Ram Cichlid (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi)

Ram is a variety of freshwater fish that comes from the Cichlidae family. This fish variety is prevalent to the Orinoco River basin, in the savannahs of Colombia and Venezuela in South America. This fish variety has been observed in studies on fish performance and is an admired aquarium fish, traded under different common names, as well as Ram Cichlid, Blue Ram, Asian ram, German blue ram, Butterfly cichlid and Ramirezi. Usually the Ram fish breeds prefer a warm water environment with the temperature, ranging from 78 Degree Fahrenheit to 85 Degree Fahrenheit.

Features

Usually, male Ram breeds attain a maximum body length of 7 cm, whereas the female ones are usually somewhat smaller than male breeds. Ram fish breeds are habitually more multicolored than the tank-developed fish breeds that suffer from poor reproduction and also being infused by means of hormones for additional color, even though this makes as many as one out of four male fish unproductive.

Diet

Ram fish breeds are omnivores and they feed on both green and meaty foods.

Reproduction

The Ram breeds form monogamous couples before spawning once they mature sexually, and the male breeds do not bear other males. Usually, Male Ram specimens have the initial some rays of the dorsal fin extended, but reproduction has made some female breeds also demonstrate this. When considering spawning, female Ram fish boast a red or pink flush on the stomach. Female Ram breeds also boast a blue shine above the spot just under the dorsal fin, or a thin scattering of blue scales in the upper half of the dark mark, and male breeds do not demonstrate this. The female breed lays its small adhesive eggs, ranging in size from 0.9 mm to 1.5 mm, and in numbers from 150 to 300 eggs on compressed stones or directly into minute depressions excavated in the grave. The larvae of the fish are not free-swimming for the first five days, after which they are accompanied by the female or the male breed in a thick school for foraging.

Though the lifespan of the Ram fish breed differs according to the species, the maximum lifespan of the breed is 3 years.