Cichlid ID Please

[Happy'Cam'per]

Greetings

I bought a Cichlid over the weekend that the LFS guy named a "Deacon". Its
almost got the same shape as discus but not quite! It has vertical bands
over the length of its body. Its still a juvenile and colours have not
started coming through yet so its a dirty brown colour at the moment, the
LFS guy tells me that they colour up amazingly and get to about 15 cm long.
Does anyone have a clue what this fish is and can you supply me with a
scientific name? I'll try post pics tomorrow but if anyone knows offhand
from the description given it would be great. Many thanks indeed.
--
Kind Regards
Cameron

[Sandy Birrell]

Happy'Cam'per wrote:
> Greetings
>
> I bought a Cichlid over the weekend that the LFS guy named a "Deacon".
> Its almost got the same shape as discus but not quite! It has vertical
> bands over the length of its body. Its still a juvenile and colours have
> not started coming through yet so its a dirty brown colour at the
> moment, the LFS guy tells me that they colour up amazingly and get to
> about 15 cm long. Does anyone have a clue what this fish is and can you
> supply me with a scientific name? I'll try post pics tomorrow but if
> anyone knows offhand from the description given it would be great. Many
> thanks indeed.

It's a juvenile "Severum", see link below.



http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.asp?speciesID=458



--

Don`t Worry, Be Happy
Sandy
--
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Website:- http://www.ftscotland.co.uk
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[Happy'Cam'per]

"Sandy Birrell" > wrote in message
. ..
>
> It's a juvenile "Severum", see link below.
> http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.asp?speciesID=458


Thank you wee Scottish Lassie ;)
Indeed that could be it but its hard to tell from the pic as mine is still
but a wee bairn. I will call up the LFS tomorrow (closed on Mondays) and
find out if it was the Severum, I'll let you know whatever it is. Thanks
again Sandy :)

Kind Regards
Cameron

[Sandy Birrell]

Happy'Cam'per wrote:
> "Sandy Birrell" > wrote in message
> . ..
>>
>> It's a juvenile "Severum", see link below.
>> http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.asp?speciesID=458
>
>
> Thank you wee Scottish Lassie ;)
> Indeed that could be it but its hard to tell from the pic as mine is
> still but a wee bairn. I will call up the LFS tomorrow (closed on
> Mondays) and find out if it was the Severum, I'll let you know whatever
> it is. Thanks again Sandy :)
>
> Kind Regards
> Cameron

That's "Sandy" with a "y" not an "ie" :) My wife is looking at me kind of
strange now :) Picture below :)

www.ftscotland.co.uk/gallery/sandyb.jpg

--

Don`t Worry, Be Happy
Sandy
--
E-Mail:-
Website:- http://www.ftscotland.co.uk
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[Happy'Cam'per]

"Sandy Birrell" > wrote in message
...
>
> That's "Sandy" with a "y" not an "ie" :) My wife is looking at me kind of
> strange now :) Picture below :)
>
> www.ftscotland.co.uk/gallery/sandyb.jpg

Bloody hell, I did the same thing to a guy named Lesley here on a local
mailing list......DOH....My apologies MR. Birrell :)

Since you have ID'd this wee blighter I have done some research and it
appears that I have made a bad choice! I have a pair of these bought
yesterday that have been put into a (mistake 1) 3 foot (mistake 2) planted
tank. From the research it appears that they require at minimum double the
size of my tank and apparently they dig and tear up plants profusely!!!!!
This is an awful shame as they truly are magnificent looking fish. I thought
I would take a chance with them but it appears to not be paying off. Do you
think I should keep them a while or give them away while the goings good?
Are all Severums as destructive as they say? Thanks again for your advice
and apologies on the gender issue :) Cheers for now.

