Can otocinclus live with severums?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Otocinclus and severums can share a tank, but watch one thing. A grown severum may treat small otocinclus as food, especially at night.

Otocinclus72–79°F · pH 6–7.5

Severum74–84°F · pH 6–7

What to watch

Watch outA grown severum may treat small otocinclus as food, especially at night.

What works

Both are fine at 74–79°F.
pH 6–7 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: otocinclus 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

	Otocinclus	Severum
Temperature	72–79 °F	74–84 °F
pH	6–7.5	6–7
Adult size	2.0 in	8.0 in
Minimum tank	20 gal	55 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Bottom	Middle
Group	Groups of 6+	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Herbivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for otocinclus

All otocinclus tank mates

Better tank mates for severums

All severum tank mates

Questions

Can otocinclus live with severums?

Yes, with care. Otocinclus and severums can share a tank, but watch one thing. A grown severum may treat small otocinclus as food, especially at night.

What temperature suits both otocinclus and severums?

74–79 °F. Otocinclus need 72–79 °F, severums need 74–84 °F.

What size tank do otocinclus and severums need together?

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