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No federal permit to keepRam cichlid
Mikrogeophagus ramirezi
Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)
The ram cichlid (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi) is a species of freshwater fish endemic to the Orinoco River basin, in the savannahs of Venezuela and Colombia in South America.
Care at a glance
Species-specific values
Values researched for this exact species. Where they differ from the group guide below, follow these. Air, surface and water temperatures are listed separately, and each source is kept as published rather than averaged.
| Water temperature | 81–86 °F (27–30 °C) Maintenance recommendations from this source; do not replace with a multisource average. | 257 |
| Water pH | 4–7 Maintenance recommendations from this source; do not replace with a multisource average. | 257 |
| Water general hardness | 1–10 dGH Maintenance recommendations from this source; do not replace with a multisource average. | 257 |
| Adult standard length | 40 mm Maximum standard length reported by source; excludes caudal fin, not total body length. | 257 |
| Minimum tank base | length: 60 cm; width: 30 cm Minimum aquarium base recommended by this source, not a tank-volume specification. | 257 |
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 1.3 in / 3.4 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 81–86°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 5–6.
- Hardness: 5–12 dGH.
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 24 × 12 in (roughly 14 US gallons); space needed is rated “modest tank”.
- Water: soft, acidic water, 81–86 °F, pH 4–7, 1–10 dGH.
- Behaviour: in a pair; suited to a community tank.
- Difficulty: Easy (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Provided adequate cover and structure is available this species is unfussy with regards to décor with ceramic flowerpots, lengths of plastic piping and other artificial materials all useful additions.”
- Tankmates: “Despite normally being sold as such M.”
- Breeding: “This species is a biparental substrate spawner and is best bred in a dedicated set-up with no other fishes present.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
South American dwarf cichlids
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Soft, acidic, leaf-littered streams. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Use species-specific water chemistry and tank base dimensions: M. ramirezi has a source minimum base of 60 × 30 cm; M. altispinosus has 90 × 45 cm. Provide fine sand for these substrate-sifting species.
- Very sensitive to nitrate and water swings; mature, stable tanks are best.
Climate & lighting
Starting point only: Replace the merged genus range with separately sourced species water temperatures. Check the species-specific values for this animal where shown.
| Water | 76–84°F |
Diet
- Small live and frozen foods (bloodworms, brine shrimp, daphnia) plus quality micro pellets.
Social life
- Harems or pairs; peaceful with small dither fish.
Health watch
- Use mature, stable aquaria. Warm-water M. ramirezi has a source maintenance range of 27–30 °C (81–86 °F), whereas M. altispinosus has 24–28 °C (75–82 °F).
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
The species has been examined in studies on fish behaviour and is a popular aquarium fish, traded under a variety of common names, including ram, blue ram, German blue ram, Asian ram, butterfly cichlid, Ramirez's dwarf cichlid, dwarf butterfly cichlid and Ramirezi. The species is a member of the family Cichlidae and subfamily Geophaginae.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Ram cichlid” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater. Uses both the bottom and open water. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 81–86 °F (27–30 °C), pH 5–6, hardness 5–12 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: clutch tenders. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 81–86 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 95°F (up to 96°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 70°F (down to 69°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 80–82°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 73–77% on average (driest month about 63%) |
| Rainfall | about 2105 mm a year |
Measured at 84 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | The ram cichlid (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi) is a species of freshwater fish endemic to the Orinoco River basin, in the savannahs of Venezuela and Colombia in South America. The species has been examined in studies on fish behaviour and is a popular aquarium fish, traded under a variety of common names, including ram, blue ram, German blue ram, Asian ram, butterfly cichlid, Ramirez's dwarf cichlid, dwarf butterfly cichlid and Ramirezi. The species is a member of the family Cichlidae and subfamily Geophaginae. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Reproduction | Female cares for eggs and larvae (. — FishBase |
| Appearance and size | Male specimens of the ram usually have the first few rays of the dorsal fin extended, but breeding has made some females also show this. When close to spawning, female rams have a pink or red blush on the abdomen. Females also have a blue sheen over the spot just below the dorsal fin, or a sparse scattering of blue scales in the upper half of the dark spot, and males do not show this. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Biology | Used in behavioral studies. Aquarium keeping: in pairs; minimum aquarium size 60 cm. — FishBase |
| History and naming | The ram cichlid is named after Manuel Ramirez, an early collector and importer of the species for the aquarium trade. George S. Myers and R. R. Harry (1948) originally described the species as Apistogramma ramirezi, though the species was later moved to and from various genera, including: Microgeophagus, Papiliochromis, Pseudoapistogramma, and Pseudogeophagus. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 24 × 12 in (about 14 US gallons).
Veterinary & husbandry research
Veterinary & husbandry research
- First report of Streptococcus parauberis in a cultured freshwater ornamental fish, the ram cichlid Mikrogeophagus ramirezi (Myers & Harry, 1948) Lazado CC et al., Journal of fish diseases 2018
Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. 170
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Seriously Fish — Mikrogeophagus ramirezi Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish — Mikrogeophagus altispinosus Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
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