# Cowardly Severum?



## Snowfyre (Nov 1, 2008)

I got a young severum from my petstore. I've had gold severums before but never a red shoulder one. Considering it was the only one that my petstore could get in for me, I figured I'd try it. However its has spent most of its time hiding in my tank. It eats readily and its the biggest fish in my tank despite being only 3 inches long right now. Are the red shoulders that much different than the normal severums? I'm seeing him alot more now that I got my 2 blue eyed cichlids. I did have two of the red shoulders but the one he chased alot. It wasn't doing well at the petstore and didn't improve at home. So now he's the only severum. He still seems alot more timid than I remember my gold severums of being.


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## SinisterKisses (Feb 24, 2004)

Each fish, especially when it comes to American cichlids, has it's own personality. Some are aggressive, some are timid, some are friendly, some are shy...

I'm sure it will slowly adjust and get more outgoing as it gets more comfortable. 3" is still very much a baby, and baby fish are naturally reclusive - it's how they survive.


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## andrew__ (Aug 5, 2006)

my red shoulder was very shy until I got some dithers for him. What other fish are in your tank and how many?


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## Snowfyre (Nov 1, 2008)

Heh, well my tank is a wee bit overstocked. I have 7 white whiteclouds, 5 beckfordi tetras or raspboras <can't remember which it is>, 3 rather large buenos aires tetras, 1 lonely swordtail male, 3 fancy finned aneus corys, 2 good sized kuhlii loaches, 2 yo-yo loaches, 1 moth catfish <micro> and the pair of blue eye cichlids. Sold to me as C. Cutteri but apparently they're arcocentrus sp. cutteri. The severum is developing the most beautiful finnage with the long points and all. I do see him out alot more than he was before I got the cutteri. I'm guessing he realized that the dithers were too brainless to know if its safe or not. But he pretty much trusts the cutteri's. He's usually around them. All the finnage in the tank is pristine other than one white whitecloud male who is constantly fighting the other males. For being as crowded as it is, the fish seem pretty content. All the rock in the tank is petrified wood. There's at least 8 differnt types of the petrified wood. I have drift wood in there, a madagascar lace bulb who apparently the severum likes to prune...alot. There is alot of anubias barteri growing in the tank. The ONLy real issue I have with the tank is the dark beard algae that is growing oh so nicely. I'm trying to figure how to get rid of it so I can get some more java moss, java fern and wisteria. And yes I know the wisteria is probably going to get eaten. But someone offered me some for free. Oh and I have Malaysian trumpet snails. Its a 30 gallon aquarium running an undergravel filter and whisper 20-40. And for food I feed spirilina super soft pellets, Tetra color flakes, shrimp pellets, Tetra crisps, algae wafers and sinking wafers. I think that's all the info on the tank other than where I bought stuff.


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## blairo1 (May 7, 2006)

Are you aware that your sev is going to need a much larger tank? A 30 gallon is fine as a very temporary grow out, but the sev will require a 75 in the long term.


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

I agree with *blairo1* , your 30 is already pretty well full and that Sev is going to need alot more space . As a reference I keep a Pair of Turquoise Sevs in a 125 with a couple of juvie Uarus and a school of Serpae Tetras. It may not sound like much , but once they all grow out it will be mostly at capacity with room for a couple of small additions. A 75 would be an excellent upgrade for your current stock . You've got a little time before it gets critical but you'll need to get a bigger tank . That or change your stock to fit your current tank if an upgrade isn't possible.


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## HONDO (May 4, 2008)

i agree, bigger tank is a must. you will notice less cowardly behavior once you move him to a bigger tank.

severums are characters. i have one that has been very outgoing, then got very shy, then got very skittish, now has calmed down alot and is very personable. likes to come to the front of the tank and beg for food and check things out. i think its just a matter of them getting acclimated and comfortable with their surroundings. my sev lately has been coming to the front left corner of my tank, turning upside down and flashing his fins around. its really funny, but i am nervous i will go home from work and he will be dead. it doesnt look right, but hes a healthy fish, just alot of personality. anyone else seen a severum do this?

best of luck with your fish. also, the more plants i put in the tank the less shy and skittish he acts.


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

I've never seen that, but your right on with them being charactors :lol: Mine also go through their little phases . Right now they beg at the glass worse than my dog does at the table.

*Snowfyre* once you get them in more comfortable suroundings they'll get more friendly.


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## Ape-Fish (Jul 1, 2006)

My Severums often get in wierd positions in the plants, including sideways and upside down.  I have four and they all have different personalities. :thumb:


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## peathenster (Oct 7, 2008)

You aren't alone - my rotkeils do exactly the same thing. They are in a 120g but hiding all the time, whereas my other sevs (green, gold and red) chase me whenever I get close.

My rotkeils are F1s from a wild-caught pair but I don't know if that makes any difference. Keep in mind that they are also a different species than "regular" sevs.


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## blairo1 (May 7, 2006)

Rotkeils are a little shy initially, mine like many is also a wild specimen, so it took that extra bit of time to get it familiarised with the surroundings (and my interactions), although I tend to try and keep that natural streak in them. Given time in an environment that suits their needs and with consistency and persistence on your behalf they will come to learn that this is a safe place and that you are the food guy/gal. Of course other factors can greatly influence the rate at which this occurs (if at all) such as tank-mates, aquascape, _how_ you interact etc. Consistency is really the secret in familiarising them with your presence, ie always getting the food from the same cupboard, gently tapping the top frame in the same place, establish a routine and stick to it (initially at least) and they will learn this, after the routine is well learnt you will find the shyness gradually fade (again dependant on other mitigating factors) to the point that whether you go to the food cupboard or not, the fish are present and waiting to interact with their feeder.

Now my Rotter is far from shy and will breach the water surface trying to grab pellets from me, or if I put my arm in with some shrimp I can have him chase it around all over the tank, he even lets me gently stroke along his fins, he's comfortable enough that he even gave me a bite last water change (whilst I wasn't' looking :lol. Just tapping the top frame is enough to make every single one of my fish come out of hiding and line up along the front pane, a fantastic way for showing visitors a particular fish, or getting a shy one out for a photo etc.

Consistency..... :thumb:


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## michelle767 (Jun 17, 2004)

I have two rotkeils severums, both F1 (they're parents were wild, but they were tank-raised), a breeding pair, male at about 4", the female at 3". I've had them since last December. The female will come to the top of the tank for food, but up until recently the male absolutely would not. Instead, once he sees flakes, he goes underneath one of the filters and waits for the current to move the flakes his way. And he chases the other fish away from his area.

I've been trying to coax him up to the top by putting only pellets in, but it's only half-working. So, yeah, he's pretty shy. Probably the shyest sev I've had aside from wild ones.

Now the juvie rots I'm raising in a 29 are the friendliest little buggers I've ever seen. They all do the fishy food-wag.


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