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German blue rams are small, stunning dwarf cichlids with electric blue spangles, golden heads and red eyes. They're peaceful, fascinating to watch and breed in the home aquarium. They're also more sensitive than most community fish, so stable, clean water is essential.
German blue rams at a glance
| Size | 5–7cm |
| Minimum tank | 60 litres for a pair |
| Temperature | 27–30°C |
| pH | 5.5–7.0 |
| Hardness | Soft |
| Lifespan | 2–4 years |
Varieties
As well as the classic blue ram, popular colour forms include the electric blue ram and the black electric blue ram. Browse our cichlids.
Water: warm, soft and stable
Rams need warmer water than most community fish, so choose tankmates that also like it warm. They do best in soft, slightly acidic water with very low nitrate.
- Only add rams to a mature, fully cycled tank.
- Soften hard tap water by mixing with RO water.
- Use a reliable heater and check it with a digital thermometer.
- Do small, regular water changes rather than big, occasional ones. Read pH, GH and KH explained.
Setting up the tank
Use a soft sand substrate, as rams sift through it for food. Add driftwood, flat stones for spawning, and plenty of plants. Catappa leaves add natural tannins and leaf litter. Keep flow gentle.
Feeding
Offer a varied diet of small sinking pellets such as Hikari Micro Pellets, plus frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp and daphnia. New rams can be shy feeders; frozen foods usually tempt them.
Tankmates
Good companions that enjoy warm, soft water include cardinal tetras, harlequin rasboras, discus, and sterbai corydoras. Avoid boisterous fish such as tiger barbs, and other bottom-dwelling cichlids in small tanks.
Pairs and breeding
Males have a taller, more pointed front of the dorsal fin; females have a pink belly. A pair will clean a flat stone, lay eggs, and guard the eggs and fry together. Young pairs often eat their first few batches but usually get it right with practice. Feed fry on baby brine shrimp.
Common problems
Most ram deaths come from poor or unstable water, temperatures that are too low, or adding them to a new tank. Test regularly with a test kit, and see our fish diseases guide.
