Care Guide for German Blue Rams – Housing and Living 

Ram cichlid, blue ram, German blue ram, butterfly cichlid, and Ramirez dwarf cichlid.

The German blue ram cichlid is one of the most prominent freshwater fish in the aquarium hobby. With a combination of yellow, blue, red and orange colours all over the body, they are sure to be the attraction for any tank.

In this Blog, Micro Aquatic Shop provides helpful information about German Blue Ram Cichlids so you can set up your own Blue Ram tank or add them to your large community aquarium.

What is German Green Ram?

Mikrogeophagus Ramirezi is a South American dwarf cichlid with many common names, including ram cichlid, blue ram, German blue ram, butterfly cichlid, and Ramirez dwarf cichlid.

The ram cichlid is native to the Orinoco River basin in Colombia and Venezuela. The name "German blue" refers to a colour variant of the cichlid ram that was selectively bred in Germany and gained worldwide popularity in the aquarium trade.

Appearance.

The most popular colour varieties regarding body shape include German Blue Ram, yellow Ram and electric blue Ram. Another feature of German Blue Rams that stands out is the black stripe running across their heads over their eyes. They also have black or dark green patches on the front of the dorsal fin and mid-body.

Although German Blue Rams are not easy to care for, they are prevalent in freshwater aquariums. This is because they possess beautiful colours and a peaceful character.

Length of the German Blue Rams.

Bolivian Ram Cichlid

German blue rams are about 2 to 3 inches long when fully mature. However, they are still smaller than their Bolivian Ram Cichlid cousin. Their diet can influence the adult size they reach and how they are bred.

How long do German blueberries live?

 Due to poor breeding practices or inappropriate care requirements, ram cichlids are notoriously less hardy than other species. They can live up to four years with plenty of high-quality food and clean water at the right temperature.

German Blue Rams tend to be shyer but love to explore their surroundings. This is because most of them are in the bottom half of the tank. Usually, you can find them hiding in trees or digging through the tank's substrate.

DARK KNIGHT RAMS - MIKROGEOPHAGUS RAMIREZI

How to distinguish male and female?

The sex difference in German Blue Rams can be easily discerned when fully grown. Females are usually smaller than males. German blue rams are less showy and more pointed than the males. Their pectoral fins are also shorter than that of males.

They will have a large black spot on the sides of their body and a few blue reflective scales inside this black spot. Male German Blue Rams are much larger than females and have slimmer bodies with rounded heads.

Their pectoral fins are twice as long and have prominent second rays on the dorsal fin. The black spot on the male will not have reflective blue scales, instead being a very dark, translucent black.

Choose a healthy Blue Ram.

Choose a robust and active Rams that eats well and can fight with other Rams at the best spawning spots. Don't choose a thin Ram, especially if it has an empty stomach, as sick Rams with these symptoms rarely recover.

If you are looking for a pair to breed. We recommend choosing a colourful male with an enlarged dorsal fin and a beautiful pectoral fin. Females can be easily identified by having small bright blue dots inside the large black spot on the side of the body, while males don't have any dark spots on their black spots.

Set up the tank for a Ram Cichlid.

Extra space in the tank is essential because a lack of extra space can affect their long-term happiness and overall health.

The minimum recommended tank size for the German Blue Ram is 20 gallons. This will allow them plenty of space to explore and swim around. Extra space in the tank is essential because a lack of extra space can affect their long-term happiness and overall health.

The ideal water parameters for German Blue Rams are:

Water Temperature: 80°F - 84°F (29-30°C)

pH: 5 - 7.5

Water hardness: 5 - 12 KH

When you buy Blue Ram for the first time, you should check your water parameters regularly to ensure they are optimal and stable for them to adjust.

Blue Rams need fresh water, so keeping your tank clean is essential for them to thrive. Partial water changes for them at least once a week because they need lots of clean, fresh water free of ammonia and other toxins. Don't let the water quality drop, which can lead to illness and potentially death. If you have hard tap water, consider diluting it with some RODI (reverse osmosis deionised) water or adding Indian almond leaves and driftwood to help soften the water.

Aquatic plants for German Blue Rams.

As with most freshwater aquarium fish, you'll want to recreate their natural habitat as much as possible when setting up your tank. Rams love to dig, so you can choose plants like java ferns and mosses that don't need a substrate and can cling to rocks and driftwood.

An essential addition to your tank for them is to include live plants. They like to hide among plants, and if the tank doesn't have enough plants, they won't feel safe or stressed because these plants protect them.

Wisteria and hornwort are excellent choices as living plants for German Blue Rams. They don't need a lot of light. They also like to have floating plants in their environment as they will also filter light.

Be careful not to overcrowd your tank and give them plenty of room to swim.

Substrate for Rams.

Although Blue Rams are not bottom-dwelling species, they dig around, a typical behaviour among cichlids.

Therefore, you should choose a sand substrate, or good gravel, as this is the safest way for them to move around. Gravel substrates can cut and injure them as they dig around.

Lighting.

Blue Rams only need a little light. They prefer moderate to dim light. This is in keeping with their natural habitat because, in the wild waters, thick vegetation filters a lot of natural sunlight.

You can create floating vegetation or equip your tank with a lid. Slow-flowing tanks are preferable for this species since, in the wild, they come from slow-moving waters.

That is all the information about the housing and living of German Blue Rams. But wait, this is just chapter 1 of the incredible story about the Blue Rams. So, how about their food? who can live with them in peace? Do you want to breed them by yourself?

Read the next article about German Blue Rams – Keeping, Breeding and Feeding. Check it out.