# A severum and a chocolate cichlid?



## vandalshutterbug (May 8, 2010)

Trying to decide on a 75 gallon tank stocking. Have done a ton of research...visited the LFS and have decided to do a 2.5 inch red shoulder severum and a 3 inch chocolate cichlid. Would this work? 
plus maybe a couple of raphael catfish? and a school of hardy tetras? 
What do you think?


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## HiImSean (Apr 5, 2007)

i had problems with my chocolate. he was a pretty big bully to anything that was smaller than him, including 5 juvi psittacus and my datnoid. i ended up trading him for a male rotkeil. i'd choose one for the 75g. chocolates get big and bulky and need quite a bit of room to themselves.


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## cage623 (Feb 2, 2008)

I would say that for the most part this will work. Once again this will heavily depend on the individual cichlids you end up with. I had a chocolate for a little over two years. Ate like a pig but never had problems with aggression. Good luck.


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## spxsk (Mar 29, 2006)

I agree with HiImSean that you should really choose one of the two for that tank. Both fish will get pretty big. I have a pair of Sevs breeding in a 90 Gallon tank and really wish I had a bigger tank for them.


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## vandalshutterbug (May 8, 2010)

spxsk said:


> I agree with HiImSean that you should really choose one of the two for that tank. Both fish will get pretty big. I have a pair of Sevs breeding in a 90 Gallon tank and really wish I had a bigger tank for them.


well unfortunately I went ahead and got both before reading the great advice.... along with 7 columbian tetras. The tank looks great. The two cichlids are getting along great so far. If anything, the chocolate will occasionally chase the severum a little bit, but its not aggression, and it certainly doesnt seem to bother the severum. In fact more often than not, they sort of hang out together. Both fish are amazing. 
But I want to do what's right for the tank and the fish,,, So, if I take one back...which one do YOU think it should be? From what I've seen so far, both are beautiful and amzing fish. I can't decide, so I'm asking this as a novice fish hobbiest, so opinions would be valued at this point. Thanks.


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## HiImSean (Apr 5, 2007)

id keep the rokeil over the chocolate, the colors get alot better and im a big severum advocater  dont get me wrong chocolates are cool, much like a oscar in being a wetpet


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## spxsk (Mar 29, 2006)

Again I agree with HiImSean. The other thing I would watch is the temperature in your tank. The Colombian Tetras tend to like slightly cooler water than what the Severums like, so just watch them. As that Rotkeil gets older be prepared to fall head over heels in love. They really are spectacular fish.


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## RyanR (Apr 29, 2008)

We're doing the chocolate and severum mix.... with Colombian tetra's to boot. So far, so good.

I think it'll take a long time for these guys to outgrow a 75g. Our chocolate hasn't grown super fast (6" at two years of age)... and he's super mellow. Never has picked a fight, but he'll stand up for himself OK.

Lots of filtration and aeration are key I think.

-Ryan


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## adam79 (Jun 27, 2007)

I've never kept chocolates, but my experience with sevs is they grow slow after about 7-8 inches, so as mentioned above, you may have a while to upgrade your tank if you choose or rehome one down the road. In the long run a 75 will be a bit cramped for both of them. Good to see someoneelse from Idaho on here. Base on your name, I'm guessing Moscow?


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## vandalshutterbug (May 8, 2010)

adam79 said:


> I've never kept chocolates, but my experience with sevs is they grow slow after about 7-8 inches, so as mentioned above, you may have a while to upgrade your tank if you choose or rehome one down the road. In the long run a 75 will be a bit cramped for both of them. Good to see someoneelse from Idaho on here. Base on your name, I'm guessing Moscow?


haha....Nope...Boise. Us "vandals" are everywhere.


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