Heros efasciatus

The Red Shoulder, Red Head, or “Rotkeil” Severum is a distinctive naturally occurring variant of the species known as Heros cf. efasciatus found throughout parts of the Middle Amazon and its tributaries. This strain has been popular in the aquarium hobby for many years due to its vibrant reddish-orange coloration and distinctive orange eyes. In its native range in Peru, it is referred to as “corbata” which has given rise to another common name for this fish – the “necktie” severum (so named for the stripe of red-orange extending from the gill plate to the top of the dorsal fin). While it has been bred commercially for some time, wild fish often display the most intense colors. Like most of their relatives, these fish are fairly peaceful for a large cichlid, and will usually coexist well in a mixed cichlid community composed of similarly sized semi-aggressive fish.