New
Freshwater
Cichlid
More details
Severum Cichlid (Heros efasciatus)
Free
Free
Description
Often called the “poor man's discus,” the Severum is a peaceful, disk-shaped South American cichlid with a mellow personality and a range of beautiful color morphs, including green, gold, red-shoulder, and turquoise.
Difficulty Level
Intermediate Care
Region
Severum Cichlid (Heros efasciatus)
Core Details
Highlights
Care Level
/ 10
Generally hardy but needs clean water, space, and careful pairing. Sensitive to stress in smaller tanks or aggressive communities.
Environment Impact
/ 10
Almost all Severums in the hobby are captive-bred; wild populations are regionally stable but occasionally affected by habitat degradation.
Origin
Native to slow-moving and still waters in the upper Amazon Basin, especially in Peru and Brazil, where they inhabit flooded forests and blackwater tributaries.
Visual & Behavioral Appeal
Oval-bodied with graceful fin extensions and calm swimming behavior. Colors vary from olive green to vibrant golds and reds depending on morph. Some show iridescent blue speckling or bold shoulder markings.
Purpose
Ideal for peaceful South American biotope tanks or as a centerpiece in large community setups. Adds color and calm presence without the aggression of larger cichlids.
Importance
A flexible, manageable species for aquarists wanting to explore larger cichlids without excessive aggression. Breeding pairs exhibit fascinating parenting behavior.
Included Resources
Requires soft to moderately hard water with good filtration. Prefers driftwood, leaf litter, and shaded or low-flow areas. Sand or fine gravel substrate is ideal.
Best Use Cases
Great for Amazonian community tanks, planted tanks with robust species, or calm cichlid setups with schooling fish or bottom dwellers.
Conservation Context
Wild populations are not threatened, but habitat monitoring is important in parts of the Amazon basin. Widespread captive breeding supports sustainable trade.
Ideal Aquatic Species
• Angelfish, festivum cichlids
• Silver dollars, tetras (Congo, Bleeding Heart)
• Corydoras, Geophagus, plecos
• Avoid aggressive Central American cichlids or fin-nippers
Region (A)
• Latitude: -4.2765° S
• Longitude: -69.9406° W
(Iquitos region, Upper Amazon, Peru)
Region (B)
• Latitude: -3.1019° S
• Longitude: -60.0250° W
(Manaus region, Rio Negro tributaries, Brazil)
How Many Can I Keep?
Get smart stocking suggestions based on your tank size.
e.g. 75 gallons (280 L)
Severum Cichlid (Heros efasciatus)
Core Details
Highlights
Care Level
/ 10
Generally hardy but needs clean water, space, and careful pairing. Sensitive to stress in smaller tanks or aggressive communities.
Environment Impact
/ 10
Almost all Severums in the hobby are captive-bred; wild populations are regionally stable but occasionally affected by habitat degradation.
Origin
Native to slow-moving and still waters in the upper Amazon Basin, especially in Peru and Brazil, where they inhabit flooded forests and blackwater tributaries.
Visual & Behavioral Appeal
Oval-bodied with graceful fin extensions and calm swimming behavior. Colors vary from olive green to vibrant golds and reds depending on morph. Some show iridescent blue speckling or bold shoulder markings.
Purpose
Ideal for peaceful South American biotope tanks or as a centerpiece in large community setups. Adds color and calm presence without the aggression of larger cichlids.
Importance
A flexible, manageable species for aquarists wanting to explore larger cichlids without excessive aggression. Breeding pairs exhibit fascinating parenting behavior.
Included Resources
Requires soft to moderately hard water with good filtration. Prefers driftwood, leaf litter, and shaded or low-flow areas. Sand or fine gravel substrate is ideal.
Best Use Cases
Great for Amazonian community tanks, planted tanks with robust species, or calm cichlid setups with schooling fish or bottom dwellers.
Conservation Context
Wild populations are not threatened, but habitat monitoring is important in parts of the Amazon basin. Widespread captive breeding supports sustainable trade.
Ideal Aquatic Species
• Angelfish, festivum cichlids
• Silver dollars, tetras (Congo, Bleeding Heart)
• Corydoras, Geophagus, plecos
• Avoid aggressive Central American cichlids or fin-nippers
Region (A)
• Latitude: -4.2765° S
• Longitude: -69.9406° W
(Iquitos region, Upper Amazon, Peru)
Region (B)
• Latitude: -3.1019° S
• Longitude: -60.0250° W
(Manaus region, Rio Negro tributaries, Brazil)
How Many Can I Keep?
Get smart stocking suggestions based on your tank size.
e.g. 75 gallons (280 L)
Severum Cichlid (Heros efasciatus)
Core Details
Highlights
Care Level
/ 10
Generally hardy but needs clean water, space, and careful pairing. Sensitive to stress in smaller tanks or aggressive communities.
Environment Impact
/ 10
Almost all Severums in the hobby are captive-bred; wild populations are regionally stable but occasionally affected by habitat degradation.
Origin
Native to slow-moving and still waters in the upper Amazon Basin, especially in Peru and Brazil, where they inhabit flooded forests and blackwater tributaries.
Visual & Behavioral Appeal
Oval-bodied with graceful fin extensions and calm swimming behavior. Colors vary from olive green to vibrant golds and reds depending on morph. Some show iridescent blue speckling or bold shoulder markings.
Purpose
Ideal for peaceful South American biotope tanks or as a centerpiece in large community setups. Adds color and calm presence without the aggression of larger cichlids.
Importance
A flexible, manageable species for aquarists wanting to explore larger cichlids without excessive aggression. Breeding pairs exhibit fascinating parenting behavior.
Included Resources
Requires soft to moderately hard water with good filtration. Prefers driftwood, leaf litter, and shaded or low-flow areas. Sand or fine gravel substrate is ideal.
Best Use Cases
Great for Amazonian community tanks, planted tanks with robust species, or calm cichlid setups with schooling fish or bottom dwellers.
Conservation Context
Wild populations are not threatened, but habitat monitoring is important in parts of the Amazon basin. Widespread captive breeding supports sustainable trade.
Ideal Aquatic Species
• Angelfish, festivum cichlids
• Silver dollars, tetras (Congo, Bleeding Heart)
• Corydoras, Geophagus, plecos
• Avoid aggressive Central American cichlids or fin-nippers
Region (A)
• Latitude: -4.2765° S
• Longitude: -69.9406° W
(Iquitos region, Upper Amazon, Peru)
Region (B)
• Latitude: -3.1019° S
• Longitude: -60.0250° W
(Manaus region, Rio Negro tributaries, Brazil)
How Many Can I Keep?
Get smart stocking suggestions based on your tank size.
e.g. 75 gallons (280 L)
Severum Cichlid (Heros efasciatus)
Region
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