It is common for several spawnings to be unsuccessful at first. They make a perfect first fish for beginner owners because of the easy care! Because of poor breeding practices or improper care requirements, ram cichlids have the reputation for being less hardy compared to other species. Water temperature: 72°F to 79°F. Ram cichlids are bottom-dwelling pets and will rarely venture past the middle part of your tank. If one happens to swim off, a parent will gently scoop it up in the mouth and return it to the “nursery.”. Some cichlids will welcome pellets and flakes, although this should not make up the major portion of the diet. Other common names are the Blue Ram Cichlid, Butterfly Cichlid and Ramirez dwarf Cichlid. Maintenance and Care. This fish is 'more bark than bite' and will not do well in an aggressive tank. [1] Blue Ram Cichlid Care Guide, theaquariumguide¹ on 01.03.2018 [2] Blue Ram Cichlid, Online Aquarium Fish Magazine | German Blue Ram Cichlid, Microgeophagus ramirezi, Apistogramma Ramerzii, fishlore² on 01.03.2018. Make sure you leave plenty of open swimming room, though. While omnivores, getting ram cichlids to eat when first added to a tank can get tricky. As peaceful members of the cichlid family, rams make ideal additions to community aquariums. Some may look like darker german blues, others feature a dark black body with a colorful face, and other still are all black The Ram is a typical cichlid in that it is a pair-bonding, care-giving, somewhat territorial species. Male cichlids get larger than females and have a slimmer profile. Do you keep ram cichlids? The German Blue Ram Cichlid is a beautiful addition to the community fish tank. The content of this website is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice. German Blue Ram. In the wild, ram cichlids are noted as open spawners. You can pair up the ram cichlids with different genders. The offspring will typically take five days before it becomes free-swimming. Ram cichlids are bottom-dwellers, and they will be affected by high concentrations of ammonia and nitrates. Give them time to settle and choose the best of the following menu options. Rams have specific temperature needs, in particular, that need to be met. If you suspect a case of fish tuberculosis in your tank, make sure you wear elbow-length gloves before placing your hand in the water. This page may contain affiliate links, which will earn us a commission. Wild types will often display richer colors than those in captivity. In contrast, females are smaller and stockier. Ram cichlids need suitable water parameters and an omnivorous diet to thrive in any setup. Ram Cichlids – Care, Tank Mates, Feeding, Breeding. You want to provide plenty of cover, so they feel secure, and you’ll need several flat rocks the pair can use to attach their eggs to. Ram cichlids don’t tolerate poor water quality AT ALL. Ram cichlids also boast an impressive array of spiny rays along their dorsal fins as an added defense. However it is an excellent community fish as it only requires a small space and gets along with most species. Courtesy of captive-breeding programs, ram cichlids come in at a moderate price of $7 – $8 a fish. Use our fish community creator tool to plan your tank set up and ensure that the Ram … Ascertain that the substrate and decoration you use in the tank do not leech and impact the PH. Typical Behavior. Copy link. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It is therefore recommended to leave the eggs in the care of the paired cichlids. Make sure you peel them first as fish have trouble breaking down that outside cell wall. Dwarf German Black Ram Cichlid Microgeophagus ramirezi var Black aka: Dark Knight Ram Cichlid Rare new beauties you must own if you love Rams! If you have a friendly pair, odds are they’ll start the process without you. Thank you! To be safe, just do 80 – 81 degrees of Fahrenheit. The male can dig a larger pit at this stage to accommodate the growing fry. If your tank mates outcompete your rams for food, they can quickly starve. The German Blue Ram Cichlid (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi) is a very colorful dwarf species that displays a variety of blue, yellow, red, and black coloration. The colors and the peaceful nature of ram cichlids make them perfect for community tanks. The Dwarf German Black Rams are tranquil, omnivores that are the perfect addition to any aquarium! The cichlids will also consume unfertile eggs so that they do not become breeding zones for pathogens. You also want to add Java fern or Java moss to the tank. Ram Cichlids come in various shades of blue, gold, and red with a dark bar running vertically through the eye and dark patches on the body and fins. Rare new beauties you must own if you love Rams! Full-grown Amano, bamboo, and vampire shrimp should be fine paired with rams. Origin: Rams are Cichlids whose ancestors lived in Colombia and Venezuela in northern … As for color, females have pinkish-orange shading along their bellies. Ram cichlids WILL breed in a community tank. It is found throughout the Amazon … Remove the female if you observe the male being aggressive. Add some plants and vegetables in their diet. What temperature do you keep your tank at? Breeding ram cichlids isn’t particularly difficult. The couple can sometimes feed on the initial batches before they get the hang of parenting. Two variations from selective breeding of the Ram are widely available; a gold (xanthistic) morph, and a veintail variety. Dwarf Cichlids are pretty, friendly fish that can be enjoyed in a smaller aquarium.Variety of dward cichlids available from a reliable suppler. They especially like the caves created by live aquarium plants. Unfortunately, if you don’t stay on top of their specific husbandry needs, you could find yourself looking for replacement fish. Just don’t pair them with shrimp, as these guys will think the shrimp are a tasty snack instead of a friend. These natural plant materials help soften the water, but they also add natural tannins that will stain the water the tea color rams prefer. It is a color variant of the original wild form, but it’s breeding focuses more on altering the body for the fish to be taller, shorter or to stout the otherwise more streamlined standard ram body. Always use a good water conditioner after a water change. Bolivian Ram Cichlid Care and Maintenance. The blue ram cichlid or otherwise commonly known as the butterfly cichlid is another of the beautiful dwarf cichlids often desired by the aquarist. Aquarists use driftwood to keep the PH low and to also create the “tea-stained” appearance of the Amazon River. If you plan to add other fish at some point, a 30-gallon tank is prudent. It took its name after Manuel Ramirez, who collected and imported this fish species for the aquarium trade. Note: there are other morphs of the ram cichlids which have their own colours. The male and female cichlids work together to protect the eggs and the fry.