Planning 55g tank

[akangelfood]

I know I want at least one gold severum. I'm trying to decide if I should do one severum and add other compatible breeds (perhaps a threadfin geophagus, or a keyhole, auru, or something else?). The other option is to try my hand at breeding gold severum, and to order 6-8 of them and wait for them to pair off (would be ordering 1 1/2 inch juvies).

Looking for experienced input on either/or idea. Thank you in advance!

[Blue Cray]

You have to remember severums get very big much to large for a 55g. I suggest maybe getting fish that stay a bit smaller and probably not getting very many a 55g is just not a great size to work with when it comes to cichlids I was planning on getting them but they're just to big for the tank.

[akangelfood]

I've read in numerous places that a 55 gallon tank is a good size for 2 adult severum. I do not plan on any more than that. I will initially be ordering more, however they are juvies. As soon as they begin pairing off, I will be getting rid of all but the matched pair. If I do decide to do a mixed tank, I will be careful not to overload the tank. But I do thank you for the comment

[akangelfood]

Also considering moving my current RTS and keeping one severum and the one RTS together in the 55. Trying to find info on the compatibility of the 2, but so far it has been difficult to find...

[JustOneMore20]

The Severum and RTS should be compatible. I'm assuming you mean Red Tail Shark. They usually keep to themselves from what I've read and normally just have issues with their own kind. If you have enough hiding spots you should be fine keeping them together.

Sorry, I can't help you on what to add with Severums. If you are going to let 2 pair off, I'm assuming you will be wanting some breeding. In that case, I'd just do a pair of Severums and the RTS. If you don't care about breeding and want other tank mates, I'm afraid we'll have to wait for someone else to come along and give some input on that.

[akangelfood]

Yep, sorry, I did indeed mean a Red Tailed Shark. He's still rather small (at about 3") so it'll be nice to have him grow with the severum. If there are any issues with the severum and the RTS battling for territory I may rethink it, but I'm feeling confident that they will all be alright. I was concerned about him at full size in the other, more heavily populated tank. But that's a whole different topic

I did decide to get some young ones and let them pair off, so I went ahead and ordered 7 Gold Severum juvies from livequaria.com last night. I got an email and they should be here sometime tomorrow! Yay! I was hesitant due to the cost ($130+ with shipping to AK) but they do have a 14 day guarantee, which helped to ease my mind.

[akangelfood]

The Gold sevs came this morning, I had them held at the airport and drove out to get them. They're acclimating now, and let me just say....they are BEAUTIFUL. Will post pics later or tomorrow when I turn the lights back on.