Cichlids (South American) - Tuesday, October 23, 2007 23:05 - 7 Comments

German Blue Ram (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi)

German Blue Ram Photo © L. Curtis

Profile

Origin: Colombia and Venezuela

Behavior: Mostly peaceful and shy, but can become very territorial during the breeding process. Placing the German Blue Ram into a community tank will lessen its shyness because they will see that the it’s “safe” to come out.

Temperature: 78-85 °F (26-30 °C)

pH: 5.0 - 7.5

Size: 3″ (7 cm)

Diet: Accepts all types of food including flakes, sinking pellets, frozen and freeze-dried foods.

Breeding: Place one male German Blue Ram and one female German Blue Ram into the same aquarium, and they will usually become attracted to each other. Although, some owners report that getting a group of German Blue Rams will allow them to pick and choose their partners more easily if a pair do not become attracted to each other immediately. Emulate a natural setting by densely planting the aquarium. German Blue Rams prefer a softer water when breeding, around a pH of 6.5 should be fine.
Sex: Males have a longer, pointed dorsal fin. Females have a red or orange tinge on their bellies.

Notes

German Blue Ram Photo © L. Dasilva

A pair of German Blue Rams (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi) will create quite a commotion in any tank from guests because they have one of the highly colored bodies of the South American Cichlids. They are perfect for a community tank with Tetras, Barbs, or Corys which allow the German Blue Rams to feel safer. The eye will surely be drawn to the German Blue Ram in an aquarium due to their breath-taking colors. Watching a pair of German Blue Rams guard their eggs is exciting because they are good tropical fish parents.

Conclusion

Care:
Hardiness:
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