Hi All,
I got some great help with a new Severum in the sick fish forum, and I thought I'd share my experience with introducing this territorial fish to a tank with some other territorial fish. My stocking is temporary in the sense that I know these fish will outgrow it.
The tank is a 45 acrylic bowfront that already had a 4' gourami and a 2" bolivian ram. When I first introduced the 3" severum, the gourami went crazy and chased it around whipping it with it's two feelers. It was relentless for about 5 minutes, then I removed the gourami to a 5g tank.
I realized the next day that the severum was sick, so I put it in the 5g tank and the gourami back in the 45g. However, during the switch they were both in the 5g for a minute, during which they didn't bother each other being to busy fearing me; this sparked an idea.
The severum got sicker for awhile, but eventually got better. After a few weeks, it was time to incorporate the severum into the 45g community.
In hopes of alleviating the agression, I put the ram and the gourami in the 5g with the severum. Thinking the comparative large size of the 45 would feel roomy when I moved them back. As you can imagine, it was crowded, but they seemed almost okay. The severum bullied them a little, but really not that much. Just enough to put them in their place and show them who got there first.
I was planning to do this for a day or two with heavy water changing, but I'm a softy and couldn't tolerate even the mild bullying. So, after a couple hours they all got dumped into the 45g. There was some minor squabbling, but they seem to have worked it out. Severum is benevolent a king, allowing the ram to have a small slice where he likes to be as long as the ram doesn't get too uppity. The gourami wishes he was still king, but doesn't contest the throne, with only a periodic nudge when the two meet. The nice thing here is that the severum owns the tank, but is laid back, whereas, if the gourami was King the severum would get harassed without mercy.
Anyway, I'm sure they will outgrow this peaceful arraignment, but for now it's awesome to see them all in there. I worry a little about the gourami's damaged ego, but he's a tough bugger and I can always re-tank.
Cheers All,
Mark
I got some great help with a new Severum in the sick fish forum, and I thought I'd share my experience with introducing this territorial fish to a tank with some other territorial fish. My stocking is temporary in the sense that I know these fish will outgrow it.
The tank is a 45 acrylic bowfront that already had a 4' gourami and a 2" bolivian ram. When I first introduced the 3" severum, the gourami went crazy and chased it around whipping it with it's two feelers. It was relentless for about 5 minutes, then I removed the gourami to a 5g tank.
I realized the next day that the severum was sick, so I put it in the 5g tank and the gourami back in the 45g. However, during the switch they were both in the 5g for a minute, during which they didn't bother each other being to busy fearing me; this sparked an idea.
The severum got sicker for awhile, but eventually got better. After a few weeks, it was time to incorporate the severum into the 45g community.
In hopes of alleviating the agression, I put the ram and the gourami in the 5g with the severum. Thinking the comparative large size of the 45 would feel roomy when I moved them back. As you can imagine, it was crowded, but they seemed almost okay. The severum bullied them a little, but really not that much. Just enough to put them in their place and show them who got there first.
I was planning to do this for a day or two with heavy water changing, but I'm a softy and couldn't tolerate even the mild bullying. So, after a couple hours they all got dumped into the 45g. There was some minor squabbling, but they seem to have worked it out. Severum is benevolent a king, allowing the ram to have a small slice where he likes to be as long as the ram doesn't get too uppity. The gourami wishes he was still king, but doesn't contest the throne, with only a periodic nudge when the two meet. The nice thing here is that the severum owns the tank, but is laid back, whereas, if the gourami was King the severum would get harassed without mercy.
Anyway, I'm sure they will outgrow this peaceful arraignment, but for now it's awesome to see them all in there. I worry a little about the gourami's damaged ego, but he's a tough bugger and I can always re-tank.
Cheers All,
Mark
