Good Tank Mates For Golden Severums And Silver Dollars

[big mick]

My gaffa in my new job found out that Im into fishkeeping and he was telling me about his 4 golden severums and two silver dollars.

With nothing to do at work me and the gaffa went to look at his tank, we stopped into my house first to pick up my test kit (as he used thoes dip strip things and I told him that they are pish!) I showed him all my tanks and he had commented on how nice they looked compared to his and how he doesnt know what to do with it.

When we got there it was a pretty cack looking tank. It was 60" x 30" x 18" with a cabinet built in but it was very dull looking.
The six fish on the other hand were looking very happy despite his claims that in the two year he has had them he only did a water change 2 days ago after i was talking about it to someone else at work.

His water stats were all spot on with pH at 6.4 aswell, I was very suprised.

Anyway he wants to pay me to revamp his tank which Im more than happy to do but I want to add new fish if possible, I want to get a good few corries in there and maybe a bristle nose or two but Ive never kept severums before and dont know what would go well as from what little I do know is that they CAN be aggressive.

I know the silver dollars should be in a larger group but he insists they are fine and have grown from the size of a 10p piece to their current and healthy looking size of about 6".

Any suggestions welcome, something with a bit of colour.

Thankyou in advance.

 

[kubora666]

they may get large, but the tnak size sounds big anyway, what about a nicaraguensis , mine has a lovely golden yellow body with a bright blue front half they are very colourfull and not too teritorial, i have severums ( gold ) and 3 silver dolalrs and they are fine
also i have a very interesting surface dwelling hujet gar pike hes about 6" and doubled in size since i got him, he feeds on cichlid pellets he loves them!!! no idea why, he has the possibility of getting big, so maybe a gar would be good ? i have a spotted gar too 14" hes alot more active but you gotta watch out because hes swallowed whole a 2" cory, and killed a baby 4" nicaraguensis by clamping his powerfull needle toothed jaw over the fishes gills to kill it, of course this was because i had ran out of frozen cockle ( his favorite ) and he didnt take to shrimp so he went for the smallest tankmate.
if you get one beware lol and keep him very well fed.

 

[big mick]

Thats great cheers. I want to have some bottom dwellers like cories etc in there, will they be okay with the severums?

Im going to add 2 large opeline gouramis that Ive grown in my tank but he mentio9ned he liked angels but wasnt sure if they would be okay with the severums, Ive had angels with my silver dollar but no experience with severums.

I might give the corries a miss and get 3 pim pictus actually.

 

[vancouver]

I wouldn't put angels with severums.. but it might be possible... severums are big and thick, and would probably bully the angels... as for cories, giving them hiding spots is a good thing to do... lots of cover using driftwood or ornaments for them to hide in... the bigger cories you can get - the better

 

[big mick]

I wasnt sure about the severums and angels. What about an oscar? would there be room or would the oscar just bully the otherfish?

The severums are about 6-7" and the3 silver dollars are about 6", I would get the oscar young but would there be room?

what about tiger fish?

 

[diademhill]

What is his tapwater pH, gh, kh compared to the tank?

Before adding any fish have a good look at the decor & lighting - a good piece of bogwood and/or a few rocks and a brighter or different tube could make a bigger difference than more fish.

I agree angels are probably a bad idea but how about three black bar silver dollars which will team up with the existing pair.
I wouldn't risk cories but might try Brochis.

How big are the severums? Any new fish need to be way bigger than the severums' mouths or fast swimming and it can be tricky to find grown on fish to suit this situation.

Clown barbs or aurelius barbs, yoyo loaches, gouramis, giant danios, even a shoal of Odessa barbs would work if you can get big ones.

Of these my choice would be the clown barbs & yoyos - colour & activity, diferent levels, peaceful but tough.

Good luck finding any group at a suitable size but I often see odd ones for sale.

Sue