# red spot severum



## squidgy (Feb 7, 2012)

hi all i bought 2 red spot severum's from my lfs yesterday that they said where a breeding pair.they are doing alot of digging and lip locking is this breeding behavior or is the lip locking aggression?


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## aquariam (Feb 11, 2010)

Can you be more descriptive of these activities? How are they lip locking is there any injury?


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## squidgy (Feb 7, 2012)

hi mate no injurys.they lock lips and seem to push each other back and forth and then they do a silly dance next to each other.also tonight the male seems to be cleaning the side of the filter.


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## aggriffin3 (Aug 15, 2009)

I saw a 5" Red Spot yesterday at my LFS. 75.00? That seems high, or is the red spot worth more than the Gold, Rotkeil and Green which I have seen for 30.00 for the same size.

Art


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## squidgy (Feb 7, 2012)

they cost me Ã‚Â£90 for the pair


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## hamfist (Dec 31, 2011)

SOunds like pre-spawning behaviour to me, especially with the filter cleaning by the male. Have they spawned yet ?


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## Chromedome52 (Jul 25, 2009)

To be honest, without a photo, I haven't a clue what form or species you are describing. When you say "red spot" severum, are you talking wild type, or the so-called "super red" gold form? And if wild type, does it look similar to the common types, or significantly different? Or is this a Rotkiel/Red Shoulder type?

The true _Heros severus _has a pattern of very red spots, and looks very different from the _efasciatus _forms such as turquoise or Rotkiel. It is still very uncommon, though the closely related sp. 'Atabapo' is becoming more available lately. These two fish are from the Orinoco basin, and are both known mouthbrooders. A high price would not surprise me, as I paid $40 apiece for two of the Atabapo at 6". Now that they are proven breeders, I would expect considerably more were I to sell them.

Rotkiel are getting to be fairly common, and I would not expect them to command such a high price. The super reds are very much "in fashion" these days, which always increases the price more than is realistic. There is also a new, possibly undescribed form called sp. 'Inirida', which is like a very red form of _efasciatus_, with lots of bright spots. I would expect them to be properly identified, however, if they were that highly priced.

The behaviour is certainly indicative of courting, but it can turn nasty very quickly; make sure the female has a place to retreat if she starts getting chewed up.


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## squidgy (Feb 7, 2012)

hamfist no they havent laid yet but still cleaning and lip locking and alot of dancing together and also digging all the time.Chromedome52 they where sold as a breeding pair of red spot severums here is a few pics of the lip locking


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## Chromedome52 (Jul 25, 2009)

Ok, that's a less colorful form related to the super reds, which is suspected of being a hybrid between the standard Gold _efasciatus _and the true _Heros severus_. These fish are not easily sexed, as both sexes have facial markings, though the fact that one has lighter markings than the other could be a suggestion of different sexes. Jaw locking is a common mating action, but also a common territorial fight between males.

Those are some very healthy and decent looking fish, and I would suggest that you be prepared to artificially hatch the eggs if you wish to raise any young. "Breeding" doesn't mean "raising", and the aquarium strains based on Gold Severums are generally poor parents.

And since you asked the question, no, I would never have paid that price for that pair, but then, you are in a different market area than I! :wink:


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## squidgy (Feb 7, 2012)

thanks for the help with that


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## squidgy (Feb 7, 2012)

really happy they have just started laying there eggs on the filter i took a short vid of them doing it i will post it soon


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## squidgy (Feb 7, 2012)

just aquick vid of them laying eggs 

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v260/ ... CF1009.mp4


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## squidgy (Feb 7, 2012)

well i just noticed the tails from the eggs so i am all exicited lol


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## MonteSS (Dec 8, 2008)

Congratz. Beautiful pair.

...Bill


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