Severum in a 75 gallon, which of these options would you choose?

[KidMoe]

Hi Everyone, This is my first post here and I am looking to finalize the stocking for my new 75 gallon tank. My water here is soft and so South American fish seem to be most suitable and in particular I'd like for Severum to be the centerpiece of this tank. I've done a lot of research here and elsewhere and I've come up with a few stocking options that I think are reasonable given the tanks size. My intentions for this tank are that it would be a long term home for the fish that I choose as opposed to a growout with thoughts of moving them to a bigger tank down the road. I don't need to stuff as many fish as possible into this tank, I would just like a balanced, fairly peaceful community tank to enjoy for the long term. So far these are some options that I've come up with:

Option 1 -

1 Severum
1 Blue Acara
7 Large Bodied Tetra
7 Cory Cats
1 Bristle Nose Pleco

Option 2 -

2 Severum (Start with 5 and rehome when mated pair forms)
7 Large Bodied Tetra
7 Cory Cats
1 Bristle Nose Pleco

Option 3 -

1 Severum
3 Geo Red Head Tapajos (1m 2f)
7 Large Bodied Tetra
1 Bristle Nose Pleco

Looking for opinions on feasibility for any of these options. Are any of them too many fish or not advisable because of mix, etc? I don't have any interest in breeding or raising fry just looking for a great looking tank based around the severum. Really hope to hear some feedback. Thanks.

 

[ryansmith83]

Your best bet is probably option 3. I don’t advise keeping Heros in pairs because males will often turn on females in small quarters if they want to breed and the females are not receptive.

Personally I would keep more like 5 - 6 Tapajos than 3. Also select a small Heros species like rotkeil versus a larger and/or aggressive species like severus or liberifer.

 

[tlindsey]

Hi Everyone, This is my first post here and I am looking to finalize the stocking for my new 75 gallon tank. My water here is soft and so South American fish seem to be most suitable and in particular I'd like for Severum to be the centerpiece of this tank. I've done a lot of research here and elsewhere and I've come up with a few stocking options that I think are reasonable given the tanks size. My intentions for this tank are that it would be a long term home for the fish that I choose as opposed to a growout with thoughts of moving them to a bigger tank down the road. I don't need to stuff as many fish as possible into this tank, I would just like a balanced, fairly peaceful community tank to enjoy for the long term. So far these are some options that I've come up with:

Option 1 -

1 Severum
1 Blue Acara
7 Large Bodied Tetra
7 Cory Cats
1 Bristle Nose Pleco

Option 2 -

2 Severum (Start with 5 and rehome when mated pair forms)
7 Large Bodied Tetra
7 Cory Cats
1 Bristle Nose Pleco

Option 3 -

1 Severum
3 Geo Red Head Tapajos (1m 2f)
7 Large Bodied Tetra
1 Bristle Nose Pleco

Looking for opinions on feasibility for any of these options. Are any of them too many fish or not advisable because of mix, etc? I don't have any interest in breeding or raising fry just looking for a great looking tank based around the severum. Really hope to hear some feedback. Thanks.

Welcome aboard

 

[neutrino]

All 3 are feasible with these qualifications: Option 1-- assumes the individual severum and acara get along, good chance they would, but not guaranteed, depends on the individual fish, and to some degree the layout of the tank. By force of circumstance I had a wild Heros and wild Aquidens metae in a tank together for some months with no other fish and they were fine, a bit of chasing by the Heros, nothing serious. I once had a gold severum and green terror (A. rivulatus) that were buddies.

Option 2-- a successful pair means dealing with fry; you can't necessarily throw any male and female severum together and get a peaceful pair.

Option 3-- Geos and Heros typically get along well. Geo tapajos are pair breeders-- I used to breed them and typically a second female will be a third wheel and may or may not be harassed by the pair or may itself pester the pair trying to cozy up to the male. A breeding pair of red head geos will typically be quite content in a SA community without other geos or a group of 5 or 6 can work in a 75 gal.

I don't necessarily disagree with Ryan on pair behavior, but I've had rotkeil pairs work in a 75 without any problems and, in fact, knew someone who kept a pair of rotkeil by themselves in a 4 ft 120 with no issues. One of those things where it depends on the pair. Agree with him on Heros severus, liberifer.

 

[KidMoe]

Thanks for the thoughts. I mainly wanted to check in to make sure that none of these options were over the top or reckless. I'm a little surprised since I suspected that option 1 would be what most people would feel is the safest and has the highest chance of success since neither cichlid would be in a breeding situation. Ryan, a single Severum and 5-6 Geos seems to me a lot of fish in a 75 gallon but i know that you are an experienced fishkeeper and know of what you speak. Would love some more feedback.

 

[ryansmith83]

Personally I wouldn’t keep adult Heros in 4’ tanks. But if it must be done, the geos are going to be more friendly than acaras, which can sometimes become intolerant and bossy in small quarters. In most cases they will be okay but you never know what the dynamic between two single cichlids in a 4’ tank will become.

For about six months I’ve had two single fish, a female Heros severus and a male Hypselecara coryphaenoides, in a 6’ 150 gallon by themselves. They’re both 9 - 10” fish. They have been fine and obviously have plenty of room. Then this week I came home to the Heros shredded and hiding. So at any given time a cichlid can just decide it doesn’t want to tolerate its tankmates anymore.

You’re more likely to see this with the belligerent genera like Heros, Aequidens, Andinoacara, etc. It’s rare in red head Geos. And because of the difference in body shape and feeding strategy, the Heros is less likely to view the geos as competition or a threat. My Heros have always ignored geos unless they’re chasing them away from eggs/fry. Otherwise it’s like they’re invisible.

 

[Cichlids+Oddballs]

For option one, are you referring to the Blue Acara or the Electric Blue Acara? If you are referring to the Electric Blue Acara, you might be able to get away with a group of Electric Blue Acara and a group of Geophagus Tapajos, if you ditch the Severum, in a 75 (assuming no breeding)

 

[hey_wood1981]

Rotkeil Severums are awesome. I had kept one with some Geos in a 90 gallon, but separated them as they started to grow, not because of aggression, but their size. Keep in mind Geos do best in groups of 5-8 and the Red Heads average 6”-8” fully grown - although are pretty slow growers. They look amazing when schooling together and sifting through the sand.

I re-homed my group of 7 around the 5”-6” mark as my 4’ 90 gallon just didn’t seem long enough for them. Super active swimmers.

Perhaps do some research and look into a smaller species of Geos? Get the Geos first, and add a small Severum later. Severums have small mouths and generally won’t bother the Geos. That being said, they’re all cichlids. ?

 

[KidMoe]

For option one, are you referring to the Blue Acara or the Electric Blue Acara? If you are referring to the Electric Blue Acara, you might be able to get away with a group of Electric Blue Acara and a group of Geophagus Tapajos, if you ditch the Severum, in a 75 (assuming no breeding)

Either, Though I think I like the regular Blue Acara better. The Severum is the fish that I really want to keep the most and I'd like to try to find a way to make it work in my 75, even if only a single specimen.

 

[Cichlids+Oddballs]

Either, Though I think I like the regular Blue Acara better. The Severum is the fish that I really want to keep the most and I'd like to try to find a way to make it work in my 75, even if only a single specimen.

Severum, 5 Geo Tapajos, 1 BN Pleco?