Kind Regards
Cameron

[Sandy Birrell]

Happy'Cam'per wrote:
>
> Bloody hell, I did the same thing to a guy named Lesley here on a local
> mailing list......DOH....My apologies MR. Birrell :)

Not a problem, it's happened a few times before :)


>
> Since you have ID'd this wee blighter I have done some research and it
> appears that I have made a bad choice! I have a pair of these bought
> yesterday that have been put into a (mistake 1) 3 foot (mistake 2)
> planted tank. From the research it appears that they require at minimum
> double the size of my tank and apparently they dig and tear up plants
> profusely!!!!! This is an awful shame as they truly are magnificent
> looking fish. I thought I would take a chance with them but it appears
> to not be paying off. Do you think I should keep them a while or give
> them away while the goings good? Are all Severums as destructive as they
> say? Thanks again for your advice and apologies on the gender issue :)
> Cheers for now.
>
> Kind Regards
> Cameron

I can't help there, I have never kept Severums all I did was google "deacon
cichlid" and the link I gave was top of the list :)

--

Don`t Worry, Be Happy
Sandy
--
E-Mail:-
Website:- http://www.ftscotland.co.uk
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[Derek Benson]

On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 16:05:42 +0200, "Happy'Cam'per" > wrote:

>Since you have ID'd this wee blighter I have done some research and it
>appears that I have made a bad choice! I have a pair of these bought
>yesterday that have been put into a (mistake 1) 3 foot (mistake 2) planted
>tank. From the research it appears that they require at minimum double the
>size of my tank and apparently they dig and tear up plants profusely!!!!!
>This is an awful shame as they truly are magnificent looking fish. I thought
>I would take a chance with them but it appears to not be paying off. Do you
>think I should keep them a while or give them away while the goings good?
>Are all Severums as destructive as they say? Thanks again for your advice
>and apologies on the gender issue :) Cheers for now.
>
>Kind Regards
>Cameron
>
>
Your tank is fine for the fish right now, 3 feet long is plenty.
Severums do not grow as fast as Oscars, if they get too big for the
tank a couple years from now you can trade them in for something new
at that future time. I believe Severums can grow a bit larger than 15
cm also. I've never had Severums bother any plants, but I've never had
these fish any larger than maybe 5-6 cm (?). I think they start
digging around the plants as they get larger, as adults.

-Derek

[Happy'Cam'per]

Thanks Sandy and Derek

Derek, I've decided that I'll keep them UNTIL they start turning my tank
into a salad bar, I've put too much effort into the plants to let them be
destroyed. So until then they've got a cooshy place to stay. Thanks for the
ID and wonderful advice. Cheers.
--
Kind Regards
Cameron

"Derek Benson" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 16:05:42 +0200, "Happy'Cam'per" > wrote:
>
> Your tank is fine for the fish right now, 3 feet long is plenty.
> Severums do not grow as fast as Oscars, if they get too big for the
> tank a couple years from now you can trade them in for something new
> at that future time. I believe Severums can grow a bit larger than 15
> cm also. I've never had Severums bother any plants, but I've never had
> these fish any larger than maybe 5-6 cm (?). I think they start
> digging around the plants as they get larger, as adults.
>
> -Derek

[m]

You might want to take a look at this article:
http://www.calgaryaquariumsociety.com/Articles/The_Dirt_Cheap_Discus.html
Biased, but interesting hehe

-m

pOn Tue, 12 Apr 2005 15:18:17 +0200, "Happy'Cam'per" > wrote:

>
>Thanks Sandy and Derek
>
>Derek, I've decided that I'll keep them UNTIL they start turning my tank
>into a salad bar, I've put too much effort into the plants to let them be
>destroyed. So until then they've got a cooshy place to stay. Thanks for the
>ID and wonderful advice. Cheers.

[Happy'Cam'per]

Greetings M

Thanks for that wonderful article, I really enjoyed that.
--
Kind Regards
Cameron

"m" > wrote in message
...
> You might want to take a look at this article:
> http://www.calgaryaquariumsociety.com/Articles/The_Dirt_Cheap_Discus.html
> Biased, but interesting hehe
>
> -m
>
> pOn Tue, 12 Apr 2005 15:18:17 +0200, "Happy'Cam'per" > wrote:
>
> >
> >Thanks Sandy and Derek
> >
> >Derek, I've decided that I'll keep them UNTIL they start turning my tank
> >into a salad bar, I've put too much effort into the plants to let them be
> >destroyed. So until then they've got a cooshy place to stay. Thanks for
the
> >ID and wonderful advice. Cheers.
>

[Craig]

severums...looks im the only person who likes keeping severums.

i had a breeding pair in a tank full of java fern many years ago. took
them about a month before they took it all apart and started digging.

i now keep a wild pair in a 55 gal tank. they grow to about 8 " and
their generally peaceful with larger fish but may pick off anything
little enough to eat but wont willing hunt for them.

they WILL eat all your plants no matter what.

their a nice fish, full of personality and interest. give them a chance,
youll grow to love them.



