Severum Identification Guide
Identify the Severum by its tall, disc-shaped body, faint vertical barring, and red-orange facial speckling.
Read the full Severum encyclopedia entry →
Key identification features
- Tall, laterally compressed, disc-shaped body reaching 8-10 inches
- Olive-green to golden-brown base coloring
- Faint vertical barring, most visible on juveniles and subordinate individuals
- Red-orange speckling scattered across the face and fins of mature adults
- A dark spot near the base of the tail, fading somewhat with age
Common look-alikes
- Discus: even more rounded and flattened into a true disc shape, whereas the Severum keeps a more oval, elongated outline with a clearly visible lateral line.
- Oscar: lacks the Severum's facial speckling and does not show the large eyespot near the tail base that Oscars typically carry.
- Green Terror: deeper-bodied and more robust, with turquoise spangling rather than the Severum's warmer olive-gold tone and facial speckling.
Where you'll see one
Severums are native to slow blackwater and clearwater tributaries of the Amazon basin in South America, where they shelter among submerged wood, roots, and leaf litter in soft, tannin-stained water, often moving in loose groups rather than holding tight individual territories outside of breeding.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell a Severum from a Discus?
Severums keep a more oval, elongated body with a visible lateral line, while Discus have a fully rounded, flattened disc shape and no obvious lateral line break.
How do I recognize a mature Severum?
Look for red-orange speckling across the face and fins along with a tall, olive-gold body and fading vertical bars compared to more strongly barred juveniles.