Red Shoulder Severum Behaviour?

I have a pair of red shoulder Severums for about a week now. They seemed to settle in very easily, without any issues to start with. For the last 3-4 days though, the female has been vigorously shaking her head, during and shortly prior to feeding. She is also often turning very dark, almost black, usually coinciding with the head shaking. The male has shown a very limited amount of head shaking, but no real colour change.

I have done a Google search, but can't find any conclusive info telling me if its behavioral or symptomatic of a disease. In marine fish, this kind of shaking would have indicated gill flukes, but I can't find any info to substantiate this in freshwater fish. Any thoughts?

 

The shaking my Severums also do especially the red ones but not just the head, they sometimes shake their whole body too. We kept thinking it might be spawning behaviour but nothing happens and they all fine...

Colour change is normal they do it all the time ... here, the red ones don't or its not so noticeable but the red shoulder and the green ones do. My big blue one goes almost black if any one upsets him or gets his food first
So far I haven't had any health issues so I have accepted it as normal....

Are they eating well?

 

its a territorial display, alot of sa/ca cichlids do this, it can also be that youre female is becoming sexually mature and or ready to spawn and the male is not yet old enough or not yet comfortable enough. But a while back i noticed almost same behavior in a juvenile texas cichlid, 2 days later noticed ich. are you seeing any gill flaring from either male or female?

 

Thanks @MariaS and @woestynbaber. They're both eating very well and look to be in tip top health. I doubt that it's ich. There isn't any gill flaring or rapid breathing, but I'll monitor that closely.

Thanks again... Feel somewhat reassured.. Whew!

 

the gill flaring while shcking is a sure sign its not ich, its just a intimidation process, if theres no flaring or like no side ways swimming action, ill be worried, are they still young?

 

No gill flaring or any other posturing. It's just the head shaking and it doesn't seem to be in response to the proximity of other fish or the other Severum. They will just be swimming along, then suddenly start with the shaking. I've seen territorial displays in other fish, and there is always and interaction with another fish... This doesn't look anything like it. Yes they are young fish, probably about 7cm.

 

keep an eye on them luckily theyre eating well so you should notice if something is wrong. to be honest the random shaking does sound alot like what my texas did. was also not sexually matured yet. so no need for posturing and he is by far the smallest in tank. i hope it is not ich but luckily in tougher cichlids its very easy to treat.

 

Thanks bud. I've just dosed the tank with paraguard. I'll dose again tomorrow and then just monitor any Behaviour changes.

 

only a pleasure, i hope for the best, they are stunning species and what i have read about them kinda makes me want to keep them one day.

 

I've had this pair of red shoulder severums for 2 months now. The male is belligerent towards all and sundry and is growing much faster than the female, as he chases her away whenever food becomes available. Knowing how aggressive the males is now, I wouldn't get these again for a community tank.


Female

 

Really Beautiful Fish,

Wouldn't mind to keep them, but based on how aggressive they are I will skip them, then again I do have convicts which can be just as bad according to what I've been reading up on.

 

Thanks @Ortaega. I think it may be an unusually aggressive individual, as the reading that i did prior to getting them, indicated that they're fine with other fish. It's a chance you take I suppose..

 

@ Broder, I bought a pair probably around the time you bought yours, also have no issue with then at all, as you said, probably a grumpy male....

 

I've been looking all over pretoria for severums I'm looking for red spotted or the yellow but I can't seem to find a shop that has stock

 

OK... Dont know about Pretoria but, if I remember correctly Im sure Moolies had them on one of their lists not long ago, maybe ask them
If you willing to take a drive to the East Rand they are usually always available at most LFS's like Wazeers, Birds and Pets for Africa.
@Broder, that is strange... You must have a grumpy male... haha
I have in my Community SA Cichlid tank, red deacons, green deacons and red shoulders and they are no prolem at all..
The green and the red males have their little spot that they dont allow each other to intrude upon but other than that I have no problems at all and they ignore all the other fish
Cesar's deacons are BIG and they also with geos, clowns, aro and no problems at all.

 

Yeah, must be just a grump. It's not as if his chasing is affecting the health of other fish, so I'm not going to intervene. The female seems to get less food, but for all I know, her growth could be naturally slower? She certainly isn't thin. (I can say that.. She can't see or hear me.)
Maybe the difference in my tank is that he's clearly the dominant fish? Just marking the entire tank as his domain?

 

Brilliant news! My two red shoulder Severums have been inseparable and biting each other for the last 4-5 days. They've also been clearing a rock of algae. Tonight they are busy spawning. The process is the same as with angels... The female plants rows of eggs; and the male does the jizz wizz over them.