Breeding German Blue Ram

How to breed Mikrogeophagus ramirezi: pair formation, sexing, flat-stone spawning, biparental brood care, hatching and rearing the fry.

Overview

The German Blue Ram (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi) is a biparental substrate-spawning dwarf cichlid of intermediate breeding difficulty. Once mature, the fish form monogamous pairs prior to spawning, and males do not tolerate other males.

Sexing

Males grow larger than females, possess slightly more-extended fins and are more intensely coloured. Females typically display a pink or red blush on the abdomen, often with a blue sheen over the lateral spot below the dorsal fin, which is absent in males.

Conditioning the Breeders

The recommended approach is to begin with a group of young fish and allow pairs to form naturally, separating them as they do so. The species is best bred in a dedicated tank without other fish.

Breeding Setup & Spawning

Eggs are normally laid on a solid surface such as a flat rock, driftwood, a broad plant leaf or the aquarium glass, or directly into small depressions dug in the gravel. The female lays one or more rows of small, adhesive eggs (about 0.9-1.5 mm) before the male moves in to fertilise them, repeated numerous times. A typical clutch is 150-300 eggs, with clutches up to 500 reported.

Egg & Fry Care

Both parents tend the eggs and defend the territory, fanning water over the clutch. Eggs hatch in about 40 hours at 29 °C; the larvae remain largely immobile for a further five days, requiring no supplementary food, after which they are escorted in a dense school. First foods are microscopic, progressing to Artemia nauplii.

Common Challenges

Inexperienced pairs may eat their brood but often get things right after a few attempts. Commercially produced stock can be of poor quality, sometimes failing to fertilise or repeatedly eating eggs, and pristine water is needed to avoid egg fungus.