(Please note that the fish shown in the photo is only a representative of what an adult specimen would look like. The color may vary based on the age and sex of the fish you receive.)
Scientific Name: Heros efasciatus
Common Name: Gold Severum
Adult Size: 6 - 8 inches
Life Expectancy: 10 - 13 years
Habitat: Amazon
Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons
Ideal Tank Conditions:
- Temperature Range: 78°F
- pH Range: 7.0 - 8.0
- Water Hardness: 5 - 20
Temperament: Can be aggressive if not given a large enough aquarium.
Diet & Nutrition: Omnivore, will eat flakes, pellets, freeze dried and live foods. Give them a varied diet with lots of protein.
Breeding & Spawning: Substrate spawning fish; they should be provided with some large flat stones to spawn on. Spawns are very large, with adult fish producing up to 1,000 eggs. They will protect and fan their eggs and the larvae, often moving them to different places in the tank. In about a week or so the fry should be free swimming, and can be fed newly hatched live baby brine shrimp. If that cannot be provided, frozen is a possible alternative; dry foods are a last resort.
Gender: Males will sometimes exhibit larger dorsal and anal fins, have markings on the gill plates and may develop a nuchal hump on the head.