Blue Ram Cichlid Care Guide

The Blue Ram cichlid, also known as German Blue Ram, is a beautiful and peaceful cichlid that is popular among aquarists, however I would not recommended this fish for beginners.

They usually do well in community tanks, but require established aquariums to thrive.

Their head and chest are gold, yellow, blue, and black with a red patch on the abdomen.

The flanks are gray or blue with a vertical black line crossing the eye, yellow dorsal fins with black front edges, and pelvic fins usually red with blue.

The Blue Rams usually live up to three years or longer and can grow up to 2-3 inches.

Tank requirements for Blue Ram Cichlid

The minimum tank size for a Blue Ram is 10-gallons but you’ll need at least a 29 gallon aquarium if you intend to add other fishes.

Our recommended 10 Gallon Aquarium:

Our recommended 29 Gallon Aquarium:

Before introducing your Blue Rams cichlid, you must make sure your tank is already cycled and well-established, as they will not do well in fresh aquariums.

They will thrive between 82-86° Fahrenheit, but will do best in 86 degrees. You may need an aquarium heater to get your tank to the ideal temperature.

This range will help them establish more easily and be less vulnerable to diseases.

They like water pH to be between 6.0-7.5 and hardness between 2-6 dGH with ideal dGH at 3. Make sure you have the right pH with a pH reader.

Water should have minimal movement, even lower in the breeding tank, to avoid the fry being dragged around by currents.

Blue Rams like moderate lighting, so it’s best to add floating plants, especially when you plan to breed them to help diffuse the light.

Feeding Your German Blue Ram

As omnivorous fish, the Blue Rams require both plant matter and animal food.

When introducing them to your aquarium, don’t panic if they lose their appetite.

This is a normal behavior in most fish and for the first days; try feeding them rich and tasty treats like larvae or frozen food.

After they are established in your tank, gradually try cichlid flakes or pellet food and soon your cichlids will accept a wide range of foods.

Our recommended food:

It’s important to make sure your Blue Rams cichlid are fed, as they may be slow to notice food in the tank and have other fish eat it before they do.

Also, keep feeding them a high quality, varied diet to avoid nutrient lacks.

Common Diseases

The Blue Rams are prone to the usual diseases of tropical fish.

They may become stressed in poor quality water, there’s not enough oxygen, or there aren’t enough hiding places.

Extended stressful periods my weaken your cichlids’ immune system and make them more vulnerable.

Ich is the first and most common disease affecting freshwater fish.

Also, Blue Rams are prone to parasitic infections, bacterial diseases, flatworms, skin flukes, or Costia disease.

They are also prone to fish tuberculosis.

German Blue Ram Behavior

These cichlids are usually very peaceful fish compared to other cichlids and in normal living conditions they will not attack other fish.

They can become stressed if they don’t find enough hiding places, as they do love their privacy.

Be sure to provide extra plants, caves, and pieces of wood or clay pots for them to hide in.

During mating time, males guarding the eggs may display aggressive behavior towards approaching fish, so you must consider this when breeding your Blue Rams.

Tank mates for your Blue Ram Cichlid

The Blue Ram is a peaceful cichlid that can be housed together with other dwarf cichlids or peaceful non-cichlid fish.

They do well in a community tank and shouldn’t be kept alone.

Aggressive cichlids should be avoided at all costs, as the Blue Ram won’t actually fight them.

Suitable tank mates would be Discus, Rummynose Tetra, Cardinal Tetra, Kuhli Loaches and Clown Loaches.

Only keep more than one male if your aquarium is large enough (over 30-gallons).

Placing a single pair together won’t necessarily mean they will mate.

You can determine which pair will mate after you place more juveniles together in a tank and you see two of them swim close together.

Breeding

After you notice a breeding pair, you can move them to their own tank to establish a family.

The water in the breeding tank should be warmer, between 82-86° Fahrenheit, and wide leaves or smooth pebbles should be available for the female to lay eggs on.

Water should be very clean and all stress factors should be avoided, as the stressed pair will eat their eggs.

Other fish can distract them and make them less aggressive, so adding some into the breeding tank would be a good idea.

After the fry hatch, the parents should be removed if the tendency of eating them is observed.

Usually, the female digs a pit in a remote place and guards the fry there.

Another possibility is the parents splitting the fry between themselves and each guarding their fry in a separate pit.

If you plan on adding these beautiful cichlids, keep in mind the fact that they need established tanks and other peaceful tank mates, roughly the same size as them.

Share Your Blue Ram Cichlid

Do you own a Blue Ram Cichlid?

I would love to see them.

Upload and share a photo of your Blue Ram Cichlid on our facebook page.