--
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[Jeff Gagnon]

Craig,

You talk about severums eating all your plants.

I had a 55g tank in the bedroom - with a timer on the light. It had one
of Eugene Danner's "Aqua-Master" power filters on it. The sound of the
rippling water was a great way to fall asleep.

Had about 6-7 "Silver Dollars" in it for over 5 years. They had grown to
about 5". Also had a couple of plecos and a few armored cats.

While browsing my favorite local aquarium, I noticed some 1=BD" fish
that I assumed were piranhas. The owner said "No"... that they were a
strictly vegetarian relative called "Pacu".
I thought that a couple of them would make a nice addition to the
bedroom tank, so I purchased a pair of them... also the vegetarian
"pellet food" that the owner recommended.

As juveniles, they only "pecked" a little at the plants. Long story
short - they are the fastest growing fish I have ever had! Six months
later they were "powerful" 5in.+ fish...barely longer than the Silver
Dollars, but easily three times as heavy. There wasn't a hint of a plant
left in the tank. I moved all the rocks to the back to give them
swimming room.

The "Large" veg. pellet food, in the biggest containers that I could
find, was starting to become a real expense as they continued to grow. I
started buying bags of spinach at the grocery store, just rinsing off
the insecticides, and shovelling it in. By the time they were a year
old, they were 10 in. long (I had put the Silver Dollars into another
tank) and they were eating up (and "processing") a 12 oz. bag of spinach
every day.

The filter would need cleaning once a week - instead of every couple of
months! When it was dark, in the middle of the night, one or both would
charge! from one end of the tank to the other. They made such a loud
noise as they hit the glass "full speed" with their heads that 1.) It
would wake you up, and 2.) I was afraid that one of them was going to
crack the glass.

That was it for me. I gave them to a friend for his own 55g tank. His
tank was downstairs. He liked them... especially because he could
casually tell people that they were piranhas. They were just about a
foot long, last time I saw them. And they do "look" ferocious. Any "Pacu
Stories" out there?

Jeff

[bassett]

It's a wonder your Silver dollars hadn't cleaned up all your plants.
bassett

"Jeff Gagnon" > wrote in message
...
Craig,

You talk about severums eating all your plants.

I had a 55g tank in the bedroom - with a timer on the light. It had one
of Eugene Danner's "Aqua-Master" power filters on it. The sound of the
rippling water was a great way to fall asleep.

Had about 6-7 "Silver Dollars" in it for over 5 years. They had grown to
about 5". Also had a couple of plecos and a few armored cats.

While browsing my favorite local aquarium, I noticed some 1½" fish
that I assumed were piranhas. The owner said "No"... that they were a
strictly vegetarian relative called "Pacu".
I thought that a couple of them would make a nice addition to the
bedroom tank, so I purchased a pair of them... also the vegetarian
"pellet food" that the owner recommended.

As juveniles, they only "pecked" a little at the plants. Long story
short - they are the fastest growing fish I have ever had! Six months
later they were "powerful" 5in.+ fish...barely longer than the Silver
Dollars, but easily three times as heavy. There wasn't a hint of a plant
left in the tank. I moved all the rocks to the back to give them
swimming room.

The "Large" veg. pellet food, in the biggest containers that I could
find, was starting to become a real expense as they continued to grow. I
started buying bags of spinach at the grocery store, just rinsing off
the insecticides, and shovelling it in. By the time they were a year
old, they were 10 in. long (I had put the Silver Dollars into another
tank) and they were eating up (and "processing") a 12 oz. bag of spinach
every day.

The filter would need cleaning once a week - instead of every couple of
months! When it was dark, in the middle of the night, one or both would
charge! from one end of the tank to the other. They made such a loud
noise as they hit the glass "full speed" with their heads that 1.) It
would wake you up, and 2.) I was afraid that one of them was going to
crack the glass.

That was it for me. I gave them to a friend for his own 55g tank. His
tank was downstairs. He liked them... especially because he could
casually tell people that they were piranhas. They were just about a
foot long, last time I saw them. And they do "look" ferocious. Any "Pacu
Stories" out there?

Jeff