The Red Spotted Severum is a colour variety of Heros efasciatus developed through selective breeding, emphasising and intensifying the red-orange spotting and vermiculation that naturally appears on the face, gill plates, and flanks of mature wild-type males. In this variety, the red spotting is more extensive, covering a larger portion of the body and often extending into the dorsal and anal fins.
The base body color is typically golden-yellow to olive-gold, similar to the Gold Severum, but with the added visual complexity of the red spotting overlay. In well-conditioned adult males, the red markings can be intensely vivid, creating a striking contrast against the golden-yellow ground color. Females generally show less red coloration and are slightly smaller.
Biologically and behaviourally identical to other Heros efasciatus varieties, the Red Spotted Severum is a large, robust, generally peaceful cichlid reaching up to 20 cm. It inhabits the same Amazonian and Orinoco river habitats as the wild species and adapts well to a range of aquarium conditions.
Like other Severums, this variety is a biparental open spawner and breeds readily in the home aquarium. The species is valued by cichlid hobbyists as a relatively large, visually stunning fish that integrates well into community setups with other robust species, provided the tank is adequately sized.
