Severum's

[andimav]

Hi guys and gals
I recently got 2 golden severums, they were hoped to be a pair but the owner was not sure if they were going to pair up. Well i had them i a tank with 2 red devils also not suposed to be a pair and a few othe fish.

I moved them to another tank with a few small tank mates as the red devils soon set upon them and the severum have decided to make a sort of nest behind abit of bogwood and under the internal filter.
They have moved all of the substrate and made a bare bottom of well just the glass. I thought maybe they were cleaning up for spawning but well i dont think they are as thery are very placid still and dont "guard" that corner as if to say it was theres.

Any ideas people. Im confused.

 

[vancouver]

It's possible they are thinking about spawning.. are you sure they're male and female?

 

[andimav]

I was told by the shop keeper who i beleive is VERY knowlagble that they are a male and female yes.
He kept them in a tank with a green severum and a few other smaller fish. He was reluctant to get rid of them as he was hoping thery would spawn.
I realy dont know, why else would they clear all the gravel away and clean and sort of stay there but not be possesive of the area.

 

[vancouver]

They could just be digging around.. I have a tank with 3 male cichlids and they do a lot of pointless digging..

you never really know though.. they could be thinking about spawning

 

[diburning]

take pictures and post them. I can tell.

Also, that doesn't seem to be spawning behavior. Severums like to clean out a spot to "sit" on.

 

[andimav]

I will post some pics later today.
Thanks

 

[andimav]

Well people,
Just an update.... I realy did not expect this but .....They were spawning. I have approx 250 eggs and very nearly all ready.
Are sev's good parents or should i seperate them from young or what?

 

[RadaR]

Wow, congrats. Theyre Cichlids so they should be good parents and work together to look after the young.

 

[vancouver]

My severums ate their only 2 spawns.. and haven't spawned since.. eating fry is pretty common with cichlids though.. sometimes it takes them a few spawns to stop doing it, then again in my case they stopped spawning.

If you can, I would separate the parents... put them together and let them spawn in a tank on their own... then when the eggs hatch, remove one of the parents.. That's probably what you will have the best luck with in my opinion.