Can severums live with pencilfish?

Verdict

Yes, with care

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

Severum74–84°F · pH 6–7

Pencilfish75–82°F · pH 5–7.5

What to watch

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

What works

Both are fine at 75–82°F.
pH 6–7 suits both.

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

	Severum	Pencilfish
Temperature	74–84 °F	75–82 °F
pH	6–7	5–7.5
Adult size	8.0 in	2.0 in
Minimum tank	55 gal	15 gal
Temperament	Semi-aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	Middle	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 6+
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for severums

All severum tank mates

Better tank mates for pencilfish

All pencilfish tank mates

Questions

Can severums live with pencilfish?

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

What temperature suits both severums and pencilfish?

75–82 °F. Severums need 74–84 °F, pencilfish need 75–82 °F.

What size tank do severums and pencilfish need together?

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