Re: My Severums (a report)

Nice report... just like mine... I had two, until one didn't like the way
the other looked... it was my fault, small tank, and one forced the other
out...   :(

I think the extension of the fins is a type of stretching move done after
eating.... I've seen it several times, but it's not a sign of mating or
bonding, just full...

--

RedForeman ©®





"TZ" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> I purchased 4 golden Severums as small juveniles about
> 9 months ago (in March 2003), they were about the
> length of an adult platy.  They went into my recently
> set-up community 75 Gallon, accompanying 2 keyholes,
> 6 skirt tetras, 3 platys, and 6 zebra danios.  I started off
> feeding them the usual "I like my fish" food, flakes in the
> morning, and frozen dried bloodworms/brineshrimp and/or
> freeze dried Hikari Cichlid Gold "mini" pellets which were
> too big for them to fit into their mouths so I got "baby"
> pellets for feeding to them, in the evening.
>
> During the first months, they were gentile fish.  They were
> peaceful, and playful amongst each other.  They started
> growing.
>
> By July, they were comfortable eating the "mini" pellets, and
> were able to consume a whole leave of Romaine lettuce in
> about 2 hours.  I started experimenting with peas and zuchini,
> which they showed a little bit of interest in, but lettuce seemed
> to be preferred.  I also started feeding some broken up freeze
> dried wardleys Krill, which they literally jumped out of the
> water for when I put that in.  There was clearly a dominant
> one, who would chase the smaller ones away from the leaf
> of lettuce, so I would break the lettuce into 2, and place half
> into each side of the tank.  They also were enjoying the algae
> discs.
>
> In September, their interest for veggies turned towards peas.
> They still enjoy lettuce, but peas seem to be of more interest.
> Taking frozen peas from the freezer, thawing them in a cup of
> cold water, then peeling them, and breaking them into about
> 8-16 pieces, they would devour and fight over them (the smaller
> pieces being eaten by the tetras and keyholes)! About 6 peas
> would feed the entire tank at this point.  Frozen bloodworms
> and brineshrimps are still relished as well.  The "baby" pellets
> are like jellybeans, and the "mini" pellets are like popcorn,
> they were eating them quickly.  They also eat raw brocoli
> flowerets.  The larger dominant one is getting larger than the
> others, and is excerting his dominance (I think he is a male,
> the anal fin is pointy).
>
> Just tonight (Dec 1st), the 2 largest ones are eating whole peas
> in one shot (no biting / chomping).  I'm now feeding about 20
> frozen peas to the tank in a serving.  The "baby" pellets are
> mostly eaten by the smaller fish, the Severums prefer the larger
> foods but will eat the smaller sized food if that is all that is given.
> They also eat cauliflower, spinach, lobster roe, lima beans,
> salmon (chopped up small), misc bugs in the house (house flies,
> mosquitos, lady bugs, ants), the zebra danios, and a white shrimp
> (people food).  (They won't eat carrots, parsley, celery leaves,
> peanuts, and pears.)  The large male is definitely the dominant
> one in the tank.  There are 2 females in the tank if I go by the
> fin patterns which I've read that them males have pointy anal fins.
> Oddly, he is especially aggressive towards both of the females
> (the 2 smallest Severums) and only partially aggressive towards
> the other one, who I still am undecided as to whether it is male
> or female, the anal fin is kinda pointy, not quite like his, but more
> pointy than the 2 smaller females.  I also now have 4 spotted
> cory's in the tank to help play clean-up for all the missed food
> particles.
>
> I've also noticed, that when they are well fed, and the water
> parameters are good (recent water change and pH is about 6.8
> or so) that they like to extent their dorsal fin straight up.  Is this
> a sign of something?
>
> They also have devoured all of the live plants in my tank.
> Anarchis.  Hornswort.
> They also eat baby snails.
>
> I just wanted to give my report, and see if anyone has anything
> to offer on how much bigger or how much more food these
> guys will be eating in the months to come?  Any idea when I
> might see them start to mate?
>
> Regards,
> TZ
>
>
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