 sets. To sense “smells” in the water, they suck water in and expel the water right back out after being “sampled” for a short or longer time, depending on how much the cichlid needs to “smell” the water. This feature is shared by saltwater damselfish and cichlids are thought to be closely related.

Size - Weight:
   The Golden Severum grows to a length of 7” (20 cm).

Care and feeding:
   The Golden Severum is an omnivore that likes pellets or stick foods for large cichlids. They can be fed green peas (which is a favorite), or zucchini that you have blanched. Earthworms, bloodworms, mealworms, and marine crustaceans are also enjoyed. Do not feed beef heart or liver as these items are very hard for the Severum to digest and can lead to illness. Feed 2 to 5 small pinches of food a day in smaller amounts instead of a large quantity once a day. This will keep the water quality higher over a longer time. A one day a week fast is also beneficial. All fish benefit from vitamins and supplements added to their foods.
   A 45 gallon tank is recommended for a single specimen with 100 gallons suggested if keeping a breeding pair. The larger aquarium will help to calm aggression. They do fine in either freshwater or brackish freshwater but prefer slow to moderate moving water along with good efficient filtration. Softer water is preferred and have a lid, as they will jump if scared. Provide a decor that will allow a 'natural' division in territories. Include rocks along with pieces of sunken driftwood, the wood will help to raise the pH. They do enjoy a densely planted aquarium. Floating plants are a preferred “hang out” place for these fish. Plants in the substrate will need to be anchored down since they do tend to dig. If using live plants try Anubias or Cryptocoryne, but you can use plastic plants if live plants are not desired. This type of decor will allow a 'natural' division in territories and will also be used as spawning media. They prefer low to moderate lighting.
   Do water changes of 10% to 20% biweekly or weekly, more or less depending on stocking numbers. Keep track of nitrates. Also, oxygen levels must be maintained for best color and health. They are subject to infections as well as other diseases that ail all freshwater fish. One common problem is Ich. It can be treated with the elevation of the tank temperature to 86° F (30° C) for a few days since they can tolerate higher temperatures. They are sensitive to medications, so make sure you do your research. Head and Lateral Line Erosion (HLLE), which use to be called "hole-in-the-head" disease is common with poor water conditions. This looks like cavities or pits on the head and face. It is believed this may be a nutritional deficiency of one or more of: Vitamin C, Vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus. It is thought to be caused by a poor diet or lack of variety, lack of partial water changes, or over filtration with chemical media such as activated carbon.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom:
   These fish will swim in the middle to bottom areas of the aquarium.

Acceptable Water Conditions:
   Hardness: 4 - 6° dH
   Ph: 6.0 - 6.5
   Temp: 74 - 84° F (24 - 29° C)

Social Behaviors:
   The Golden Severum should be kept with other fish of the same size, temperament, and who enjoy the same water conditions. Do not keep with aggressive fish. They can be kept with the Flag Cichlid, Blue Acara and other Aequidens species, the Pearl Cichlid and other eartheaters, large Angelfish, and catfish such as those from the Loricariid and Callichyid genus. They can also be kept with some of the cyprinids such as barbs and sharks, loaches, Silver Dollars, and similar sized gouramis.
   South American cichlids tend to be less aggressive than their african cousins, but space is very important. They can be kept singly or as a mated pair. They will tolerate the same species only in a very large tank, well over 100 gallons to allow several territories to be formed. Having a lot of room will alleviate general aggression and having some very fast and alert dither fish will help with aggression during spawning.

Sexual Differences:
   The female has a dark spot on the dorsal and lacks patterning on her head. The male has more pointed anal and dorsal fins. Mature males that are well fed can develop a nuchal hump.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   The Golden Severum are open breeders and both parents will care for the young. They do not pair up as readily as some, so buy 6 to 8 young (just like the Discus) and let them choose their partners. The sexes can be identified when young, with the absence of marks on the gills and a smaller body size in the females.
   The water must be softer, warmer and acidic for the eggs to develop properly. A total hardness of 50 ppm and pH in the 6’s, along with upper temperatures in the 80’s are the conditions that are best for them to breed. Some have said adding crickets helps them to be conditioned to spawn. The male will darken and intensify his colors when breeding. They will lock lips and tail slap before their spawn.
   A tank with a bare bottom and an air stone works great. Also a heater and lots of water changes are needed for success.They like flat or round rocks and chunks of wood to spawn. The female will lay up to 1,000 oval eggs on roots or stones, depending on her age and size. The male will fertilize them and they will both defend them.
   Once the eggs hatch and they are still in the pre-swimming larval stage, the parents will take them into their mouths. Once they are free swimming the parents will allow them to hunt for foods like freshly hatched brine shrimp, ground flake or pellet food, micro worms, and daphnia. The parents will care for them for up to 6 weeks. Removing the egg clutch after the pair have spawned will result in a larger brood if you are breeding them. See more about cichlid breeding in: Breeding Freshwater Fish.

Buy Golden Severum From LiveAquaria.com

Availability:
   The Golden Severum is readily available online and usually found in fish stores, but can be special ordered if you are willing to wait. Make sure you examine them for defects before purchase. They run about $ $12.00 USD for juveniles.

Author: Carrie McBirney
Additional Information: Clarice Brough, CFS