1" rule isn't reliable, more of a guide line. None of those fish would reach their max size in a year, but if you don't think you'll ever upgrade i agree they wouldn't be very happy. Your stock list sounds fine, just so you know rams only live about 2 years max, and make sure the severums start small and should be gravy. I'd still personally be comfortable adding another fish or two, but that's me.
75 gallon severum tank stocking
- Thread starter Mythic Figment
- Start date
Excellent. Thank you very much for all the help. I am definitely looking for all of my fish to start off relatively small (hopefully all around the 2-3" mark so they grow up together and there is plenty of room to grow). I definitely want to move up to something along the 150g range in the next 2-3 years. I might add another 6-7" fish in there that will live for a while so the severums have someone else to grow up and live with for a long time. I know the rams don't live super long, but they are great looking little fish IMO who add even more character to my design with tons of character as it is. LOL
And with that, I now know how to decorate my tank. LOL I will go ahead and keep that driftwood for the loaches and plecos, add a bunch of plants so the little rams and even the bigger guys have space to hide out so no one is super stressed, and also a few more cave-like areas for the loaches. This is going to be an awesome tank! I'm so excited! Now I just have to find all the fish. LOL
If you're going to add plants, I'd make it fake ones. Adult severums will usually eat plants, and if not, they'll probably still mess with them.
You'll also want to keep in mind that severum behavior varies as with any cichlid, so the personality of each is up to the individual fish. I've kept Bolivian rams with severums and they do well most of the time. However, I have had severums attack rams in the past. You'll have to keep your eye on them.
My red severum is huge and I'd guess a 75 gallon may get cramped for two of them. The good thing is that mine was slow-growing and the male didn't make it to his maximum size for about 2 years. After a year they were still only 6 - 7" long.
You'll also want to keep in mind that severum behavior varies as with any cichlid, so the personality of each is up to the individual fish. I've kept Bolivian rams with severums and they do well most of the time. However, I have had severums attack rams in the past. You'll have to keep your eye on them.
My red severum is huge and I'd guess a 75 gallon may get cramped for two of them. The good thing is that mine was slow-growing and the male didn't make it to his maximum size for about 2 years. After a year they were still only 6 - 7" long.
Sounds good. I was contemplating live or fake plants since I've heard that some severums eat or tear up live ones.
I will keep an eye on the rams and if it becomes and issue, I can dig out my old 20 long from the garage, which I am thinking about setting up anyways since I will not likely be adding everyone at once and I will need somewhere to quarantine.
I definitely plan on upgrading, but it might be a year or two before I can gather the money and resources I need to get it. At least starting everyone out small will give me time to get the upgrade.
I will keep an eye on the rams and if it becomes and issue, I can dig out my old 20 long from the garage, which I am thinking about setting up anyways since I will not likely be adding everyone at once and I will need somewhere to quarantine.
I definitely plan on upgrading, but it might be a year or two before I can gather the money and resources I need to get it. At least starting everyone out small will give me time to get the upgrade.
So I have been thinking about the rams. I read they breed and having small breeders in the tank could create aggressive larger fish because they want to eat the young and when the rams move to protect their young, the larger fish just attack them instead. Is this fairly true? If so, I would like to have a schooling fish that will get along with severums that won't breed. Any ideas?
If you are interested in bichirs you can get the most common (senegalas). They do grow to about 16 inches at max( if wild caught which it is really rare to get wild caught ones). But if you buy them from a pet store chances are that they won't get past 12. Males usually don't get past 10. and even if yours does it will take about 2-3 years for it to get to 10 inches. they grow about 1 inch or so when they are young and when they hit about 5 inches they start to get about .5 inches then .25 inches. And since you are talking about going small at first so they can grow i would get about a 4-5 inch one. It may seem like it will eat any of the others but not only does it have poor eye sight it literally has to run into the food to eat it. So if your rams or the smaller fish get eaten they were most likely in responsive the the first bite. But in my opinion bichirs are an awesome way to go I have a senegalas that when i put my face to the tank he'll swim up to it lol. They have an awesome personality!!!!
I do like the looks of the bichir. But I've decided I like the loaches better and I don't want to have a crowded bottom level, though I may get 1 bichir if the bottom doesn't look crowded. Unfortunately the loaches will start out small. I have been to the LFS I want to buy my fish from and looked at all they have to offer. The yoyos they have start off around 2 inches, so a 4-5 inch bichir might be tempted to eat someone. Fortunately the loaches should grow fast and once they are 4 inches (since they max out at 6-7 inches) I can judge whether the bottom will be too packed. If not, they I definitely intend to get one. =)
My issue right now is finding out if having breeding rams would create aggressive severums who attack all the other fish because the fry spur them to eat live food/fish. If so, I would like some ideas on some top/middle swimmers that will do well with severums, don't breed, and can range in size from 3-8 inches. The issue I seem to be having with finding something is that all the cichlids I find beautiful either grow too large, have to be in large schools my tank won't support, and/or are too aggressive. I either want 5-6 small 3-4" schoolers or 2-3 medium 6-8" swimmers. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
My issue right now is finding out if having breeding rams would create aggressive severums who attack all the other fish because the fry spur them to eat live food/fish. If so, I would like some ideas on some top/middle swimmers that will do well with severums, don't breed, and can range in size from 3-8 inches. The issue I seem to be having with finding something is that all the cichlids I find beautiful either grow too large, have to be in large schools my tank won't support, and/or are too aggressive. I either want 5-6 small 3-4" schoolers or 2-3 medium 6-8" swimmers. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
And the 2-3 medium 6-8" swimmers don't have to be same species. I am open to have a few solo fish.
I personally haven't owned a severum but i plan to get one some time in the near future. But i am going to have a couple of parrot cichlids with mine. and one of the 3 will be a flowerhorn parrot cichlid. If you search them they are nice. Nice like the mom colorful like the dad. So it's a win win. lol but for one that will school i would say tiger barbs but they some times like to nip. and for the 6-8 inch swimmers i have a red-tail shark that pleases they eye. He also cleans up the scrapes. as well as cleans my rocks and my glass it's almost like he's half pleco lol. But i would get 2 or so if i were you.