Gold severum

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 almost every severum in shops, gold ones included, is actually H. efasciatus.

Gold severums reach roughly 20 centimetres 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.

Give a pair at least 200 litres of soft, warm water around 22 to 29 degrees Celsius at a slightly acidic to neutral pH, 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.