Severum Fish: Price in India, Size and Care
Published: 2026-11-04 · FishyKart Blog
The severum is a large, calm South American cichlid with a deep, disc-shaped body, often called the "poor man's discus". In India it is sold mainly as young fish of colour strains such as the Red Spotted Severum. At FishyKart a 2 to 2.2 inch Red Spotted Severum is listed at ₹350. Plan for the adult fish: in aquariums severums usually reach 20-25 cm (8-10 inches) and need a tank about 120 cm (4 feet) long, roughly 240 litres. They do best at 22-29°C (72-84°F) and pH 5.5-7.0.
Photo: Trisha M Shears - Wikimedia Commons, public domain
Severum Fish Price in India
Prices below are taken from FishyKart's own store. They change with stock and offers, so open the product page for the current price.
| Fish | Size sold | Price at FishyKart |
|---|---|---|
| Red Spotted Severum | 2 to 2.2 inch | ₹350 (regular ₹499) |
| Green Terror Cichlid (possible tank mate) | juvenile | ₹99 |
| Salvini Cichlid (possible tank mate) | juvenile | ₹99 |
| Hi-Fin Pleco (bottom partner) | juvenile | ₹219 |
The price of a severum is only the start. Budget for the adult tank, a strong filter and a heater for winter, which cost far more than the fish.
Severum Care Sheet
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Heros efasciatus (often sold as Heros severus) |
| Origin | Amazon basin, South America |
| Adult size | 20-25 cm (8-10 in) in tanks; up to about 30 cm (12 in) |
| Minimum tank | 120 x 45 cm base, about 240 litres (64 gallons) |
| Temperature | 22-29°C (72-84°F) |
| pH | 5.5-7.0 |
| Hardness | 1-8 dGH (soft to moderately hard) |
| Diet | Omnivore: pellets, bloodworm, earthworm, blanched spinach and peas |
| Temperament | Fairly peaceful for its size; eats small fish |
Sources: SeriouslyFish species profile for Heros efasciatus; FishBase for Heros severus.
Which Fish Is the "Severum"?
For decades the aquarium severum was sold as Heros severus. Today SeriouslyFish lists the common aquarium severum as Heros efasciatus from the Amazon, while FishBase uses Heros severus for a fish from the upper Orinoco and upper Rio Negro basins. Shops, including ours, still use both names. For care it makes little difference: all severums in the trade are large, deep-bodied cichlids from soft, warm South American water.
Size and Growth
A severum sold at 2 inches is a baby. SeriouslyFish notes that it often reaches 20-25 cm in aquariums, and many buyers underestimate the adult size. Severums grow fairly slowly for a large cichlid, and the full colour of strains such as Red Spotted can take a year or more to develop. Males grow larger than females and show wavy markings on the gill covers; older males may develop a small hump on the forehead and longer fins.
Tank Setup
- Size: 240 litres (64 gallons) or more for one adult, with a 120 cm (4 feet) long base. A pair or group needs more.
- Filtration: a canister or large hang-on filter; severums are messy eaters.
- Temperature: keep it within 22-29°C. In hot months water can climb above 29°C in a closed room, so give the tank shade and air flow; in north Indian winters a heater is needed.
- Decor: driftwood, smooth rocks and sand. A flat stone gives a pair a spawning site. Severums eat and uproot soft plants, so use hardy ones such as Anubias and Java fern tied to wood.
- Water changes: 25-30% weekly. Soft, slightly acidic water is ideal, but stable water matters more than an exact pH.
Photo: lienyuan lee - Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Colour Varieties
All severum strains are the same fish with different colour. The wild-type green severum has dark vertical bars on a greenish-gold body. The gold severum is the best-known bred form. The Red Spotted Severum, the form FishyKart sells, is a gold-based strain bred for red-orange spots that get stronger with age. Other names you may see in India include Rotkeil (red-headed) and Turquoise severum.
Tank Mates
Severums are fairly mild-mannered outside spawning, but any fish that fits in their mouth is food. SeriouslyFish also notes that some single severums turn nasty as they mature. Good partners are similar-sized, robust fish:
- Other medium South American cichlids such as the Salvini cichlid or Green Terror, in a large tank with broken sight lines.
- Calm Oscars, only in a much larger tank than a severum alone needs.
- Large plecos and silver dollars.
Avoid small tetras, guppies and shrimp, and do not mix severums with very aggressive cichlids such as Flowerhorns.
Feeding
Severums are omnivores and not fussy. Feed a good cichlid pellet as the base, add frozen or live bloodworm and earthworm pieces, and give vegetable food such as blanched spinach or peas a few times a week. Feed young fish twice a day and adults once a day, only what they finish in a couple of minutes.
Breeding
Severums form pairs. The pair cleans a flat stone or root, lays the eggs there and both parents guard them. FishBase records up to 200 eggs per spawn and parental care lasting up to six weeks, with the young taken into the parents' mouths. The fry are large enough to eat newly hatched brine shrimp. Breeding pairs become territorial, so give them space or a separate tank.
Buy a Severum at FishyKart
FishyKart lists young Red Spotted Severums at 2 to 2.2 inches. For other large South American cichlids, see the types of cichlids guide.
View Red Spotted Severum → Browse Cichlids →