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Encyclopedia / Cichlids / Severum
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Variations

4 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Severum

Heros efasciatus · Heros severus, Banded cichlid, Gold severum

Calmer than many large cichlids; may eat soft plants.

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20 cmBody length, without tail ✓
22–29 °CTemperature ✓
5.5–7pH ✓
243 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • Severum eats animals up to about 4 cm. Neon tetra only grows to 2.5 cm.
Not recommended
  • Severum eats animals up to about 4 cm. Cardinal tetra only grows to 3 cm.
Not recommended
  • Severum eats animals up to about 4 cm. Black neon tetra only grows to 3.2 cm.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow pH range suits both: exactly 7.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow pH range suits both: exactly 7.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

343 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓1–8 dGH
Group size ?Can live alone
Temperament ✓Semi-aggressive
Swims at ✓Middle
Care level ?Moderate
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 4–6 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Calmer than many large cichlids; may eat soft plants.

Food

Pellets, vegetables.

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Male or female

Males are bigger, have markings on the gill covers and may grow a forehead hump and longer dorsal and anal fins.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Egg-layer (substrate spawner) · Hard

Open spawner: lays eggs on a flat stone or root, both parents guard them, and both parents then mouthbrood the fry.

Pairing

Raise a group of 6 young fish. Pairs form over time.

Setup

A 75 gallon (280 L) tank with flat rocks or wood, 26-29 C and soft water.

What starts it

Warm, soft clean water and big water changes.

Eggs

Up to about 1000 eggs per spawning.

Raising the fry

Feed baby brine shrimp, then crushed pellets. Parents often eat the first spawns. Move eggs if needed.

Common mistakes
  • Hard water
  • Poor diet
  • Using pairs that are too young
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionNorthern South America – Orinoco and upper Rio Negro
Rivers and lakesRio Negro and Orinoco
HabitatSlow, warm forest rivers
Native rangeAbout 800 km across
See it on the world map

Plants that suit it

Java fern

The story of the severum

Described by Johann Heckel in 1840. The common aquarium severum is Heros efasciatus; for many years trade fish were wrongly called Heros severus, a name that belongs to a rarely traded fish from the Orinoco and Rio Negro.

Johann Jakob Heckel described the severum in 1840 from Brazil. Its disc-like shape and calm manner earned it the nickname 'poor man's discus'. Gold and red-spotted forms are popular captive-bred varieties.

First described by Johann J. Heckel in 1840.

  • It is sometimes called the 'poor man's discus'.
  • It grows to about 20 cm.
  • Gold and red-spotted forms are bred in captivity.

Sources

15 facts checked with sources