Severum ID please

[iain geddes]

Having just bought a breeding pair of severum from my LFS labelled "blue faced severum" i was trying to find a little more information about them. There is someone on this site who has lots of info so hope he can help me out.
Pic attached shows the larger male showing an ice blue colour, normally they are both very dark blue. I've had them in my 100 uk gallon tank with a 9 inch oscar for a few days now and the male changes to this colour when the oscar nears.

Have i been sold a pair of mutts? I can't find anything on blue faced severum


Thanks in advance

Iain

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[jmf3460]

Iain,
Im sure the resident expert, Ryan, will be along shortly to tell you what that is. He is beautiful, I love the red eyes. He looks young so possibly the coloration wont fill out until he reaches adulthood.

[iain geddes]

A few more pics to help.
Female being chased by the Oscar
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[iain geddes]

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[Ryan]

I've never heard of a "blue faced severum," though most of the efasciatus types and rotkeils will show blue faces when they are comfortable. This is a pretty common trait among severums.

There is a fish known in Europe as Heros sp. Blau, the blue severum, which is a primarily grey/blue color. These fish usually have a light/white iris, though, and yours are clearly yellow and red. Here are some pictures of Heros sp. Blau: http://www.augenfleckbuntbarsche.de/sp-blau.html

For now, until they color up more, I'd just say they're a variant of Heros efasciatus, the greens. There are also the turquoise severums (H. appendiculatus) which usually have an overall darker, bluer coloration, but that species was collapsed into efasciatus several years ago and they are all considered one and the same now.

I'm curious how you know they're a pair. Are you sure they've bred? The reason I ask is because I don't see facial markings on either fish in the pictures. All male severums have a striated pattern on the gills and across the bridge of the nose, but the faces on both your fish appear solid. That would indicate two females. It's possible that the markings are there and I just can't see them because of the picture quality.

[iain geddes]

Yeah I have been looking all day for markings on the male but can't see any either.
I first saw them in my lfs on Sunday, went back on Monday to purchase them and the had spawned
Larger of the 2 with the red eyes was chasing anything that came close while the smaller one stayed guard.

They are definitely a dark blue colour, will get my proper camera out later to try and get better shots.

[iain geddes]

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[iain geddes]

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[Ryan]

Both fish appear to be female. It's not uncommon for female cichlids to pair off and lay eggs together.

Given that they still have an underlying teal/green color in addition to the blue, it's a pretty safe bet they're H. efasciatus. There are no markings or colors to suggest otherwise.

I had a female severum that was given to me a few years ago and she was solid grey with a maroon anal fin and dark maroon spots on her cheek. She spawned multiple times with a male green that I had, but all of their fry looked just like her. They had no markings, no striation other than a few maroon spots/lines around the mouth and cheek, and a drab grey color. I have never seen another severum like her and I have no idea what she was or why her fry looked identical to her, despite the male being a really colorful fish. These kind of remind me of her, but more blue/green than grey.

[iain geddes]

Thanks for all of your help Ryan
Going to keep an eye on them for a few weeks to see how my Oscar gets along with them.

[Exotic-Discus]

Super Red Severum Pair had babies few weeks ago.
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[Ryan]

That sort of proves what if suspected about super reds...

[Exotic-Discus]

That sort of proves what if suspected about super reds...
Please explain your statement............

[Ryan]

The fry appear to be golds, not super reds. So I don't think the super reds breed true (or maybe at all).

[Exotic-Discus]

The fry appear to be golds, not super reds. So I don't think the super reds breed true (or maybe at all).
I have been breeding Red severum for over a decade now and these are S. Red Severum babies at 3 1/2 weeks to one month old that is how they show their color, pictures does not give them justice. they start to show some red, but very light. They actually start to color up at 2.5 to 3 months and up. I will post updated pictures and you will see. My breeding pairs were imported from Taiwan. Please don't judge the book by it's cover or no facts.
Super Red Severum at 3.5 to 4 inches showing nice red color.
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[Ryan]

It's not easy to find facts because when they appeared on the market from Asia no one would explain how they were created. Tons of hobbyists in the states have them and they either don't breed at all, or they breed but don't produce red fry. Can you shed any light on how they were created, and do they breed 100% true like electric blue rams or acaras?

[Exotic-Discus]

You are right about hard to find the information about S.Red Severum. I am just bred these severum cuz I like them. From what I know the Red severum comes from Taiwan and Indonesia. Red-spot severum is a just a variant of the gold severum that has been severely line-bred for added red colour. Most Red Severum male are infertile. If you do find a fertile male the price is high. In Taiwan Mr Wan Nang, the creator of the best Super King Kong Parrot fish once told me that he did cross breed a skkp and a red severum to achieve the deep red color and how true is it? that I don't know since I did not see it with my own eyes. The Red severum that comes from Taiwan has a more deep red color than the one that come from Indo. I believe that in Indonesia they breed the red with the gold severum and when you do that it washed out the red fry because it dilute the gene pool.

It is hard to find answer to your question because most breeders in Asia will not give you the straight answer and to them that is their trade secret. Over the years I have breed different combination of severum and the result boils down to the dominance within the genes. So we can assume that the Red severum does not breed 100% true.