Severum Breeding Guide (Heros severus)

Breeding the Severum, a large Heros cichlid: a pair-forming substrate spawner that cleans a flat surface for its eggs and guards the brood with both parents.

Overview

The Severum is a large, disc-shaped Heros cichlid. The fish most commonly kept and bred in aquaria under this name is Heros efasciatus, on which the documented breeding behaviour below is based. It is a pair-forming substrate spawner that lays its eggs on a cleaned flat surface and guards the brood.

Sexing

The male is bigger, has markings on the gill covers, and may develop a nuchal hump and extensions to the dorsal and anal fins.

Conditioning

To obtain a pair, buy a group of young fish and grow them on; a pair should form naturally from the group.

Breeding Setup

Provide a large tank with a flat stone or similar flat surface as a spawning site. Documented breeding conditions are a temperature of 22-29 C (with the upper part of the range favouring spawning), pH 5.5-7.0 and soft water; a tank of around 120 x 45 x 45 cm or larger is recommended.

Spawning Behavior & Trigger

The pair spawns on a flat stone or similar cleaned surface, which is then guarded by both parents until the eggs hatch.

Egg & Fry Care

Both parents guard the eggs and brood. The fry are fairly large and can be fed on brine shrimp and powdered food once they are free-swimming.

Common Challenges

Note that there is taxonomic confusion within the Heros group, and sources differ on whether the species substrate-spawns or mouthbroods; the aquarium severum is generally a guarding substrate spawner. Obtaining a compatible pair and providing a large, stable tank are the key requirements.