Product Details

Super Neon Blue German Gold Ram – Mikrogeophagus ramirezi

The Super Neon Blue German Gold Ram is a highly coloured captive-bred strain of the popular Ram Cichlid, combining the golden body tones of a Gold Ram with intense electric-blue iridescence. This ornamental form of Mikrogeophagus ramirezi is sometimes sold as a Neon Blue Gold Ram, Electric Blue Gold Ram, German Gold Ram or Balloon-free Blue Gold Ram, depending on the strain line. It is a beautiful dwarf cichlid for a warm, mature planted aquarium, but it is not a hardy beginner fish and should be reserved for stable, well-maintained setups.

Key Identification:

Common Name: Super Neon Blue German Gold Ram
Other Names: Neon Blue Gold Ram, Electric Blue Gold Ram, German Gold Ram, Gold German Blue Ram, Ram Cichlid, German Ram, Butterfly Cichlid, Microgeophagus ramirezi
Scientific Name: Mikrogeophagus ramirezi
Fish Type: Dwarf Cichlid
Water Type: Freshwater

Natural Range & Habitat:

This fish is a captive-bred colour strain, so the super neon blue and gold colour combination is not a wild form. The wild species, Mikrogeophagus ramirezi, comes from the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela and Colombia, especially the warm llanos floodplain region. In nature, rams inhabit warm, slow-moving waters with soft substrates, leaf litter, plant cover and gentle flow. FishBase lists the species as freshwater and benthopelagic, with a natural association with warm water around 27–30°C.

Appearance & Adult Size:

The Super Neon Blue German Gold Ram is a compact, deep-bodied dwarf cichlid with bright yellow to golden body colour and vivid metallic blue scaling across the flanks, face and fins. Depending on the individual, the blue may appear as fine speckling, a strong neon sheen or broader electric-blue coverage. The fins can show blue, yellow, orange or red highlights. Adults usually reach around 4–6 cm, with males often becoming slightly larger and more extended in the dorsal and pelvic fins, while females may appear rounder when mature.

Aquarium Suitability:

This is a specialist community fish for a peaceful, mature tropical aquarium. It suits planted aquariums, soft-water community tanks and carefully managed dwarf cichlid setups. Because this strain has been selectively bred for colour, it should be treated as more delicate than many general community fish. It does best in warm water with excellent stability, low stress and calm tank mates.

Recommended Aquarium Size:

A practical minimum is 60 litres for a single pair, with 90 litres or more preferred for a pair in a community aquarium. Larger tanks are recommended if keeping more than one pair, as rams can become territorial when breeding.

Water Conditions:

Temperature: 26–30°C
pH: 5.5–7.2
Hardness: Soft to moderately hard, with soft to slightly acidic water preferred
Additional Notes: Warm, stable water is essential. Avoid cool community tanks, fluctuating conditions and immature aquariums. Good filtration, gentle flow, regular small water changes and low nitrate levels are important for long-term health. Seriously Fish recommends warm conditions for Mikrogeophagus ramirezi and emphasises a varied diet including small live and frozen foods.

Temperament & Tank Mates:

Aquarium Category: Semi-Aggressive

Super Neon Blue German Gold Rams are peaceful for cichlids, but pairs can defend a small territory when breeding. Suitable tank mates include small peaceful tetras, pencilfish, hatchetfish, small rasboras, Otocinclus, Corydoras in warmer compatible setups, peaceful dwarf gouramis and other calm community species that enjoy similar warm water.

Avoid aggressive cichlids, fin-nippers, large predatory fish, fast boisterous feeders and cool-water species. Do not keep them with fish that require hard alkaline water or significantly lower temperatures. They are best kept as a bonded pair, a single feature fish, or in a carefully managed group in a larger aquarium with plenty of cover.

Feeding:

These rams are omnivorous micro-predators with a strong preference for small, high-quality foods. Offer fine tropical granules, dwarf cichlid pellets and quality flakes, supported with frozen or live foods such as brineshrimp, daphnia, cyclops, bloodworm and mosquito larvae. Feed small portions once or twice daily, making sure food reaches them before faster tank mates take it all. A varied diet is important for colour, condition and breeding behaviour.

Behaviour in the Aquarium:

Super Neon Blue German Gold Rams spend much of their time in the lower and middle levels, picking at the substrate, plants and décor for small food items. They often form pairs and may choose flat stones, broad leaves, wood or shallow pits in the substrate as spawning sites. When settled, they become confident, interactive fish, but they can sulk or lose colour if kept in unsuitable water or with intimidating tank mates.

Care Notes:

This strain should only be added to a fully cycled, mature aquarium. Keep the temperature warm and stable, and avoid mixing with cool-water community fish. Provide fine sand or smooth substrate, planted areas, wood, leaf litter or caves for security. Rams are sensitive to poor water quality, sudden parameter changes and high nitrate, so regular maintenance is essential. Select tank mates carefully, as stress is a common cause of poor condition in this species.

Recommended For:

Intermediate

Availability:

Common to occasional / Captive-bred colour strain

Image Disclaimer:

All images are a visual representation of the fish you will receive, made to be as accurate as possible. Natural variation in size, colour, pattern and markings can occur between individual fish.