Really want a Severum

[parker313]

Right now I've got kind of a mish mash of fish in my tank from trying to deal with a mystery toxin and trying to find out if it's gone. I am pretty sure that it is. Other than losing the PetSmart angels, the giant danios I got from my lfs are thriving.

If I take back the giant danios and the neons to the lfs, could I keep a sev with my angel (providing I get a juvie sev) and if so, what else would go well with them in a 46g tank? I'd be willing to return the cories if necessary, but would prefer not to.

Thanks

ETA - I'd be willing to THINK about returning my angel if I need to, but would really prefer to keep him.

 

[Fishy411]

All but the Neons should be ok. I have one in My 55 and hes a wimp.

 

[parker313]

I'm not interested in keeping the giant danios. They're nice, but not really what I want in my tank. I got them b/c the lfs said they would be hardy fish - good to check and see if my mystery toxin was gone. They've done their job and can go back now

More than anything I was wondering what other NW Cichlids would go well in there, in place of the giant danios.

 

[Dwarfs]

You can probably keep the sev with an angel, but it depends on the sevs personality (aggressive, well behaved ETC) I would watch the cories, they may become a meal for a full grown severum, which could result in the end for both fish You could probably get a few rainbow cichlids for that tank, they stay reletively small and aren't too aggressive
Rainbow cichlids

 

[parker313]

I should add that my angel has very much the cichlid personality. It's not one of the more complacent, passive angels that I've seen out there before

Thanks Dwarfs, those rainbows are really nice! Unfortunately, my lfs doesn't carry them so I'd have to order them onlines

How about:
1 Angel
1 Severum
2 Kribs
(I'd love to do a blood parrot but am pretty sure it will get too big for a 46g)

Then what smaller fish to "fill out" the tank?

 

[Dwarfs]

I wouldn't trust a sev with kribs, unless you happened to have jumbo kribs available to you
I've heard festivums are pretty well behaved, as with keyehole cichlids. Rainbows don't seem very common

As for fillers, some of the larger australian rainbowfish might look nice

 

[parker313]

OK, no kribs then. I'll run a tentative list past my lfs - they've never steered me wrong before and take fish back if they get too big for my tank.

I'm not doing rainbowfish again. I had BAD luck with them. I got 3 of 3 different species (instead of getting a school of one species). The 6 killed the 3, then my first angelfish. Then, I got 2 juvy sevs (not tiny, but not huge) and darned if one of the sevs didn't start schooling with the rainbows and they all started picking on the other sev! That's when I took the whole lot back and started this mess with the angels.

 

[Ben]

as Dwarfs said, a really good choice is a pair of festivums a pair of keyhole cichlids

HTH

DD

 

[Fishy411]

Yup My festivums and Sevs are really Nice. They will eat veggies out of my Hand. Unfortunately It seems My JD is blind because he likes My hand better than the food.

 

[parker313]

Good ideas! I like the Keyholes a lot!

1 Angel
1 Severum
2 Festivums
2 Keyholes

I'll have to go see what my lfs has - they've got a good selection of African cichlids, but tend to be pretty spotty on the NW other than rams and blood parrots.

 

[digital_run]

Keyholes are a very nice cichlid that works well in a community setting....but they are small and probably wouldnt take much of a beating from a Severum or Angel for that matter...I keep both severums and keyholes and the last time i tried to keep the two together my sev almost killed one of em....But the personality of the fish is usually the deciding factor. HIH

 

[parker313]

I was wondering about that - I'd been reading that they're pretty shy. I've got lots of plant cover and will be getting juvies of whatever I get so we'll see what the lfs has and what they can order for me and I'll go from there.

I'm probably going up there this afternoon...

 

[StarOrbs]

I just got a new severum and he's a lot "cuter" than most. He's still pretty small so he still hides a lot.

 

[parker313]

I just got back from the lfs and apart from having to deal with my extremely squirmy and hyper toddler, it went well.

They expressed concern over most of the NWs being to aggressive for my angel, which I had in the back of my mind too. Specifically, the ones that I really would have wanted, the sev or firemouth. The angel is pretty special to me, having been through a lot and I really don't want to risk him. I would really like a sev, but not at the expense of my angel, fiesty as he may be.

So. For today, I decided on a really GORGEOUS pair (male and female) of kribs. Not NW I know, but at least still a cichlid

For my next trip, I'm contemplating a few clown loaches, a geophagus (the lfs will take it back when it gets too big), or maybe even guppies. They have some really nice guppies with amazing color. The problem there of course, is that the angel would probably make a snack out of those nice colorful tales!

Some of the other fish suggested were pink tailed chalceus, bala sharks (again returned when they get too big) or honey or turquoise gouramies......

Decisions, decisions

 

[parker313]

Update. I decided to go for it and try a Severum. I know the potential for aggression is there so I will be keeping a close eye on him as he gets bigger. He's only 1.75" or so now, smaller than the angel and the kribs. For now, the angel is bossing the kribs around and the angel and kribs are bossing the sev.

I also picked up some serpae tetras. I know they have a rep as fin-nippers, but this angel is not about to let anyone nip on his fins. He's herding them around too, like he does the neons.

Yes, I know the issues that could develop and promise to keep a very close eye out for them!