# Looking for stocking help 75 gallon - 2 red spotted Sevs



## woodsonfan (Nov 13, 2017)

Hello guys. Pretty excited about my recent pickup. I snagged a brand new 75 gallon yesterday and am in the planning stages of everything right now. I'm planning a fishless cycle that will start around Thanksgiving. I'll use some filter media from a couple of my other tanks to jumpstart the BB.

I'm really torn on what I'd like to stock. However, I know I'd like 2 red spotted severums. I'd love some stocking suggestions around those 2 fish.

Other fish that interest me (if compatible); Blue Acara, Rainbows (boesemani), EBA, Geophagus Tapajos, Cories, Rams, Blood Parrot, Pleco...

Using any of those fish above that are compatible, and/or any that you may suggest, additionally - please help me figure out how to stock my 75 gallon around the two red spotted sevs!

Ooops, some quick tank details: looking to do sand bottom, blacked out background, medium trunk-like pieces of driftwood, various rocks/stones. Might try an amazon sword, but know that it probably won't last long. Looking for best temp setting, too.

Thanks!


----------



## mambee (Apr 13, 2003)

Severums grow pretty large, so don't overstock. I've kept them with a variety of SA cichlids with few problems. They would mix well with angelfish and festivums. Just beware that they have different personalities. Most are fairly mellow, but I had a terror who killed and maimed several large fish.

I'm a big fan of rainbowfish, and Boesmanis, turquoise and New Guinea Reds are my favorites. Congo tetras would also work.

For the bottom, I would go with cories and BNPs.

Severums may eat your Amazon sword, so maybe you should try Java fern and anubias, which are supposed to taste bad.


----------



## woodsonfan (Nov 13, 2017)

mambee said:


> Severums grow pretty large, so don't overstock. I've kept them with a variety of SA cichlids with few problems. They would mix well with angelfish and festivums. Just beware that they have different personalities. Most are fairly mellow, but I had a terror who killed and maimed several large fish.
> 
> I'm a big fan of rainbowfish, and Boesmanis, turquoise and New Guinea Reds are my favorites. Congo tetras would also work.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the reply! Do you think I could do the following:

2 red spotted severums
1 blue acara
8 rainbowfish
8-10 cories

What temperature should I be at with that stock, or a stock close to that?

Thanks again!


----------



## JRW81 (Mar 14, 2017)

I would maybe change the rainbowfish to large bodied tetras. Rainbows need hard water and the others are soft water fish. But other than that looks like a good stock. Seems to be the basic stocking for severums in a 75. I've tried every kind of plant I could with my severums and they've eaten all of them. They even tear up the plastic and silk plants. I keep the temperature at 78


----------



## mambee (Apr 13, 2003)

I agree with the above advice. Some good large bodied tetras are Emperor, Congos and Lemons. It is best to start with young severums so that they don't attack any new fish that are added.


----------



## woodsonfan (Nov 13, 2017)

Thank you both for the information! I'll do some research on other dither fish.


----------



## Vociferus (Aug 10, 2016)

I have Congo Tetras with my 2 Severums and it's a good combo. I also have them with 2 EB Acaras and the species never bother each other. The 2 Severums do though, so you may want to go with just one. But I've rearranged the tank to give them more spaces to "own" and that's helped a lot.


----------

