Please help with severums

[Bel]

I hope to get a pairing up of severums. Here's where I'm at....

Originally I started with two, a green and a gold. I couldnt tell the sex (they are both 4 inches)

There was a bit of jaw locking, chasing occasionally, but nothing concrete to indicate what sex either one is. I had them in a smaller tank temporarily and while in there, the green would chase the gold one, but no real aggression. Upon moving them into a large tank, tables turned and gold would chase the green.

I found two more four days ago, a little bigger, so decided (wrongly or rightly I dont know), to add them to see if a pair would form out of the four. First couple of days all was peaceful in the tank.. no chasing. Then the gold began to chase the green again, both ignoring the new fish.

I'll mention at this time that although I dont know the sex of the new ones, one has a face with absolutely no markings, the other has very faint markings only on the gill area.. nothing that is prominant. Both greens, btw.

I dont know what happened, but now the little green is chasing the gold.. relentlessly! I now at least think he is male, because suddenly markings and colour that was never really apparent before is apparent now.. turquoise and rust on face and head, and his dorsal and pectoral fins are burgundy rather than a faint rust, and there seems to be a small protrusion from his vent area.

I havent a clue if he is chasing the gold wanting to mate, or if the gold is actually a male and he wants to eliminate him. The other two are still being ignored by the two original fish,.. as if they arent even there. Can someone please tell me what might be going on so I can decide to either remove the gold or allow this chasing to continue? I dont want the gold to get hurt.

forgive my long-winded post.. just wanted to clearly state whats happening.

Can someone who is familiar with severums tell me what is going on with my fish so I can decide what to do next?

Bel

 

[Purple]

Severums are territorial, and will defend positions established in the tank. If two fish go into a new tank together, they will continue the old battle while the new fish look on to see whats left to colonise. It's going to take time to settle down.

Lip locking is a male/male thing (I think), so there's your answer to one question. In answer to your next.......you'll know when you've got a pair, they will play but not fight, and they will chase the others away. That's when you get rid of the other two, or you'll have problems in the long run when they get to full size and demand more space to nest.

Good luck - they're lovely fish to keep.

 

[Bel]

Thanks for the reply, Purple

I had read that lip locking was more common to pre-spawing in severums, so thats why I was so confused about it.

Today things have settled down considerably, I see. The green is only half heartedly chasing, and it seems to be more gentle. A bit of mild tail swatting, and certainly none of the frantic chasing I witnessed yesterday.

I guess all i can do is keep a close watch and see what comes of it.

B

 

[Purple]

No worries - welcome to the tank

I started out with 3 gold and 3 green. The gold stuck together and there was little interaction with other fish. After a while, the whole (mixed) population started to choke the tank as they grew, so I took the 3 gold to the LFS, and kept the greens. Two of the greens formed up as a pair, and the remaining green was vigorously excluded from any contact with the pair as they then staked out one corner of the tank as theirs, and would even chase the Oscars out of it. Then the odd one out went to the LFS, and I had a mated pair.

It's a long process, but it's better to have the fish make the decision, rather than rush things and have them change their minds later. Then you're back to square one.