# Severums and Tetras



## adam79 (Jun 27, 2007)

I was planning on changing up a tank. I have three severums, 5 dwarf flag cichlids, a gold nugget pleco, I am going to keep in a 90 gallon. I would like to keep some shoals of tetras. I was wondering what species(excluding silver dollars) might work or if the sevs would eventually eat the tetras. I was thinking bleeding hearts might work and thicker body tetras that look to big for the sevs mouths. I would also be curious on thought about mixing apistogrammas with sevs. Thanx


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

I've had severums that ignored tiny tank mates and then I've had them that ripped an apisto in half. Night time was always a dangerous time.

Tetras that were left alone were the larger ones like emperors. Never tried bleeding hearts, but could work.

I'd say that it's high risk for any apisto or tetra, but not a golden rule no-no.


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## mithesaint (Oct 31, 2006)

I've had good luck with my bleeding hearts, I've heard good things about columbians and Buenos aires tetras too.

In the end, it really depends on the individual severum. My biggest Rottie is about 8", and has never shown any interest in the tetras. One of the bleeding hearts does have a chunk of tail missing though...on the other hand, there are two neons in the tank, and they've survived for several months so far. I know of other severums that have wiped out tetra schools overnight.

My concern would be your tank size. Three full grown severum are potentially a bit crowded in a 90. There's not much room to get away if there is a disagreement. Is a 6 foot tank an option?

Can't advise on apistos.

Good luck.


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

I kept a school of Serpae tetras with mine for a while . It worked really well until the Sevs started spawning, then they all vanished  .


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## spxsk (Mar 29, 2006)

I am currently keeping Red Eye tetras with very large severums. Unbelievably you could use Dawn Tetras. They are small, but are the meanest little things. Mine have a ritual when a new fish comes in, the swim up, pull one scale out of the bigger fish, then swim around in front of it and eat it. After that, the bigger fish will leave the little guy alone. It is crazy to see a fish so small positively own much bigger fish!


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## Malawi_G (Jan 24, 2005)

I have a 6" gold severum with bleeding heart tetra's, congo tetras, head and tail light tetras, gold white cloud minnows, they are all small just and Inch and under, but my severums have never shown any aggression towards them even at night....I only have this set up for about a month or so and so far so good....Although I'm not sure about the outcome when my 2" rotkeil and the gold severum reach their adult size.......hope that helps....


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## HONDO (May 4, 2008)

my sev has been fine with my school of blackskirts


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## DiscusQueen (Jul 16, 2007)

Hi.. While my small 4 in rottk was fine with the school of rummys the big 6 inch guys I rescued ate the school of 30 rummys almost overnight. They were stealth preditors at night :lol: :fish: :fish: I think every sev has a different personality and you just have to try. Good luck with whatever you try. Sue


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## HONDO (May 4, 2008)

DiscusQueen said:


> Hi.. While my small 4 in rottk was fine with the school of rummys the big 6 inch guys I rescued ate the school of 30 rummys almost overnight. They were stealth preditors at night :lol: :fish: :fish: I think every sev has a different personality and you just have to try. Good luck with whatever you try. Sue


i agree. i lost a group of 10 rummys when my sev was 3 or 4 inches. you wont ever see them chase the little guys but you will wake up one morning and check the intakes, floor around the tank, then look at your sev, hiding and looking guilty as ****. they are really sneaky fish imo. i love them though.


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

at night, one severum I had used to slowly stalk all the danios... herding them into a corner of the aquarium at the surface... he would then do the fishy equiv of tip toe under them and then pop... he'd snap towards the surface and get one per night...

21 danios in about 29 nights... I always wondered about those 8 nights he never ate one... too lazy? :lol:


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## RyanR (Apr 29, 2008)

We probably lost 20 red-eye tetra's in two weeks.

You really need to get some of the larger ones. I've liked Colombian tetras lately... you just have to grow them out a little before throwing them in with the cichlids. The Colombians seem to shoal a little lower in the tank, and hide a little at night, making it harder for the cichlids to sneak underneath them.... whereas our red-eyes shoaled right at the surface 24/7. They were asking for it. :roll:

As for your cichlids, you may want to reconsider 3 severums. More than one male in a 4' tank tends not to work once they hit 6".

-Ryan


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