Severum Diet

[Faythee]

I have a Severum nearly fully grown and do not know his history. He does not care for cucumber or lettuce. This is strange since he likes to tug on the fake plants ! I did get him to eat peas at first....now he won't. The only thing he likes I found so far is community flake and sun dried baby shrimp or dried brine. He doesn't care for the cichlid pellets. I know they need vegetables in their diet. Any suggestions ? I have seen flake with spirulina but it says for algae eaters.

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

I have a Severum nearly fully grown and do not know his history. He does not care for cucumber or lettuce. This is strange since he likes to tug on the fake plants ! I did get him to eat peas at first....now he won't. The only thing he likes I found so far is community flake and sun dried baby shrimp or dried brine. He doesn't care for the cichlid pellets. I know they need vegetables in their diet. Any suggestions ? I have seen flake with spirulina but it says for algae eaters.

Spirulina flake should be fine. It is a pretty good color enhancer! Try to get some aquatic plants for him! If he is taking the fake ones he shouldn't have a problem with real ones! These guys are omnivours, so make sure he gets lots of food other then vegetable matter!

 

[Mr._Fishy]

If you can get it on a good quality cichlid pellet or flake, that would make your life easy. Depending on which one you chose, you might want to supplement his diet with vegetable matter or some meaty foods.

Any pics?

 

[jayjay]

These guys are omnivours, so make sure he gets lots of food other then vegetable matter!

They may be omnivores but the main part of their diet is vegetable matter. I wouldn't provide "lots" of meaty foods, some yes, but not a lot.

I would try to get him onto a decent cichlid pellet, Hikari are my preference. Don't feed him for a few days and try a few pellets.

 

[Tobigara]

you can also get spirulina enhanced frozen food. my sev go nuts for them

 

[Faythee]

What plants do you recommend I put in there for him that he would like ? Only concern I have with the plants is getting snails

This is probably a stupid question but you are to thaw the frozen foods first right ? I used to throw frozen cubes in for my Danios and Gouramis and let them pick it off. Luckily it never caused any harm.

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

What plants do you recommend I put in there for him that he would like ? Only concern I have with the plants is getting snails

This is probably a stupid question but you are to thaw the frozen foods first right ? I used to throw frozen cubes in for my Danios and Gouramis and let them pick it off. Luckily it never caused any harm.

I would try getting the real version of the plants he is chewing on at the moment, try Cabomba too, he shouldn't mind that. If you have a fear of snails just rinse the plants thoroughly before putting them into the tank, this should get rid of the eggs, make sure you remove any visible snails! Personally, I don't thaw my frozen food unless I am mixing it with something else (pellets the fish don't like.) I have always done it this way and never had any problems....

 

[Faythee]

They are fake plants and I don't know what they are LOL ! So basically any plant meant for the fish tank is safe to eat ???

I bought cubes of frozen brine enhanced with spirulina today. He tried one bite, made funny moves with his mouth and let the others gobble it up. What a weird fish. Fed him some flake and he gobbled it up. I am thinking the previous owner only fed flake.

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

They are fake plants and I don't know what they are LOL ! So basically any plant meant for the fish tank is safe to eat ???

I bought cubes of frozen brine enhanced with spirulina today. He tried one bite, made funny moves with his mouth and let the others gobble it up. What a weird fish. Fed him some flake and he gobbled it up. I am thinking the previous owner only fed flake.

It could be. You can try weaning him onto different foods. Try mixing pellets with flake at a ratio of 4:1, then slowly increase the amount of pellet till' he is eating them without any flake. You can try this with other foods too! As for plants, any should be fine. Try some Cabomba as said, or if he is picking on broad leaf plants you can try some amazon sword or crypt.