Not furry, but we like them anyway.
Blue Ram
Mikrogeophagus ramirezi (Myers & Harry, 1948)
Also called Ram cichlid, German blue ram, Ram, Butterfly cichlid, Ramirez's dwarf cichlid
From South America: the Orinoco basin in the llanos (savannah plains) of Venezuela and Colombia.12
A friendly guide, not veterinary advice. For anything about your pet's health, ask your vet.
At a glance the quick version
Looks how to spot one
Small, deep-bodied dwarf cichlid
A jewel-like dwarf cichlid with blue spangling, a yellow-gold head and a dark eye bar. Males have longer front rays on the dorsal fin, and females often show a pink belly patch.23
Personality what they are like
A peaceful little cichlid that forms pairs; males become territorial toward other males, especially while breeding.23
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Moderately active near the bottom, picking through the substrate for food.3
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Needs warm, very clean, stable water. Small regular water changes of about 10-15 percent work better than large ones, and flow should be gentle. Best with calm, small schooling fish such as cardinal tetras.3
Home where they are happiest
Minimum 60 x 30 cm footprint (about 54 litres) for a pair. Water 27-30 C, pH roughly 5.0-7.0, soft water around 1-12 dH, with sand and some cover.13
Food basics what goes in the bowl
Sifts the bottom for food; offer live or frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp and daphnia plus good sinking pellets or granules.3
Company who they like around
Keep as a pair or in a small group in a larger tank; pairs claim a territory when breeding.13
The story where it all began
Myers and Harry described the species in 1948 as Apistogramma ramirezi, naming it after Venezuelan collector Manuel Vicente Ramirez. It has since become one of the best-known dwarf cichlids and is bred commercially in large numbers, with several colour strains.213
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
It is named after Manuel Vicente Ramirez, an early collector of the species.1
- 2
The genus name means small earth-eater, after its habit of sifting sand.1
- 3
A clutch is typically 150-300 eggs, hatching in about 40 hours at 29 C.2
- 4
Fry stay put for about five days before the parents lead them around.2
- 5
The species is used in animal behaviour studies.1
Recognised by the official bits
- IUCN Red List
- Least Concern (assessed 29 October 2020)1
- Taxonomy
- Described as Apistogramma ramirezi by Myers & Harry in 19482
- Family
- Cichlidae (cichlids)1
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Blue Ram. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- FeedingSmall amounts once or twice a dayevery day
- Temperature checkevery day
- Water changeAbout 25% of the waterevery week
- Water testevery week
- Glass cleanevery week
- Filter rinseRinse in old tank water, never tap waterevery month
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at support@furrydiary.app and we will fix it.
- FishBase: Mikrogeophagus ramirezi fishbase.seused for distribution, size, water parameters, IUCN, etymology
- Wikipedia: Mikrogeophagus ramirezi en.wikipedia.orgused for other names, size, appearance, varieties, breeding, history
- Seriously Fish: Mikrogeophagus ramirezi seriouslyfish.comused for tank size, water parameters, diet, behaviour, sexing, care
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.