Severums

[Wolfdog]

Id like to try my hand at some "larger" fish. I really like severums and would at least like to have one of these babies.

On the pinned atricle above it suggets only one in a 55gal. Correct or would i be able to go with two?

also... would a Sev. be all good with a bristlenose and some albino cories?

Wolf

 

[Dany]

no a severum is probably not wise to keep with other fish and deffinately not with another in a tank that size. have you ever thought of keeping discus. a bit smaller and you could keep about 5 in that tank. i know it says that they need good water qualitly but maybe there needs are somewhat a bit exagerated now and again as long as you can keep good water and clean the tank every week you should be fine.

 

[Wolfdog]

discus are extremely expensive where i live. Ive just heard too many things about these guys being too delicate and all..

Wolf

 

[Dany]

they are a bit expensive.ever though about snakeheads if you wanted a very cool fish? or some other cichlid like flyer cichlids? the trouble with a severum is that your relly going to be stuck with space and it may be a bit cramped.

 

[kubora666]

i have 2 severums, i got them from very young, now there about 6".
i have a snakehead in an other tank, they are awesome
you could, try a bichir ??
maybe also green terrors?

kubora666.

 

[Dany]

again with the green terror it again would be the only fish in the tank due to its size and attitude as the name suggests. id personaly go with the snakehead. a really cool ferociose fish. if you go with channa guchua you could have quite a few in there and are very preditorious. what are the dimentions of your tank anyways?

 

[Wolfdog]

I dont really care about having anything else in the tank.

If i had two sevs. and say they both got up to 8-10 inches.. isnt there still plenty of room left in the tank?

Just having a hard time understanding why they would be cramped.

Thanx for any info!

also... how long does it take for these guys (sevs) to grow up?

Wolf

umm its standard 55gal. i think 4ft long. 20in high and i think 13in back.

ive never even heard or seen a snake head before...

A friend of mine kept a full grown severum in a 75 bowfront with many community fish. small tetras, cories, and even glass cats.they have been getting along 4 a long time..

Wolf

 

[Dany]

well a sev can reach 12" and probably will so thats only 1" to turn around in. you cant say that theres enough room if you can see empt spaces. the nitrates will be at huge levels so youd have to clean the tank every day even with massive filtration. a bare minimum tank for a fish is: the length must be 5 x the length of your fish. so 12" x 5 = 5ft tank.width of the tank must be 1and a half times as long as the fish. and the height must be 1 and a hlaf times the length of the fish, so as a minimum your looking at a 5ft tank with 18"wide and 18" high. you can keep birchir and snakeheads as they arnt really overly active fish so dont need such a big tank.
dany

 

[freddyk]

You would be absolutely fine with a pair of severums in a 55g as long as you give them the tank. Although they can technically reach 12" they rarely get that big, plus you're giving them the whole tank as the territory so it's not like they have to fight for space. I say if you want a pair of severums and are responsible enough to give them the tank then go for it.

 

[Wolfdog]

ya. i dont really care about having anything else in the tank BUT the sevs. and the bristlenose. Ill see if they get along with the 5 albino cories i have, if not ill move them (cories) over to another tank.

last question...

How long does it take for severums to grow to full size?


i looked at bichir and didnt really like those. what are these "snake heads"?

Wolf

 

[freddyk]

How long does it take for severums to grow to full size

The real answer is all their lives - fish never stop growing. More realistically they take a coupe of years to reach about 8" and the rest of their lives to reach the rest.

Snakeheads are eel-like fish that can be pretty cool but many varieties will far outgrow this tank, reaching as long as three feet, so if you choose this variety be careful.

 

[Wolfdog]

what combo of sevs will i want to get? that is if i can sex them.

Ill get them as small as they come at the LFS so they grow up small togather.

try to get two females???

Thanx!
Wolf

 

[freddyk]

You won't be able to sex them in the store, so it's a good idea to buy a few young ones at first. The best way to keep these fish, or all cichlids for that matter, if you want to see the best of them is in breeding pairs. By raising them as a group a pair will form between one of the males and females, at which point the rest shoulld be removed and the pair given the tank.

 

[Dany]

IMHO i really think that keeping one, let alone 2 severums in a 55. think your tank being 55 gallons of air when theres gravel and any other decorations in the tank it brings the total capacity down. 55 gallons of water being a minimum for 1 sev. 2 will really be overstoking you tank. its not just putting 2 in a tank and letting them live, theyv got to be able to move and swim around. would you like to be in a room with a few inches to turn around again crammed with people?
dany

 

[Dwarfs]

If you have good filtration and keep your tank clean you can overstock. I have a severum, Surinam geo, featherfin syo, three pictus cats, and 4 giant danios in my 55g, and they are all in great health. And it takes a long time for a severum to reach 12" (If it lives that long), so I think that wolfdog would be safe with a pair in his tank for a fairly long amount of time. But if he does have two, the amount of other fish he could have would be greatly reduced. A catfish would probably fit in, as long as you have a very powerful filter(s) and maintain your tank well