Gold severum is one of the popular species of cichlid type. The other popular severum is green severum which is however less popular then the gold one. The gold severum is laterally compressed and shape is like of disc. This fish resembles to the discus fish. But it is cheap ,smaller and care is easy as compared to discus. The gold severum has bright yellow color with pattern on its head and body. The gold severum has affectionate personality as they can be fed directly from owners hand.
They demand less care and be used to carry out breeding. They can be fed both live and frozen food. Give them protein rich food which have to develop their colors effectively. Change small % of water weekly to maintain them at good health. Gold severum likes to dig the substrate so provide them soft substrate or sand. Also they can dig plants root to some extend so hold them tight with surface of fish tank. They can grow up to size of 6-8 inches in captivity.
They are semi aggressive in nature and can be easily kept with species of similar size and temperament. Avoid them with molly's, fighter or any other docile fish. You can put them with angels, catfish, gouramis, loaches of same size and parrot cichlid. However they become more aggressive during the time of breeding and like to chase of other fishes. These are tropical fishes and demands some temperature in aquarium.
Fish Tank : minimum 20 gallon
Lifespan : about 10 years
Temperature : 23 - 27 degrees Celsius
Breeding : Moderate
Food : Both live and frozen food
Temperament : semi - aggressive
Care : easy
Difference between male female severum
The general difference observed is that the male gold severum have pointed dorsal fin. The anal fin of male severum is also more pointed as compared to female severum fin. The other difference is , male have more developed designs on their head while female have very less or no design.
The female also have dark spot near dorsal fin. Some times male may develop a small hump on its head known as nuchal hump. You can observe nuchal hump easily on flower horn fish.
Breeding gold severum
For gold severum breeding you require a healthy pair of male and female. Gold severum gets ready to breeding at 4 inches of size. You can distinguish male and female on the basis of pattern and size. For breeding they are required to form pairs. They form pairs on themselves. Yon bring 6-7 young gold severum and grow them together. They will form pair while growing.
Tank Setup :
For breeding gold severum the breeding tank should be bare bottom. You can add slate or plants with fine leafs as breeding spot. Maintain the water condition at its peak as described in fish care section. You can use separate aquarium as breeding tank because gold severum may become aggressive to other mates at the spawning. They will chase off others and protect the eggs. Do regular water changes and provide live food mostly to encourage them for breeding.
Spawning :
When they are ready to spawn you can observe them locking their lips with each other and tail slapping. The female will deposit eggs on any flat surface present in the tank it may be rock or slate or leaves. Then male will fertilize them. Soon they will be ready to hatched in about 3 days. The eggs left unfertilized will turn white. When the eggs will hatch the parents will take care of them. Some time they may eat the fries but don't worry soon new batch will come. Gold severum breeds on weekly basis at interval of few days. For more successful chances of breeding you can remove eggs to another safe place. Just take the rock or wood drift where eggs are present ( after fertilization ) to another aquarium with same condition.
Keep the eggs in water all the time. You can do this by putting a small beaker in breeding tank then when beaker gets filled with water move the eggs into beaker then pick up the beaker and put it again in separate fish tank. Also add an air stone to the tank where eggs are present.
Fry care :
Mostly parents will take care of fry for 1-2 months. They will find a safe place and move them their and guard them. You can provide them newly hatched brine shrimps and microworms or any other baby food.
They demand less care and be used to carry out breeding. They can be fed both live and frozen food. Give them protein rich food which have to develop their colors effectively. Change small % of water weekly to maintain them at good health. Gold severum likes to dig the substrate so provide them soft substrate or sand. Also they can dig plants root to some extend so hold them tight with surface of fish tank. They can grow up to size of 6-8 inches in captivity.
Fish Tank : minimum 20 gallon
Lifespan : about 10 years
Temperature : 23 - 27 degrees Celsius
Breeding : Moderate
Food : Both live and frozen food
Temperament : semi - aggressive
Care : easy
The general difference observed is that the male gold severum have pointed dorsal fin. The anal fin of male severum is also more pointed as compared to female severum fin. The other difference is , male have more developed designs on their head while female have very less or no design.
The female also have dark spot near dorsal fin. Some times male may develop a small hump on its head known as nuchal hump. You can observe nuchal hump easily on flower horn fish.
Breeding gold severum
For gold severum breeding you require a healthy pair of male and female. Gold severum gets ready to breeding at 4 inches of size. You can distinguish male and female on the basis of pattern and size. For breeding they are required to form pairs. They form pairs on themselves. Yon bring 6-7 young gold severum and grow them together. They will form pair while growing.
For breeding gold severum the breeding tank should be bare bottom. You can add slate or plants with fine leafs as breeding spot. Maintain the water condition at its peak as described in fish care section. You can use separate aquarium as breeding tank because gold severum may become aggressive to other mates at the spawning. They will chase off others and protect the eggs. Do regular water changes and provide live food mostly to encourage them for breeding.
Spawning :
When they are ready to spawn you can observe them locking their lips with each other and tail slapping. The female will deposit eggs on any flat surface present in the tank it may be rock or slate or leaves. Then male will fertilize them. Soon they will be ready to hatched in about 3 days. The eggs left unfertilized will turn white. When the eggs will hatch the parents will take care of them. Some time they may eat the fries but don't worry soon new batch will come. Gold severum breeds on weekly basis at interval of few days. For more successful chances of breeding you can remove eggs to another safe place. Just take the rock or wood drift where eggs are present ( after fertilization ) to another aquarium with same condition.
Keep the eggs in water all the time. You can do this by putting a small beaker in breeding tank then when beaker gets filled with water move the eggs into beaker then pick up the beaker and put it again in separate fish tank. Also add an air stone to the tank where eggs are present.
Fry care :
Mostly parents will take care of fry for 1-2 months. They will find a safe place and move them their and guard them. You can provide them newly hatched brine shrimps and microworms or any other baby food.