# min tank size for severums?



## Gboro54

What is the minimum tank size for a pair for sevs with the possiblity of a school of giant danios and sometype of fish for cleaning the tank?

Thanks


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## dwarfpike

Becuase of their height was well as their length, the smallest I would personally do for a pair is a 90 gallon (4'x18") though a 5'x2' would be ideal for a pair.


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## SinisterKisses

A lot of people will tell you a 55gal, but I can tell you from experience that it is much, much too small for a pair of severums. Absolute bare minimum IMO would be a 75gal for a pair, but of course the 90gal would be better for the bit of added height.


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## slickvic277

I wouldnt keep full grown adult severums in any thing less then a 6' long tank.These fish bulk up pretty good.Last summer at the baltimore aquarium they had one in there SA display that was frikkin HUGE!I do believe that it was the true severum from the orinoco which is abit rare in our hobby.
Perhaps the severum's avialable to us are smaller growing.I dont know for sure just a guess.
But one thing I do know for sure they had a football sized severum at the national aquarium when I was there.


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## mithesaint

SinisterKisses said:


> A lot of people will tell you a 55gal, but I can tell you from experience that it is much, much too small for a pair of severums. Absolute bare minimum IMO would be a 75gal for a pair, but of course the 90gal would be better for the bit of added height.


I'll second this. I've got two females in a 55 right now, and they get along....ok. Not great. I wouldn't do anything smaller than a 75, and a 125 would be much better. I'm assuming you're hoping they spawn? If so, for the safety of the other fish, get the 125.

BTW, I've got a 135 in my basement, just waiting to get ready to go, so the ladies shouldn't be in the 55 much longer. :thumb:


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## RyanR

I can attest that two males in a 75g is definitely pushing your luck! :lol: They're not toooo bad, nothing physical, but a fair amount of chasing when the alpha feels the itch... ours may actually be siblings. A 125g is in our not-too-distant future, because some "rescues" bounced us into the red, stocking-wise.

Though a pair would be fine in a 75g.

Nix the 55 gallon, it'd be like an ant farm for them, and a 75 gallon is about the same price around here.

-Ryan


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## Gboro54

thanks for the advice...I want to try and talk my gf into letting me another tank for the house now :thumb: LOL...I really want some of these guys...


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## RyanR

Gboro54 said:


> thanks for the advice...I want to try and talk my gf into letting me another tank for the house now :thumb: LOL...I really want some of these guys...


Severums are just great pets... pretty, and tons of personality. I think they get sort of a bum rap because they're one of the most common NW cichlids out there, but they're as pretty, smart, and personable as anything else out there. Dangerous though... they're a "gateway" cichlid for sure. 

A back door that I stumbled upon into convincing significant others to let you get more and/or bigger tanks is to "rescue" a few sub-adult cichlids with them. Fish small enough now to fit in with your current stocking and tank, but that will grow enough to warrant another larger tank. :lol:

Kidding aside, my girlfriend rescues more cats and dogs than we can fit in our house (two dogs, five cats, with excess pets at her parents). I accidentally tapped that with a 5" black belt cichlid and a 1" chocolate cichlid. That got me the green light on a much bigger tank... but now I have to scrape up the funds to set up the tank and reinforce the floor (which I should have done with the 75 anyway), and the clock's ticking in our 75g.... yikes! 

-Ryan


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## Gboro54

RyanR said:


> Gboro54 said:
> 
> 
> 
> thanks for the advice...I want to try and talk my gf into letting me another tank for the house now :thumb: LOL...I really want some of these guys...
> 
> 
> 
> Severums are just great pets... pretty, and tons of personality. I think they get sort of a bum rap because they're one of the most common NW cichlids out there, but they're as pretty, smart, and personable as anything else out there. Dangerous though... they're a "gateway" cichlid for sure.
> 
> A back door that I stumbled upon into convincing significant others to let you get more and/or bigger tanks is to "rescue" a few sub-adult cichlids with them. Fish small enough now to fit in with your current stocking and tank, but that will grow enough to warrant another larger tank. :lol:
> 
> Kidding aside, my girlfriend rescues more cats and dogs than we can fit in our house (two dogs, five cats, with excess pets at her parents). I accidentally tapped that with a 5" black belt cichlid and a 1" chocolate cichlid. That got me the green light on a much bigger tank... but now I have to scrape up the funds to set up the tank and reinforce the floor (which I should have done with the 75 anyway), and the clock's ticking in our 75g.... yikes!
> 
> -Ryan
Click to expand...

LOL, might have to try it. I have a 65 right now the other problem is that the only place for another tank is on the first floor of my house(with a basement under it)...not sure how big of a tank is going to be to much for it....LOL


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## RyanR

If your basement is unfinished, you can get a handful of "floor jacks" pretty cheap from a big box home improvement store... combined with some 4x4 lumber, and you should be set for like another 10 tons of weight. 

If your basement is finished, it's a lot more tricky. Fortunately (depending how you look at it!), we can be a little more spartan with our "solutions". :roll:

-Ryan


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## dogofwar

I kept my breeding pair of sevs alone (other than their fry) in a 4' 40g breeder.

I sold them last year when the male was about 8" and the female was about 6".

Mine were a pretty stable pair that emerged from a group of 4 that I grew out from the 1-2" range in the same tank.


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## cuddlefish

RyanR said:


> Dangerous though... they're a "gateway" cichlid for sure.


 :lol: :lol: :lol:

Classic! 

"I got a fever... and the only prescription is more Severums..."


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## Ape-Fish

My Severums are crazy fun! :thumb: I have four at about 5", 3 male, one female. The dominant male and female have deposited eggs twice but they eat them a day later. Anyway they all get along well, just some chasing and hiding at spawning time. They are in a 135g 30" tall tank and i'm thinking it could get cramped in there the way they are growing...


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## Gboro54

have the gf thinking about letting me get a bigger tank... :lol: hope she says yes


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## cody6766

I'm keeping a 5" pair in a 55g right now. They'll be fine for another year at their current growth rate, but will out grow this tank before long. I'd say a 125 would be great, but wouldn't go smaller than a 90. If you're spending the money, you might as well go with the 125, especially if you go used.


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## Gboro54

couldn't agree more...


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