Thats it, I've had it *@$£*& Severum!!

[rvm]

I've done everything recommended to me by people on here and in my LFS, and my bloody severum is still taking chunks out of my Oscar. I've lowered the temp. Separated him to another tank for a couple of days, changed the scenery, then moved him back, and he's still at it!!!
I've separated him again, but I'm getting to the point where I just don't know what to do, and I'm thinking about getting rid of him! I don't want to do that, but if he doesn't settle down soon I'll have no option as he'll just kill everything else in the tank!!

 

[juanveldez]

LOL RVM I just wanted to say welcome to my world.... no onto the problem I am sorry to hear that the sev is still at it. though I sm surprised that he is. but some new worlds just won't conform to how we think they should act, a good example of this is my JD and GT I have to keep them divided perminatly for 2 reasons the first is due to agression, they just beat the living snot out of each other. the second is due to the fact that the GT is a female and I don't want to risk them breeding and me ending up with hybirds.

 

[Cat]

I thought severums were peaceful fish

 

[CFC]

im so sorry to laugh but its just another nail in the coffin for those people who believe that oscars are aggressive fish, heres one being beaten up by a severum which are supposed to be gentle cichlids .

Have you tried adding some more severums yet? By adding another 2 or 3 severums your original one may turn its attentions to trying to get its leg over rather than fighting, may not work but its worth a go.

 

[juanveldez]

I am sorry to laugh too but CFC brings up a good point perhaps by adding some conspecifics may take away attention from the oscar.

 

[LoveMyOscar]

...

 

[rvm]

As far as your aggression problem, why do you not just totally remove the severum or oscar one to stop the beatings? I don't understand why you are letting this happen? It is obvious they can not get along and you are only causing undue stress on the oscar for letting this continue. My oscar was never allowed to pick on the other fish that he had as tank mates. As soon as I noticed aggression I would remove the other fish. It just so happened that most of the aggression happened at night when I was sleeping or they were one hit kills.

If you want to keep the sev. then get it away from the oscar by getting it's own tank, or getting rid of the oscar. Or if you want to keep the oscar, then get it it's own tank or get rid of the sev. I don't understand how this could still be a problem. It is obvious they don't get along and from the track record I don't think they ever will. You are just torturing this poor oscar by letting this continue.

Ease up a little. I never said I'm allowing it to happen. Did you not read the title of the post and the content of my original post? It was all about getting rid of the Severum. Also If you had read it properly, you'll have read that they are separated. I would never allow them to just fight till one of them is dead! I'm not a mean git you know!!!
I know that these fish won't get along, so I will keep them separated until I can arrange to rehouse the Sev, so before you go judging me and having a go at how I keep my fish read the post properly!!!

 

[AmberC]

Well not to be a punk or anything, but I have to agree with lovemyoscar because from your post and all the ones that followed it sounds like your still trying to figure out a way to keep the severum and the oscar together and its just not going to work. It doesn't seem like its all that difficult to me either, another tank or just get rid on one.

But I'm sure that you will do what is best for you and your fish

 

[rvm]

Yes. I was trying to to get them together, but I only got the Oscar about 4 days ago, so it's not like I've been trying for ages hopelessly!! I've had the 2 of them together for about a total of 3-4 hours, and I've been there at all times to supervise. I knew when I went down this road that this might happen. It does with cichlids, especially big ones. Some just aren't going to like each other others are, the only way to find out is to try. Mine don't get along so they are now separated and I'm going to rehome the Sev. Nuff Said!!!!

 

[LoveMyOscar]

...

 

[rvm]

Not a problem, I figured after I wrote my posts that maybe you hadn't realised I'd only just got the Oscar. No offense taken!!

I now have another problem though still from this damn severum (who is definately going by the way!) when I first set the tank up on Saturday, he was with the Jurapari on his own and seemed OK, and when I got beck from the LFS with the Oscar I noticed him beating up on the Jurapri. That was when I first separated them, and since then the sev has not gone for the jurapari (just the oscar when I let him back in), I have been dosing with Melafix, but the Jurapari is not looking good at all. His eyes have sunk now as well. Is this a terminal sign? I really hope he can pull through as I have to lose 1 fish over this (the sev) and don't really want to lose 2 especially not in that way.

 

[rvm]

Right, I've decided to get rid of the severum. If anyone is interested, email, or PM me, and he's yours. I have also put him on aquabay and ebay as I'd rather not have to take him beck to the LFS where he'll end up in a cramped tank for months until someone comes along and buys him.

 

[Vip]

Oscars are agressive, i think CFC and Juan mean there just not a strong Cichlid, mine are both bery agressive and kill anything they can fit into there mouths (Besides catfish and BGK).
90% of SA and CA Cichlids would put a Oscar to shame when it comes to fighting/agression, my 8" blood parrot puts my large 10" tiger to shame because they lack the power of most cichlids.

PS: Im not bagging oscars or anything i still love them and think there really cool.

 

[CFC]

No, i mean oscars are not aggressive, agression and diet are two tottally different things. Yes it is true oscars have big mouths and will eat anything they can fit into them but in actual terms of just being nasty for the sheer hell of it they are well down at the bottom of the list, there are 4" vegetarian mbuna which make oscars look like mollies in terms of aggression. There are many truely piscavorous fish that can catch and swallow fish nearly their own size and have teeth that put crocodiles to shame but to anything that isnt considered prey they are sociable and gentle, then there are fish that dont eat fish as a habbit but are just plain mean and wont tolerate anything in the same tank regardless of size or species, in 99% of cases oscars are not one of these.
The only reason oscars have a bit of a reputation for being aggressive is because they are usually the first large non community fish that newbie fish keepers encounter and that thought sticks with them until it is somehow proved otherwise.

 

[Vip]

What mbuna is that?