Heros severus rotkeil
The Heros severus rotkeil is naturally found in the Orinoco River basin in Colombia and Venezuela, the Amazon River basin and the upper reaches of the Negro River basin. It is one of the most attractive fish of all the Severaum. On the domestic market, these fish appeared relatively recently, but have already become quite popular among aquarists, thanks to its unpretentious and peaceful disposition.
The Heros severus rotkeil is greenish or silvery in colour. At the back of the gill lids is a spot of orange or red. The entire forehead area of males is dotted with dark spots. Males and females are very similar, but females are slightly paler and have no spots on their heads. The maximum size of the fish is about 25 cm.
The Heros severus rotkeil is generally peaceful and, when kept in a community aquarium, can get along well with other fish. Aggressive Severum red-shouldered become only during the spawning period. These fish can easily be kept in the same aquarium with acaras, parrots, tetras. Keep in mind that the northern fish become quite large, so in the neighborhood of them to pick up the fast fish of comparable size.
To contain a pair of fish need an aquarium of 200 liters. Use coarse-grained river sand as substrate. It is not recommended to plant plants in the aquarium, as the fish are constantly digging in the substrate and will sooner or later pull all the plants out of the ground along with their roots. Furthermore, the fish also eat the leaves, so any plant growing in the aquarium is doomed. The fish need to provide shelter at the bottom, where they may swim freely and feel secure. Also, provide a free place for the fish to swim.
Water parameters: temperature 25-28° C, hardness dH 12-24°, pH 6,8-7,4. Requires high quality filtration, powerful aeration of the water, as well as a weekly change of 1/3 of the aquarium water with fresh water.
The diet of the fish consists of a variety of plant and animal foods. The general fish diet should be dominated by plant food: pre-boiled lettuce and spinach, spirulina, flake food, chaff, shrimp meat. Feed the fish once or twice a day.
Reproduction
Fish reach sexual maturity at the age of about a year and a half. Spawning Red-shouldered Seahorses in general is not difficult, much harder to form a pair of producers.
Spawning stimulate the lowering of water temperature to 23° C, and then a gradual increase to 28° C, coupled with the substitution of 1/10th of fresh aquarium water 2 times a week.
Spawning is preceded by mating games, when the fish perform a peculiar dance with their mouths clenched together. After that, the producers clean the surface of a large flat rock of dirt, and the female hatch eggs on it. The male immediately fertilizes the eggs. The clutch is taken care of by both producers.
The larvae hatch out after 3 days. The fry first feed on excrement excreted from the epithelium of the parents. The fry grow slowly and by a month old they are about 1 cm in size.
The fry are fed with artemia nauplii and daphnia, and by the age of three months they are fed with chopped earthworms and bloodworms.
The life expectancy of the Heros severus rotkeil is about 15 years.
