Cichlids are some of the most charismatic and beautiful freshwater fish, with well over 1,000 species spread over 5 continents. One aspect that makes cichlids so special is the evolution of parental care. The severums in the Flooded Forest have been busy recently – pairing up, guarding territory, and cleaning that territory. All this preparation eventually leads to spawning activity and then possibly hundreds of fry. Look carefully in the tank and you may see severum pairs foraging with their fry. The parents have their work cut out for them, living in a tank surrounded with predators. Many fry will be eaten, but the survivors are a testament to the aggression cichlid parents display.