Notatus can have maroon spots around the face and chest but the ones on the body are black. Here's my wild male.
Severum pics - juvie to adult
- Thread starter magpie
- Start date
Thank Ryan
I have mine at like 4.5" just wondering how much bigger to expect from these guys. And what size should I expect a spawn
It's really more about age than size, given that size varies based on how the fish are raised, etc. Some females will spawn as early as six months old but usually 12 - 18 months is good for severums. I've had small pairs in the past but I try to discourage females from spawning small or they don't seem to finish growing out as well.
I know that the Heros genus is continually evolving but can someone help me with the basics? I am confused.
Is it something like this or am I getting things wrong?
- Heros Efasciatus (gold, turquoise, red spot, etc and Rokteil)
- Heros Notatus (Is Inridae in here or separate?)
- Heros Spurius
- Heros Liberifer (mouth brooder, used to be Severus?)
- Heros Severus ("Curare"?)
Is it something like this or am I getting things wrong?
- Heros Efasciatus (gold, turquoise, red spot, etc and Rokteil)
- Heros Notatus (Is Inridae in here or separate?)
- Heros Spurius
- Heros Liberifer (mouth brooder, used to be Severus?)
- Heros Severus ("Curare"?)
My LFS is Wet Spot. They have these:
Heros efasciatus "Gold Severum"
Heros efasciatus "Green Severum" (TR)
Heros efasciatus "Green Severum" (WC)
Heros liberifer "Eye Spot Severum"
Heros notatus "Spotted Severum" "Guyana"
Heros sp. "Iniridae" "Super Severum" "Colombia"
Heros sp. "Rotkiel" "Red Head Severum" "Peru"
Heros sp. "Super Red Severum"
So... I get the efasciatus, liberifer, and notatus. Separate in the genus, with common names listed next to them.
When you add the "sp." does this mean that it is a color variant of one of the above, so say sp. Inridae is actually a notatus or efasciatus, sp. Rokteil is a efasciatus, sp. Super Red is efasciatus? If that's the case, then why don't they do:
Heros efasciatus sp. "Rotkiel"?
Or is that these are yet unclassified or separate? I am showing my ignorance on how fish are actually named. Most of the time when I am looking at fish it is not this confusing so I don't have to think about it this deeply.
Heros efasciatus "Gold Severum"
Heros efasciatus "Green Severum" (TR)
Heros efasciatus "Green Severum" (WC)
Heros liberifer "Eye Spot Severum"
Heros notatus "Spotted Severum" "Guyana"
Heros sp. "Iniridae" "Super Severum" "Colombia"
Heros sp. "Rotkiel" "Red Head Severum" "Peru"
Heros sp. "Super Red Severum"
So... I get the efasciatus, liberifer, and notatus. Separate in the genus, with common names listed next to them.
When you add the "sp." does this mean that it is a color variant of one of the above, so say sp. Inridae is actually a notatus or efasciatus, sp. Rokteil is a efasciatus, sp. Super Red is efasciatus? If that's the case, then why don't they do:
Heros efasciatus sp. "Rotkiel"?
Or is that these are yet unclassified or separate? I am showing my ignorance on how fish are actually named. Most of the time when I am looking at fish it is not this confusing so I don't have to think about it this deeply.
sp. is short for unspecified, usually it's to note a species that is either not formally described, or in the cases of some sellers, a species that they don't have a proper identification for.
Most tank-bred greens that have been farm-bred for 40+ years are sold under the name Heros efasciatus but in all honesty they are probably mutts that have been interbred. Years ago before the splitting began, severums were all considered the same fish and so breeders probably crossed whatever fish they got their hands on. I'm sure it's why tank-bred fish are so highly variable in terms of size, color, etc. Golds were derived from these tank-bred fish, and super reds are supposedly line-bred golds, though I have my doubts and wonder if some hormoning or something is going on (most of the super reds are sterile, and those that produce fry usually throw gold fry).
There are currently only five valid, distinct species that are formally described:
Heros efasciatus (the greens)
Heros notatus (the black-spotted fish from Brazil/Guyana)
Heros liberifer (the mouthbrooder)
Heros spurius
Heros severus (the red-necked fish with the half seventh bar, from Colombia/Venezuela)
Then you have fish that are currently undescribed, so they take on a name usually of the location where they're found. The exception to that is rotkeil, which is German for "red wedge."
Heros sp. rotkeil
Heros sp. Inirida (the 8-barred, red spotted fish from Rio Inirida)
Heros sp. Tapajos
Heros sp. Santarem
Heros sp. Manaus
The list goes on. Essentially any Heros collected that isn't easily identifiable as one of the described species is given a location name. It will be up to ichthyologists to decide if they warrant their own separate species, or if they're just regional variants of the same fish. Kullander, for instance, grouped the turquoise severums (Heros appendiculatus) into Heros efasciatus, despite clear differences between the two. I don't know that I agree with it but he must have had his reasons.
Most tank-bred greens that have been farm-bred for 40+ years are sold under the name Heros efasciatus but in all honesty they are probably mutts that have been interbred. Years ago before the splitting began, severums were all considered the same fish and so breeders probably crossed whatever fish they got their hands on. I'm sure it's why tank-bred fish are so highly variable in terms of size, color, etc. Golds were derived from these tank-bred fish, and super reds are supposedly line-bred golds, though I have my doubts and wonder if some hormoning or something is going on (most of the super reds are sterile, and those that produce fry usually throw gold fry).
There are currently only five valid, distinct species that are formally described:
Heros efasciatus (the greens)
Heros notatus (the black-spotted fish from Brazil/Guyana)
Heros liberifer (the mouthbrooder)
Heros spurius
Heros severus (the red-necked fish with the half seventh bar, from Colombia/Venezuela)
Then you have fish that are currently undescribed, so they take on a name usually of the location where they're found. The exception to that is rotkeil, which is German for "red wedge."
Heros sp. rotkeil
Heros sp. Inirida (the 8-barred, red spotted fish from Rio Inirida)
Heros sp. Tapajos
Heros sp. Santarem
Heros sp. Manaus
The list goes on. Essentially any Heros collected that isn't easily identifiable as one of the described species is given a location name. It will be up to ichthyologists to decide if they warrant their own separate species, or if they're just regional variants of the same fish. Kullander, for instance, grouped the turquoise severums (Heros appendiculatus) into Heros efasciatus, despite clear differences between the two. I don't know that I agree with it but he must have had his reasons.
