Gold severum
Heros efasciatus
Parameter dashboard
22.2-28.9 °C
5.5-7
30 cm
10 years
Care guide
The gold severum is a man-made colour strain of Heros efasciatus, the common severum of the aquarium hobby. The wild species lives in the slow, root-filled rivers and floodplain lakes of the Amazon, where it grows a tall, disc-shaped body with faint banding. Years of selective breeding removed the dark bars and fixed a warm yellow-to-amber colour, giving the golden fish sold today. One point worth knowing: the true Heros severus is a different, rarely traded mouthbrooder, and the gold form is commonly associated with H. efasciatus, but a trade name alone cannot identify every fish sold as a severum.
Gold severums can reach a maximum of 30 cm standard length and are usually calm for a cichlid of their size, which makes them a good centrepiece for a community of large, peaceful South American fish. Their mood changes when they pair off and spawn, and a lone adult kept without company can turn nippy, so a small group or a settled pair tends to behave best. They are unfussy omnivores: feed quality pellets alongside bloodworm, prawn, and chopped earthworm, and add vegetable foods such as blanched spinach or spirulina to round out the diet.
Provide a base of at least 120 by 45 cm, about 243 litres, with more space for a pair or group; use soft water at 22.2 to 28.9 degrees Celsius and pH 5.5–7.0, with driftwood and either sturdy or artificial plants, since severums often sample tender leaves. They are open substrate spawners: a pair cleans a flat stone or broad leaf, lays the eggs there, and both parents guard them and shepherd the fry, sometimes taking the young into the mouth for protection. A grown-out group usually forms a natural pair, so home breeding is realistic provided you can house adults of this size.
Source
Further reading on identification and aquarium care.
Tankmate compatibility (sample)
Pairwise screening against other species in the database (prioritizing the same family when data is available).
Review first (12)
Caution or avoid from automated rules — confirm before mixing.
| Species | Assessment | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Agassiz's dwarf cichlid Apistogramma agassizii Caution | Caution | Fish 2x+ larger may eat smaller tankmates · close relatives, and one of them is territorial, so both claim the same kind of space Open pair in Compare → |
| Bolivian Ram Mikrogeophagus altispinosus Caution | Caution | Fish 2x+ larger may eat smaller tankmates · Multiple territorial species in the same swim layer cause stress · close relatives, and one of them is territorial, so both claim the same kind of space Open pair in Compare → |
| Firemouth cichlid Thorichthys meeki Caution | Caution | Fish 2x+ larger may eat smaller tankmates · close relatives, and one of them is territorial, so both claim the same kind of space Open pair in Compare → |
| Green terror Andinoacara rivulatus Caution | Caution | Multiple territorial species in the same swim layer cause stress · the two share only a narrow band of temperature, so one of them sits at the edge of its range · close relatives, and one of them is territorial, so both claim the same kind of space Open pair in Compare → |
| Guayas cichlid Cichlasoma festae Caution | Caution | Multiple territorial species in the same swim layer cause stress · Species with non-overlapping pH ranges may not thrive together · close relatives, and one of them is territorial, so both claim the same kind of space Open pair in Compare → |
| Jewelfish Hemichromis bimaculatus Caution | Caution | Fish 2x+ larger may eat smaller tankmates · close relatives, and one of them is territorial, so both claim the same kind of space Open pair in Compare → |
| Moga Hypsophrys nicaraguensis Caution | Caution | Multiple territorial species in the same swim layer cause stress · Species with non-overlapping pH ranges may not thrive together · close relatives, and one of them is territorial, so both claim the same kind of space Open pair in Compare → |
| Pearly calvus Altolamprologus calvus Caution | Caution | Fish 2x+ larger may eat smaller tankmates · Species with non-overlapping pH ranges may not thrive together · close relatives, and one of them is territorial, so both claim the same kind of space Open pair in Compare → |
| Princess of Burundi Neolamprologus brichardi Caution | Caution | Fish 2x+ larger may eat smaller tankmates · Multiple territorial species in the same swim layer cause stress · Species with non-overlapping pH ranges may not thrive together · close relatives, and one of them is territorial, so both claim the same kind of space Open pair in Compare → |
| Temporaris Shell Dweller Telmatochromis temporalis Caution | Caution | Fish 2x+ larger may eat smaller tankmates · Multiple territorial species in the same swim layer cause stress · Species with non-overlapping pH ranges may not thrive together · close relatives, and one of them is territorial, so both claim the same kind of space Open pair in Compare → |
| Threespot eartheater Satanoperca daemon Caution | Caution | close relatives, and one of them is territorial, so both claim the same kind of space Open pair in Compare → |
| Venustus Cichlid Nimbochromis venustus Caution | Caution | Multiple territorial species in the same swim layer cause stress · Species with non-overlapping pH ranges may not thrive together · close relatives, and one of them is territorial, so both claim the same kind of space Open pair in Compare → |
Same rule engine as Compare. Not a substitute for observation, tank size, or acclimation.
Related species
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