GBRs really only care about there being enough driftwood and plants cover for them. Your German blue ram will do much better if you combine it will peaceful species that will leave some food for the rams. The fish will also need a few caves to seek shelter in. Can Cichlids Live with Other Tropical Fish? Don’t lose heart if the first few spawnings are unsuccessful. Cichlids for a Planted Tank (Which Ones are Best?). Yes, German blue rams should be kept in male/female pairs in a minimum 30-gallon tank with 10 more gallons of water per every additional pair of fish. The answer to the question  “how long does a German blue ram live?” largely depends on how good care you provide them with. If you wish to keep two pairs of rams, increase the aquarium size to 40 gallons so that each set has enough territory. How many blue rams should be kept together? Try to resemble the natural environment of the German blue ram in the aquarium, e.g. The German blue ram is an omnivore that needs food from both the animal kingdom and the plant kingdom to stay healthy and happy. Current inhabitants: 4 zebra danios (very old) 5 pentazona barbs 7 corydoras trilineatus 17 cardinal tetras 1 zebra nerite snail This tank is using pressurised Co2 injection and I use RO water on it which I remineralise to approximately KH 4 and GH 10. Keeping rams on their own is not recommended; they feel safer when combined with braver fish (so-called dither fish). The larger the aquarium size, the easier it will be to keep the water quality high enough. They can be bred in nano aquarium tanks. For German Blue Rams, you are able to keep 1 pair for every 20 gallons (90 liters = 23 US gallons). by using soft acidic water with a pH-value of 5. Since they form monogamous relationships as adults, you should purchase a male and a female at the same time as juveniles, so they have ample time to bond in a community tank environment before reaching sexually maturity. Typically German Blue Rams make perfect community fish, however there is never a guarantee when it comes to fish-keeping so always have a backup plan in-place. It belongs to the subfamily Geophaginae in the cichlid family. German blue rams should not be kept in aquariums smaller than 75 L (20 gallons). German blue rams should be kept in an aquarium that is at least 29 gallons (110 litres), and this will allow for a bonded male and female to be comfortably kept together. Its entirely possible to keep more than one German blue ram male in the same tank, provided the aquarium is large enough (at least a 40-gallon size, but preferably bigger) for each one to have his own area. The German blue ram can become at least 3 years old. They form monogamous relationships and ‘mate for life’ as adults which is why it’s best to purchase them in pairs while still juveniles – so they can bond before reaching sexually maturity. You can usually find them at your local Petsmart as well as in most local fish stores. I have what was supposed to be three german blue rams, bought them all at the same time. They form monogamous relationships and ‘mate for life’ as adults which is why it’s best to purchase them in pairs while still juveniles – so they can bond before reaching sexually maturity. The problem is that many aquarists combine the ram with unsuitable species, such as aggressive fish that will harass the ram or overly energetic fish that will gulp down all the food before the ram gets a chance to eat. Common names include the German blue ram and butterfly cichlid. In fact, there are quite the number of German blue ram tank mates that are easy to … A fish that live in suboptimal conditions will not love as long as a fish that is kept in perfect conditions. Germans do like lower pH at around 6.8. The eggs are 0.9-1.5 mm in length (0.035-0.059 inches). Rams are extremely sensitive to water quality. Be aware that without a partner, German Blue rams won’t be as brilliant or vibrantly colored since their pigmentation is directly tied to their ‘happiness’ or well-being. Wild German blue rams will normally have more noticeable bars compared to aquarium-bred strains. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. If they are stressed, German blue rams may refuse to eat. Most stores keep male and female German blue rams for sale together in the same aquarium. Thanks for reading and good luck with your freshwater aquarium hobby! You can keep your rams with moderately aggressive top dwelling fish such as pearl gouramis and dwarf gourami. It is also common for females to have a plumper body shape and more rounded edging of the tailfin. When its time for breeding, the red patch on the belly of the female will grow bigger and become much brighter than normally. German blue ram with one-week-old fry Picture by fishalicious. Most fish sold in these auctions are sold by dedicated breeders who love their fish. You can often buy ‘paired’ German blue rams at your local pet shop of fish store. While German blue rams prefer to be kept in male/female pairs, you can keep just one in a smaller 15-gallon tank. I do not recommend buying your germans blue rams from Petsmart. Feeding. If it continues to happen, then it’s likely the result of distress within the aquarium environment. A typical batch will consist of 150-300 eggs, but some batches contain no more than 20 eggs while others contain over 500 eggs. They should always be kept in a planted tank. If you want to coax your rams into breeding, provide them with soft water and increase the water temperature a bit, up to 28 °C (82 °F). No they do not need to be in pairs, you can even keep them in with bigger fish. Do I need to get another German blue ram or will he be fine on his own? Try to figure out what stresses your fish and do your best to make the aquarium more relaxing for them. That way, they’re already accustomed to one another and may bond quicker. Therefore, they prefer ‘hot’ water with a temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit (17 degrees Celsius) or higher!