Convict Fish gold (Heros severum gold) - Cichlid Fish for Sale UK

Gold severums turn the familiar Heros outline into something that glows under aquarium lighting, and this gold form of Heros severum is exactly that: the strain's golden colouration on a fish that tops out around 15 cm. It cruises the middle levels of the tank, which is where that colour does most of its work in a display aquarium.

For a cichlid with this much visual impact, the requirements are modest. Moderate care, 24–29 °C, a wide pH window of 5.5–7.5, hardness anywhere up to 20 dGH and an omnivorous appetite — all straight from our recorded specs — make it one of the easier large South Americans to accommodate. The minimum tank is 250 litres, and a healthy fish can be with you for around ten years. Temperament is semi-aggressive with the potential to hold territory, so give it room to claim a patch without squeezing everyone else out.

It helps that the recorded pH window opens as low as 5.5 — unusually acid-tolerant territory — while still running up to a neutral-plus 7.5. In practice the gold severum can follow you through most soft or neutral setups without complaint, leaving temperature, at 24–29 °C, as the main number you actively manage. Hardness from 0 to 20 dGH barely constrains the plan at all, which is rare freedom in a cichlid of this stature.

Caring for the gold severum

• About 15 cm fully grown; ~10-year lifespan
• 250-litre minimum; mid-water swimmer
• 24–29 °C, pH 5.5–7.5, 0–20 dGH
• Omnivore with a broad menu
• Semi-aggressive; may turn territorial

House it with peaceful robust catfish such as plecos, or large, fast schooling fish that do not nip — both options work best in a generous aquarium. Other medium-to-large South American cichlids can share the tank only where space genuinely allows. Avoid very small fish that may be eaten, fin-nipping species, highly aggressive cichlids, tiny shrimp and other small invertebrates, and overly timid fish that could be pushed around.

Why buy this strain

If you want classic severum temperament with brighter colour, the gold form is the obvious route in. Each UK order ships via licensed live-animal courier under our live arrival guarantee.