Heckel Severum Care Guide
The Heckel Severum is a wild severum form of the genus Heros from blackwater tributaries, a deep-bodied omnivore for soft, acidic aquaria.
Overview
The Heckel Severum is a wild severum form of the genus Heros, a deep-bodied, laterally compressed cichlid of northern South America. Severum-group fish are part of the tribe Heroini and were formerly placed in Cichlasoma. Wild blackwater forms are considered more demanding to keep than commercial colour strains.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Heros
- Scientific name: Heros sp. "Heckel"
- Note: an undescribed or wild severum form within the genus Heros
Habitat
The genus Heros occurs in the Amazon, Orinoco and Essequibo basins. Blackwater severum forms originate from soft, acidic, tannin-stained tributaries with submerged wood and leaf litter, conditions that should be reproduced in the aquarium.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 300 L
- Temperature: 26-30 °C (79-86 °F)
- pH: 4.5-6.5
- GH: 1-4 °dGH
- Lifespan: 8-12 years
Diet
Severum-group cichlids are omnivorous, with wild relatives feeding largely on plant material and fruit. A varied aquarium diet of prepared cichlid foods supplemented with vegetable matter and occasional live or frozen foods is appropriate.
Compatibility
Severums are comparatively peaceful mid-water cichlids that may become territorial when breeding. Wild Heckel forms suit soft-water communities with species such as discus and other South American fish, and are not reliably plant-safe.
Breeding
The closely related Heros severus is a mouthbrooding cichlid in which the larvae are taken into the mouth and tended by the parents; this reproductive mode is shared within the severum group.