There are a few variations of the Ram Cichlid, some of the popular manes you may hear are: Dutch Ram, German Blue Ram, Dwarf Cichlid or Ramirezi.
| Common name: | There are a few variations of the Ram Cichlid, some of the popular names you may hear are: Dutch Ram, German Blue Ram, Dwarf Cichlid or Ramirezi. |
| Scientific name: | Mikrogeophagus Ramirezi |
| Care Difficulty: | Medium |
| Adult Size: | Up to 8cm (3 inches) |
| Original Origin: | South America (Venezuela and Colombia) |
| Tank Size/Setup: | Recommend at least 20 gallons or 90 litres for a pair, but the size must be increased if you want more than 2 of them. To match their original habitat you will need a planted aquarium and gentle movement of the water. |
| Temperament / Compatibility: | Ram Cichlids are quite peaceful and go well with any other fish of the same temperament. If you find your fish are being aggressive, some causes may be that the tank is too small, or your cichlids are breeding. |
| Water Temperature: | 26°C to 29°C (79°F to 84°F) |
| Water Hardness: | 20 to 180ppm (1 to 10°dgH/kH) |
| Water pH: | 5pH to 6.5pH |
| Fish Food: | Live food is definitely the preferred variety for these cichlids, but frozen or dried food will also go down well. They seem to be very fond of Bloodworm if you can get it. They may eat flake foods if they are hungry, but you may find them turning their nose up at it. |
| The Sexes: | Males have a slightly slimmer build when compared to their female counterparts. You will also notice brighter colours on the male along with pointier fins. |
| Breeding: | Ram Cichlids breed by laying eggs (spawning).The ideal temperature for breeding should be 28°C (82°F) or close to it. The females can lay between 150 to 400 eggs on a flat rock surface or a prepared indentation in the gravel. Both parents look after the eggs for about 2 days until they hatch. As mentioned before, these fish can get aggressive during breeding if they feel any threat to their eggs or new born fry. After about 5 days the fish should be able to swim and start looking for food. |
| Average Lifespan: | About 5 years, depending on how well they have been looked after. |
| Comments: | The Ram Cichlid has a low tolerance for Nitrite and that is why it earned a medium care difficulty rating. Before adding these fish to your tank, make sure the tank is stable and completed the nitrogen cycle. As long as you keep an eye on water quality then you shouldn’t have any problems. Most people who keep these fish are very happy with them as they can be quite friendly in the right conditions. |
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