Description
Mikrogeophagus ramirezi is quite a famous fish already, and in recent years there has been a new color variant which has the whole world abuzz, and that is the german black ram! Depending on the source that you receive them from, these fish generate a reaction which varies from ecstatic excitement to underwhelmed disappointment. There are many people who have gotten lower expression specimens of the fish which may have seven been crossed back to normal german blue bloodlines, diluting the black pigmentation a lot along the way. The black rams are a domestic creation, made from generations of selective breeding, and so breeding them back to a more “simple” color form may be necessary to achieve a more robust fish, but should not be sold with the moniker that has generated so much hype. A true german black ram is completely black, with some flakes of blue iridescence on the fins, although even that is sometimes undesirable. The fins are all an ombre black to orange fade, and sometimes there is a very bright electric blue around the lips. Due to the black overlay in pigment, it can be difficult to distinguish male from females of this color form, and so if your goal is to breed them you may want to get a larger group of them, and separate specific fish out as they pair off. This fish was originally collected from the drainage of the rio Orinoco in Venezuela and Colombia, this color form is already so far removed from the wild that the wild water conditions matter very minimally when trying to keep this fish in your aquarium.
Because this fish has been bred in an aquarium for multiple generations already, they should be much more adaptable to tank water than any wild fish would most likely be. The most important factor is going to be a well cycled aquarium which is able to process the amount of waste that your fish produce, keeping the aquarium clean chemically. Also keep in mind that these fish really like it warm! This species of fish does not tend to do well in aquariums in temperatures lower than 80 degrees. At this temperature the dissolved oxygen in the water can quickly be depleted, so having something to help oxygenate the water is a very important safeguard.
The temperature also presents some difficulty in both choosing some potential tank mates for them, as well as choosing plants if you want to put them in a planted aquarium. In terms of fish, most tropical fish that we keep in the hobby do not need temperatures that high, but are perfectly comfortable. One popular pairing of fish is discus, since they are another fish that really prefers a warmer water temperature. Plants on the other hand prefer to be a bit cooler, and you may have some difficulty maintaining plants long term in temperatures that high. Give it a try though, with faster growing stem plants being more likely candidates to do well over time, especially those which are naturally found in warmer climates, like Brazil. These fish will ship to you individually bagged.
Common Name: Double Black Ram
Scientific Name: Mikrogeophagus ramirezi var. Double Black
Country of Import: Czech Republic
Prophylactic Treatment: Erythromycin / Ich-X / Metro
Approximate Current Size: 1" to 1.25" each
Temp/pH/TDS: 80F / 6.5 pH / 100
Please be aware that all fish are sold on a BUY THIS WEEK, SHIP NEXT WEEK basis, and fish are shipped only on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Weekly shipping cutoff is EVERY SATURDAY at 12 Noon Pacific US Time. All fish are shipped via UPS Next Day Air. Minimum order is $50.00 (excluding shipping) and all orders to the lower 48 US States qualify for FLAT RATE $60.00 shipping via UPS Next Day Air. Hawaii and Alaska State Residents: Please contact us if you would like to purchase Live Animals for delivery.
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