# Festivum vs. Severum



## Ape-Fish (Jul 1, 2006)

Hey y'all. So i am wondering how the behavior of festivums, which i have never kept, is compared to feverum, which i have kept for years and know their behavior well. severums are fabulous fantastic fish - eat food from your fingers and come to the glass for a visit any time you drop by. When happen to glass over at the tank i will notice that a severum who is gazing out in my direction will perk up, exactly as if it saw me glancing over, and it wants attention, it wants to great me.
But they are large fish - borderline too big for my 135G tank.
I'm wondering if festivums are as personable, and have equally outgoing personalties.
Has anyone had any experience with both festivums and severums?


----------



## Cichlid Debby (Mar 21, 2014)

Hi Ape-Fish

I have a severum that's coming up on about 4" now. She is as you describe, personable and curious.
The 3 festivum, largest about 3" now and in a different tank, are very attentive at feeding time and normal room activity does not phase them. During a water change they will hide for quite some time. They are not particularly interested in me unless it's for food. They are not as out going as the Sev, but this may change as they age.
I do quite like them as they are very good tank mates for my angels.


----------



## notho2000 (Dec 8, 2012)

I keep both. As much as I like Festivums, of the two, Severums are much more personable. Festivums can be very shy, other than at feeding time and when breeding. They seem to do best when there are a few in the tank and will be always in the uppermost regions and tend to stay relatively put. Severums are more "all over the place".


----------



## Ape-Fish (Jul 1, 2006)

Ahh, OK. Thanks, Cichlid Debby, notho2000. Too bad. I think one severum in my 135g would be OK, if a bit boring for it to be alone, but i have two males and since the female dies a few months ago the previously mated male is being a bit bully-ed by the other male - dominating the tank and keeping it hiding out of sight. At night when the dominant one goes to sleep, it comes out and says hello and does the rounds of the tank, except near the corner that the other one sleeps in. 
I guess festivums are not what i'm looking for. Do you know of a cichlid that is similar in personality to the severum but in a smaller version? If not, what would come closest, or you find almost as much fun?


----------

