Feeding new H. Severus

[scottts210]

Just picked up this Heros Severus. He's about 5" long and currently in a 75 gallon quarantine tank. Any idea how old he is? Would you feed him once or twice a day at this point?

Thanks.

 

[12 Volt Man]

Beautiful severum. I would think once per day feeding is fine.

 

[scottts210]

Beautiful severum. I would think once per day feeding is fine.

Thanks!

 

[duanes]

Since in nature, severum are primarily vegetarian grazers, feeding a spirulina or algae based pellet would such as as Algaamax would work.
But also providing a leafy green to graze on throught the day could also work.
For my vegetarian cichlids, beside hanging greens on magnets, I allow algae to grow on obejects like wood or rocks.




In nature severum are known to constantly pick at and graze on growth of sunken, waterlogged wood

 

[scottts210]

Since in nature, severum are primarily vegetarian grazers, feeding a spirulina or algae based pellet would such as as Algaamax would work.
But also providing a leafy green to graze on throught the day could also work.
For my vegetarian cichlids, beside hanging greens on manets, I allow algae to grow on obejects like wood or rocks.
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In nature severum are known to consyantly pick at and graze on growth of sunken, waterlogged wood

Thanks! Great info. I'll make sure algae is part of his diet.

 

[Mazan]

My severum loves lettuce and peas too (make sure no pesticides)

 

[scottts210]

Here's an updated picture of my H. Severus. Just moved him into our main South American tank after 4 months in quarantine. I think he or she is looking great.

While alone in quarantine, he was very shy, moving all the sand around to hide himself primarily from me. He's a slow eater, waiting for a few minutes before eating the pellets I feed him. In the main tank feeding is a frenzy. With 5 silver dollars, or as I call them, the marauders, you gotta eat fast or you lose out.

When I put him into the main tank, I watched carefully for aggression between him and the 13" pike. They immediately confronted one another and the severum even entered the pike's cave., but there has been no real aggression, and there's no damage on either fish so far. I also added some new Pothos plants with their roots hanging in the water to suck up more nitrate and create somewhat of a diversion.

The severum hasn't eaten in the big tank yet, but it's only been three days. He's going to have to figure out how to box it out for food like the other fish. Any ideas on what to do if he can't eat with the others? I assume when he gets hungry enough he'll figure it out.

 

[Something Fishy Here]

You might try algae max pellets instead of wafers, i use the algae max regular pellets, and put them in near the filter outflow. This spreads them all over the tank and they're small enough no one can grab them all before everyone can get some.