Above: a premium quality Wild Red Shoulder Severum Cichlid swimming in one of our aquariums, when one of us snapped this aquarium.

Click here to see several more pictures.

Comments: These are awesome fish that develop great coloration.

Origin: The ancestors of the Severum came from a wide area of the Amazon Rainforests.

But now they live in aquariums all over the world.

Maximum Size: In aquariums, they are able to grow to be about 9" long.

This variety could be a separate species or subspecies, and it gets bigger than other known Severum species.

Behaviors: Severums are usually semi-aggressive.

Compatibility: This fish is rather mild mannered for being a large Cichlid.

They do well with a few nice Plecos, a Pictus Catfish, an Eartheater, and other medium size fish from Amazonia.

Click here to read more about compatible groups of pet fish.

Temperature: Severums live best from about 75 to 80-degrees F. with 78 being perhaps ideal.

Click here to learn about aquarium temperature, aquarium thermometers, and aquarium heaters.

Feeding: Premium Fish Food Pellets is the best food for Cichlids to eat.

It's best to feed them small pellets when young, then gradually increase the size as they grow bigger.

Click here to learn more about and shop online for premium fish foods.

Water Conditions: These fish can adapt to most types of water, and so as usual it's best not to try to change the pH or alkalinity.

Click here for a lot more information about aquarium water conditions.

Aquarium Size: Severums will eventually need to live in an aquarium with at least 80-gallons of water, but of course bigger is better.

Decor: Severum do not need gravel, and a layer of gravel more than 1/4" thick will usually fill with bits of uneaten food that will contaminate the water.

Click here for more about aquarium gravel.

Live plants are beautiful and improve the water quality, but these fish dig and will often uproot plants.

So perhaps floating plants or potted plants with rocks on top of the gravel works best.

Aquarium Filter: Bio-Wheel Filters are highly recommended.

Most 80-gallon aquariums have room along the back for two Penguin 350B Filters, and this is sort of the minimum set up for Severum.

Better is a 120, 150, or 200-gallon aquarium with as many Penguin 350B Filters as will fit across the back.

Click here to learn more about aquarium filters. The addition of Lava Rocks will keep nitrates in the ideal range.

Click here to learn more about using Lava Rocks in aquariums.

Life Span: Severums can live for several years.

Keep the water conditions excellent and feed them premium foods and they will live for many years, and they may breed and produce the next generation of fish for your aquarium.

Gender: It's nearly impossible to tell males from females just by looking at them, when they're young, but soon the males grow longer fins and show brighter coloration.

Breeding: Severums females lay their eggs in the rocks while the male fertilizes them, both parents then protect them.

Click here for a lot more about breeding various tropical fish in aquariums.

Popularity: Severums have been a rather popular aquarium fish for a long-long time.

Names: Their scientific name is Heros efasciatus, sp. Red Shoulder.

Variations: There are several Severum variations: the Green, Gold, Red-Spot Gold, Rotkeil, and the Red Shoulder.

These variations all have similar shapes.

Click here for a lot more information about keeping and caring for Severums, including a picture gallery.