Care
Spotted Severums are a large but peaceful species, suitable for communities of non-aggressive medium-large sized fish. In the wild, they can be found in slow-moving blackwater tributaries that are packed with heavy vegetation, roots and branches. Therefore the aquarium should include plenty of robust plant species along with sufficient bogwood pieces and some smooth stones. Spotted Severums can be kept in groups or pairs, but should a pair choose to spawn in a community setting, they will become much more aggressive towards the other fish. Mature males can sometimes be a little argumentative with one another, so ensure that the tank is at least 6ft long with lots of visual barriers for the other fish to escape attention. This is why it is best to start out with a decent sized group in the first place, so that if there are any minor squabbles, it is spread out amongst the group and no single fish bears the brunt of it all. Try to ensure that the aquarium is also quite tall, as these fish reach considerable "height". Other large peaceful cichlids and some of the more sizeable characin species make good tankmates; and although Spotted Severums are regarded as gentle, they must not be trusted with small species. Juvenile fish are pretty, but the patterns and colours of these fish really intensify with age.
Feeding
Slow-sinking cichlid pellets, flake, lettuce, spinach, frozen foods such as mosquito larvae, brineshrimp, Mysis shrimp, Krill etc. Will avidly consume soft-leaved plants.
Breeding
A breeding aquarium should be set up in a quiet location with soft, acidic water and the pair acclimatised across. The temperature should be carefully raised to 30 °C. Some flat pieces of slate should be provided, which the fish will clean prior to laying the eggs on them. The female will deposit her eggs onto the pre-cleaned rocks, and the male will quickly fertilise them. These are then vigorously defended by both parents. The eggs should hatch after 48-72 hours, and once free-swimming the parents will be seen herding them to different areas or pits dugs in the substrate. The young can be offered finely powdered flake foods and microworms.
