Cichlids · Mikrogeophagus
German blue ram
Mikrogeophagus ramirezi · Llanos savanna streams, Orinoco basin
Photo: Eric Mengel, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
Water temperature
27–30 °C 81–86 °F
pH ≈
5–7 soft, acidic water
Adult size
4 cm 1.6 in
Swims ≈
Bottom and mid-water mostly on the floor and in caves
Keep together
2 or more a shoal feels safe
Current
Calm still or slow water
Food ≈
Eats most foods
Temperament ≈
Peaceful
Where it comes from
Home water
Llanos savanna streams, Orinoco basin
Orinoco
Lives in stream habitat.
The dot is placed on its home rivers, not an exact collecting site. Map: Natural Earth.
Tank mates
Checked against a roomy 300 L planted tank with low flow and plenty of caves. Your own tank may change the answer: try it in Your tanks.
Good together
-
Candy stripe L015
Plecos · 10 cm · bottom -
Zebra L046
Plecos · 8 cm · bottom -
Agassiz's dwarf cichlid
Cichlids · 7.5 cm · bottom -
Boeseman's rainbowfish
Rainbowfish · 10 cm · mid-water -
Cardinal tetra
Tetras · 4 cm · mid-water -
Discus
Cichlids · 14 cm · mid-water -
Ember tetra
Tetras · 2 cm · mid-water -
Kuhli loach
Loaches · 9 cm · bottom
Keep apart
-
Need a different pH and will eat the german blue ram
-
Will eat the german blue ram
-
Aggressive and will eat the german blue ram
In the hobby
Where to find it
No store or breeder we know of has it right now.
Run a store? List the fish you usually have. Breed fish? List your fry.
Tanks with this fish
From keepers
The pair guards a patch of leaf litter but leaves everyone else alone.
Questions keepers ask
How big does a German blue ram get?
About 4 cm (1.6 in) as an adult.
What temperature does a German blue ram need?
27–30 °C (81–86 °F).
What pH does a German blue ram need?
pH 5–7.
Does a German blue ram need to be kept in a group?
Yes. Keep at least 2.
Is the German blue ram aggressive?
No. It is peaceful with fish that suit the same water.
What does a German blue ram eat?
It eats most foods: flakes, small pellets and frozen foods.
Where does the German blue ram come from?
Llanos savanna streams, Orinoco basin.
What fish can live with a German blue ram?
Good tank mates include Candy stripe (L015), Zebra (L046), Agassiz's dwarf cichlid, Boeseman's rainbowfish, Cardinal tetra.
All the numbers
| Temperature min (°C) | 27 | Sourced |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature max (°C) | 30 | Sourced |
| pH min | 5 | Estimate |
| pH max | 7 | Sourced |
| Adult size (cm) | 4 | Sourced |
| Flow | Low | Sourced |
| Habitat | stream | Estimate |
| Smallest happy group | 2 | Sourced |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Estimate |
| Diet | Omnivore | Estimate |
| Typical price min (CAD) | 12 | Estimate |
| Typical price max (CAD) | 25 | Estimate |
Some values are estimates from typical hobby ranges and haven't been checked against a source yet.
