Can convict cichlids live with severums?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Convict cichlids and severums can share a tank, but watch one thing. Convict cichlids are aggressive. Severums hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.

Convict cichlid74–82°F · pH 6.6–7.8

Severum74–84°F · pH 6–7

What to watch

Watch outConvict cichlids are aggressive. Severums hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.

What works

Both are fine at 74–82°F.
pH 6.6–7 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: convict cichlids the bottom, severums the mid.

Water side by side

The green band is the temperature range both can live in.

The green band is the pH both tolerate.

Size to scale

Adult length in an aquarium. A fish can swallow anything that fits in its mouth, roughly a third to half its own length for predators.

Care at a glance

	Convict cichlid	Severum
Temperature	74–82 °F	74–84 °F
pH	6.6–7.8	6–7
Adult size	5.0 in	8.0 in
Minimum tank	30 gal	55 gal
Temperament	Aggressive	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Bottom	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for convict cichlids

All convict cichlid tank mates

Better tank mates for severums

All severum tank mates

Questions

Can convict cichlids live with severums?

Yes, with care. Convict cichlids and severums can share a tank, but watch one thing. Convict cichlids are aggressive. Severums hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.

What temperature suits both convict cichlids and severums?

74–82 °F. Convict cichlids need 74–82 °F, severums need 74–84 °F.

What size tank do convict cichlids and severums need together?

At least 55 gal, set by the severum. Add space for each extra fish.