keeping severums + festivums ?

Question
Hello Karen.
I just happened on your site as I am researching both Heros severus (and relatives) and Mesonauta festivus. Truth is I fell in love with both and with Ancistrus ranunculus (the strangely called "medusa pleco"). Can I possibly keep all in the same tank?
The tank in question is a 450 litre tank approx. L200cm x W40 x H60cm where I want to set up a South American biotope. If they are compatible who do I introduce first? I'm afraid that if I introduce the Severus first (or related Heros sp.) they'll react to introducing the smaller and more peaceful Festivus. Also - are the A. ranunculus @ 12cm - 15cm too small for the tank? I also have a 23cm Plecostomus (the Common Plec) who's threatening to become too big for the 95litre tank...
And can any smaller fish be kept with them without becoming fish food?
Any advice will be most welcome. Thanks for your help.

Answer
Hi Cris,
The thing with Severums is they have their own individual personalities and I've had both peaceful and very aggressive ones. So the best I can recommend is to get the Festivums and Severums both young (about quarter size) and let them grow up together. The tank should be plenty large enough. The Ancistrus should be perfectly compatible regardless. They mature at about 5 inches and I don't think the tank is too large for him. I'dbe tempted to move the common pleco in the 450 litre but then the Ancistrus might be out-competed for food. If you could work around that then the combination could work out (example, making sure there are plenty of hiding places and food).

*Its very true that if you introduce the Severums first, then they may take over the aquarium and not welcome newcomers very well at all. The key is to add the most territorial fish last. Start with the most peaceful species and move on up from there. Or better yet, with the tank fully-cycled, add both the severums and the festivums at the same time.

I've successfully kept Black widow (black skirt) Tetras with large severums and the fish were quite peaceful together. So I'd imagine you could mix larger hardy tetra species in with your cichlids. Giant danios should also work but they aren't from South America. ;-)

Pictus Catfish should be very compatible, Acaras, and Eartheaters are also recommended tankmates.

I really hope this helps! Best of luck! That will be a beautiful tank, I love Severums and Festivums!
Karen~