LA
Have a look at some more severums.
Introduction:
For some reason, several of our customers decided to trade in their mature
or nearly mature severums mid-September, 2005. We thought you might
enjoy seeing some of the variety within the species. As you may have
noticed, South American cichlids change their appearance when in different
surroundings LA
LA
Five-inch colorful probable male severum. Note the notches in his
dorsal. They may heal?
LA
Similar size severum in same tank but less brightly colored than the one
above.
Color Comments: Male severums, like most cichlid
males, sport more colors than the females. Diet, water conditions,
tank mates, temperature, and hereditary potential also influence their
colors.
LA
Slightly smaller gold with more submissive stance -- looks a bit chewed
but isn't.
Colors:
Golds and greens are the same species and readily breed together.
This submissive severum found itself in a fairly crowded 55 with several
severums and five foot-long catfishes. Needless to say we moved the
severums to their own 55 (where they were still crowded).
LA
Slightly larger unscathed gold severum, a little over five inches.
Eyeballs: Note
the really red eyeball on this probable male. I’d need to see some
red/orange striping across his face to be a little surer of his sex.
No particular flaws or exceptional colors on this guy. He’s probably
just a little over a year old.
LA
Same 10-inch beta male in the crowded catfish tank above and in the severum
tank below.
Beta Male:
Being the beta male in a cichlid tank is not the best job in the
tank. This guy got his clock cleaned in less than 24 hours by Mr.
Alpha. Before they were all put together, he was alpha. We
took the new Mr. Alpha out and gave this guy a promotion.
LA
Former tank mates: channel cats, a nice shovelnose, a huge pangassius and
some others.
LA
In the same tank but probably a mellow female -- nice but a bit on the plain side.
LA
Another likely female with a touch of hole in the head disease.
Females:
Non-red eyes, lack of face striping, and non-flashy coloration usually
denote a female. Fin extensions are not a deciding clue to sexing
severums.
LA
Every severum in the tank had their breeding tubes down.
LA
The 10-inch alpha male severum in a tank by himself.
LA
Now in the catfish 55.
LA
Same guy. Same tank. Different day.
The Alpha Male:
This big guy came in first (with the two small greens). He’s in a
10 by himself. I put him in the 55 with the catfish. They were
sulky until he came to visit.
LA
The two smaller severums dropped their breeding tubes and started lip locking.
Last Words:
Just as with angels and oscars, we now see lots of variations in the
severum clan. We have no adult Rott Keils to show you today, but
they’re out there -- still a little pricey. LA
LA
7-inch male in full spawning regalia. You can see his spawning tube.
Epilog: Well,
a pair of them decided to spawn while I went to lunch. So, no pics
of the process, just the results. And, of course the male above bit
me several times as I wiped the algae off his front glass.
LA
He spawned with this four-inch gold on a flat piece of slate.
LA
They took turns aerating (and eating) their eggs.
LA
They're just supposed to pick out the white ones, but ...
LA
New 9-inch gold male added to the (now reduced) colony today. Note
the extra color.
LA
He will develop more color in those red stripes fairly quickly.
Conditioning
Food: We fed this batch of severums Aqualand cichlid pellets
plus an occasional California blackworm snack. Even big fish like
live worms. LA
Severums
I
Severums III
©
2005 LA Productions

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