My Green Severum Being Overly Shy...Please Help!

Recently i added some chiclids,one juv golden sev and one juv green sev... Everyone one is doing fine except the green sev.On the contrary to its size...he is not eating recently... everytime shying away from me whenever i want top open tank lid...Most of the time i see him is eating something from gravels...i dont know what... Whenever i am not there and i come suddenly i see him at the top...but whenever i come he again goes to the bottom...offering them pellets and shrimps...its been three days now..His colour is also disappearing... Whereas from the same aquarium shop from the same tank...the golden swv is doing good...at the time of feeding he chases some of my malawi chiclids and been doing over eating every session...The water parameters are fine and the temperature is set at 28 degree celsius...

Two things jump out.

First, combining SA Cichlids with Malawis will probably get you dead severum, in time. The levels of aggression and their needs in terms of tank set up do not work together.

Second, you may simply have two male severum. The fact the gold one dares chase the Malawis suggests he's pretty amped up, and if he has claimed the tank, he has ways of letting green sev know not to do things like eating on his turf.

What should i do then?

I have two sevs,one powder blue cichlid,one pearl white chichlid,one yellow cichlid and two malawi chichlids...

I checked now he was at the top of the tank but the moment i went there the green sev swam to the bottom....i dont know why he is spooked by me...

Update : My tank water is full of bubbles idk why

GaryE said:

Two things jump out.

First, combining SA Cichlids with Malawis will probably get you dead severum, in time. The levels of aggression and their needs in terms of tank set up do not work together.

Second, you may simply have two male severum. The fact the gold one dares chase the Malawis suggests he's pretty amped up, and if he has claimed the tank, he has ways of letting green sev know not to do things like eating on his turf.

Click to expand...

Update : Last night my tank water was full of bubbles....now it is again clear...And after today feeding session,i figured out two things:
My gold sev chasing down the malawi chichlids and the green sev aggressively....and he didnt took feed today...idk what a mess has happened....i am thinking to change water and wash filter today...

Welcome to Cichlid keeping. It can be easy, but it takes reading up in advance of getting fish.

What you need to do is make a decision. Someone has to go. I think you have 5 Malawis. The names you used can be several different fish, especially the powder blue. Start with an online search to see what their real names are. Then, with a site like Seriously Fish, find out their origins and needs. Check full adult size. They will grow to it.

Look to rehome the severum.

How large is the tank? From the pictures, it looks small.- another concern.

That’s not a Severum, it’s a Green Chromide. It wants to be in a group, which is why it’s not behaving normally. It eats a lot of algae and detritus, and it’s looking for food on the substrate.

28 is also too warm long-term, and will be contributing to the stress. It’s like a summer / breeding temperature. An average of about 24-25 would be better.

SmartyWiz said:

Update : Last night my tank water was full of bubbles....now it is again clear...

Click to expand...

That sounds like you’re feeding an oily food that’s putting a film on the surface that prevents bubbles from escaping, till the film has broken down and disappeared. Just a hunch /guess.

Ichthys said:

That’s not a Severum, it’s a Green Chromide. It wants to be in a group, which is why it’s not behaving normally. It eats a lot of algae and detritus, and it’s looking for food on the substrate.

28 is also too warm long-term, and will be contributing to the stress. It’s like a summer / breeding temperature. An average of about 24-25 would be better.

Click to expand...

Yeah u are right i reduced the tank temperature to 26 degree celsius.....my tank is of 28 gallon...Still now it doesn't eat... everything scratching the gravels...dont know what to do....Can u help me make a decision...i have 5 cichlids (small size),1 gold severum ( small size) ,one green chromide ( medium size).....
Talked with shop keeper...he told they dont have exchange policy...and to increase water temperature to 30 and put rock salt....should i follow his instructions ?

Check! He is at the top when i am not there... But as soon i come near...he goes to the bottom and start scraping the gravels

Ichthys said:

That’s not a Severum, it’s a Green Chromide. It wants to be in a group, which is why it’s not behaving normally. It eats a lot of algae and detritus, and it’s looking for food on the substrate.

28 is also too warm long-term, and will be contributing to the stress. It’s like a summer / breeding temperature. An average of about 24-25 would be better.

Click to expand...

It is indeed Green Chromide....really grateful to you for identifying the specie....pls tell his diet so... he can be healthy!!

The Green Chromide won’t be healthy and ‘happy’ unless it’s in a group of Green Chromides. They grow nearly a foot long, so 28g is far too small. It’s too small for the severum too long term.

What should i do... Shopkeeper wont take them back!!