Help!! What's wrong with my severum?

[thoughtprocess]

I recently bought a 55 gallon tank. I let it Cycle for almost a week after I put all the vegatation in and I treated all the water with stress coat as I added the water.
I intoduced my first fish into the tank with no problems, they were baby convict cichlids. Then I put in a Gold Severum, about 3-4 inches, into the tank. It swam around by the power head yesterday. Today, it sat at the top of the tank, hidden behind some floating vegation. I decided to add a few more plants for him to hid in, and he jumped!! He flew to the bottom of the tank, sideways, looking up at the top of the tank, in a cluster of plants. His barely reponds. What's wrong? Did I not do, or do something wrong? Should I move him?
Any advice would be helpful, thanks

 

[sugarbear001]

umm just from reading posts not the best fish to put in a cycling tank it takes more than a week to cycle a tank and you need to check water nitrates nitites ph and all that stuff,, get him to a tank that has been established for a while or back to the lfs. Froggy, Gromer, Conman just to name a few.... your input

 

[Cichlid-Man]

Well.....Severums can be very shy fish just like their cousins the Discus. They have to get to know their owner and their home. Its just not settled in yet i would say. I'd acctually get another 1 to put in. They feel better with others around.

 

[exodon]

severum

your severum sounds stressed out, but you must make sure everything else about the tank is ok first.
Check the pH, Ammonia, and Nitrites. If all ok, then consider if the pH and stuff if ok for all the fish you have. Some like different waters than others. Check heater and temp. Check surrounding temp. Remember...The warmer the water, the more AIR you have to put in.
Next thing to look at is the landscape. The more open space you have, the MORE your fish willl hide.
Its psychological. Its all about being secure. Feeling safe.

If there is problems w/ your water, fix it fiirst and fast, so you dont lose the severum. Severums are fairly tough and can handle some chemical influxs.

Hope this helps
Exodon

 

[Dragonett]

The fish sounds very stressed out. Like Cichlid-Man said, getting another one or two may help dramatically. Discus are the same way, they do not like being kept alone. They like to be kept in small groups.

Also, checking your water's stats may also be helpful. Good luck with him.

 

[moricollins]

definately check the water conditions (nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia) as well as pH. you needed to let your tank cycle for much longer than a week, it takes well over a month to fishless cycle a tank.... also the convicts may be harrassing your severum which is why he was hiding at the top of the tank before you startled him....

 

[Cichlid-Man]

Are your convicts a pair? how many you have in there?

55gal is enough room for a pair of convicts and a Severum without any problem......should be.

Check the water parameters and stuff and get another severum......IMO.

 

[dana307]

THE TANK IS NOT CYCLED. Get that gorgeous fish out of there. Wait a month until your tank has cycled before you kill such a nice fish. Danios are good for cycling - not Severums. Hate to sound so harsh but not cycling a tank seems to be a HUGE mistake many people (and staff at LFS's) make. Drives me bananas. I lost a severum to ick and it was such a heartbreak. They are so neat.

 

[cowlovergirl]

I'm actually having the same problem with a molly. She went in the tank just fine and was okay for a few hours. Then I checked on them before going to bed and I thought she was dead. Then I put the scoop in the water and she started to swim just fine. Now she in the 20 gallon tank that has been cycling for over a month now. She is on the bottom of the tank just sitting there. I put some stress zime - or stress coat , I can't remember which, in there today, and she seems a little bit better.

I hope she won't die on us. I've really grown attatched to this particular molly. It's like she is playing dead or something..

 

[AmazonTankz]

Hmm, well he did say that the convicts are babies so they probably aren't paired yet.
Yes, 1wk is offly soon to be adding a Severum, but it sounds like this is a planted tank, plants will take care at least a little ammonia right away so thats a plus.
Even still, I would say that your severum is very stressed and freaked out if you will.... did you just buy him? If so being 3-4in he is used to another life style and differnt water per. (in an established tank) his disposion(sp?) maybee shy to begin with. I would give him sometime, watch him around the convicts make sure they aren't picking on him. And yes, getting another one might help, but with your tank not being cycled I don't know if it would be a great idea to do that right away.....

Good luck! I'll hope for the best.