The German Blue Ram Cichlid - Fish Profile
One of the many South American, or (New World) cichlids species is called the German Blue Ram.
This fish is also commonly known as the butterfly cichlid and is similar to a butterfly in that it is beautiful, and has a lot of color.
This fish has bright Grey and blue flanks. The head and chest have yellow, gold, black and blue with a red patch on the belly. Also, a black vertical line runs across the eye, with a red patch around it. Seeing this fish shows the true beauty over just reading the description.
This type of cichlid comes from the rivers of Venezuela and Columbia. These cichlids are very popular for hobbyists and must be kept in a minimum 20 gallon tank. Two Rams would be comfortable in a 20 gallon tank but no more than two.
These cichlids require water temperature of 72-85 Fahrenheit. The pH range needs to be 5.5-7.5, and the hardness needs to be 6-14 degrees. Soft water is best for this fish but they can adapt to moderately hard water. With these specifications, it makes it a bit hard to keep these fish. A lot of times the fish only lives a few days after purchased.
The water temperature, Ph, and hardness levels have to be just right for the cichlid to survive after a move. Along with the majority of other cichlids the Blue Ram needs hiding spots in the tank.
Along with hiding spots, plants, and deco rational items are also helpful. Hiding places are necessary because of aggression, especially while breeding. These cichlids have a life span of approximately 2-4 years. They grow up to approximately 2-3 inches. The male is the larger of the two.
Most other fish can be kept in the tank with these cichlids as long as they aren’t extremely aggressive or larger than the cichlid.
Blue Rams are omnivores. They prefer frozen or live food but will usually eat most food. When the Ram is first moved into a new environment they may be finicky or picky eaters, at this point it is best to feed them bloodworms or brine shrimp at this time and after they get used to their surroundings you can experiment with other foods like fresh green vegetables and pellets.
When the female becomes pregnant and has her eggs, the male and female both take care of the eggs. A lot of the time they will take the eggs into they’re mouths to keep them safe. When the rams have the eggs, care should be taken so the eggs aren’t sucked into the filter.
July 20th, 2008 at 5:11 am
Hi there,
One thing I have to correct this article on is that female cichlids are always SMALLER than males… not the other way around. Also, I would like to put this out there, I have had a pair of rams (male and female) for about 6 months in a 20gallon tank, along with some tetras and a few danios. The water is quite soft, and the pH is around 6.6, the temperature is 81F all the time, and I do regular 25% water changes every 5 days. I have provided lots of flat surfaces for them to spawn on, but the problem is, it seems like the male hates the female! she spends most of her time hiding in the plants, and if she comes out he chases back into hiding! what am i doing wrong?? any info would be greatly appreciated.
August 7th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Hi Meldawgal,
Good catch, typo
I would say your problem is that your Rams are in a tight space. Many people say a 10 gallon tank is find for a pair of Rams, but I believe it’s just too small. You really need a 29 gallon minimum, but a 55 would be ideal for a pair of Rams or just about any Cichlid for that matter. Rams are small, but they can be very aggressive toward one another in a small tank.
If he’s not hurting her they’ll probably be ok, but he’s biting at her I’d definitely consider a larger tank!
October 21st, 2008 at 5:59 am
I have a question regarding these fish. I have one German Blue ram (that actually gets along great with my angels and parrot fish), and then my mom bought me one from a pet store. This fish is a little smaller than mine, and has red tips around its fins (like my GBR). However, it has no other coloring, is basically white with the black markings. This fish is shapped exactly like my GB. Is it a german blue? If not, any help identifying it would be great.
November 9th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Question about German Blue Rams - assuming pH is fine, water suitably soft, plenty of hiding spaces, suitable tankmates and suitable temperature - what might cause a pair of Blue Rams to sit at the top of the tank gilling for 2 days? We’ve done everything we can think of and we’re at our wits’ end - we really don’t want to lose these little guys! PLEASE HELP!