Species Profile: Blue Ram


(Top: Male, Bottom: Female)

Scientific Name(s): Microgeophagus ramirezi

Common Name(s): Blue Ram, Ram, Butterfly Cichlid, German Blue Ram, and German Ram

Origin: In the rivers throughout Columbia and Venezuela. (South America)

Family: Cichlidae

Species Type: South American Cichlids

Maximum Size: 2.5 inches (6.4 cm)

Life Span: 4 years

Natural Habitat: Rivers

Diet: Omnivore; Rams should be feed a variety of foods. A combination of quality flakes, pellets, blood worms (frozen/freeze dried), and brine shrimp should be offered.

Temperature: 75-82 F (23-28 C)

PH: 5.5 - 7.5

Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons (76 Litres)

Tank Region: All over

Temperament: Peaceful; Rams are very peaceful when not breeding. They can at times be shy, adding dither fish should help calm them.

Possible Tank Mates: Rams are especially sensitive to nitrates so lightly stocked tanks are recommended. Other rams, silver dollars, danios, corys, tetras, plecos and other non aggressive community fish.

Filtration and Setup: Precision, time, and effort are required to keep the ram Cichlid healthy. Frequent water changes of 25%-30% (be sure to use a quality water conditioner, rams are very sensitive to chemicals) once or twice per week is recommended. A heavily planted tank is ideal, they provide numerous hiding places, and will help reduce nitrates. Be sure to acclimate new rams, which is floating the bag in the water for at least 15 minutes, then gradually add water from your tank to the bag, then net the fishes out of the bag into your quarantine tank, the water from the bag should not be added to your tank water. Sand or fine gravel make ideal substrates.

Coloration: The coloration varies among rams, you are sure to find several different color forms available in your local fish store. The body and fins are a pastel blue-red to pink with the sides showing a rainbow of colors depending on the light. There is a dark almost black spot under the Dorsal fin. A curved dark band runs from the nape, through the eye to the throat area.



Sexing: The male's front dorsal fin rays are much longer than the female's, forming the telltale "spike." The dorsal fin of the male also tends to have a pointed shape near the caudal fin, where the female's is more rounded. Females are smaller and have a reddish tinge on their pelvic regions, especially when getting ready to spawn.

Breeding: With a bonded pair, and optimum water conditions, rams are easily bred. Often times, rams will not pair up just because a male and female are together. Getting multiple juveniles and letting them grow together often results in pair bonds. The bonded pair will often be seen swimming together and teaming up to defend their chosen spawning site. Slowly raise the water temperature to 80 degrees and soon you will see 150-500 eggs clinging to a broad leaf, flat rock or other suitable location. The parents take turns protecting the eggs and eating when food is offered. The eggs will hatch in about 48 hours, and then the young will be moved to a shallow pit in the substrate. After four or five days they are free swimming and herded together in a group and looked after by the male. This is when their yolk sacs have been absorbed so they will need other forms of nourishment. The parents will begin to escort their brood around the aquarium to forage for food. Liquid fry food, infusoria and, or micro worms for the first couple of days, then newly hatched brine shrimp for a few weeks. After 3 weeks you should be able to feed the babies crushed flake food. This is when it will be a great idea to move the babies to an aquarium of their own so they do not have to compete for food and defend themselves. The parents will soon be loosing interest in protecting their young and might even start to see their off spring as food.