Ballon Ram Dwarf Cichlid

That was the name at the store. We Call Him Little Chief.

We picked up a pair about 3 weeks ago and they have been doing GREAT. The ramirezi are said to be very shy, but ours will come right up to the glass, as you can see.



Ram cichlid

Mikrogeophagus ramirezi is a species of freshwater fish endemic to the Orinoco River basin, in the savannahs of Venezuela and Colombia in South America. The species is traded under a variety of common names including Ram, Blue ram, German blue ram, Asian ram, Butterfly cichlid, Ramirez's dwarf cichlid, Dwarf butterfly cichlid and Ramirezi. The species is a member of the family Cichlidae and is included in subfamily Geophaginae.

The ram cichlid is a popular cichlid for the tropical freshwater, community aquarium although it is not necessarily the easiest cichlid to maintain in many situations. This is because the species is often kept with other fish that are more assertive, aggressive or overly active. The species is innately shy and is best kept with passive dither fish, such as neon or cardinal tetras. The species will readily exhibit breeding behaviours in water of pH 5.0-6.5, though softer water encourages more regular spawning. It is easier to maintain the species in larger aquaria as the species is intolerant of common aquarium pollutants such as nitrate. The aquarium should be decorated to mimic the natural environment and is best decorated with several densely planted regions of aquatic plants, separated by open water.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discus_(fish)

Discus Fish Discription

Discus (Symphysodon spp.) are a genus of three species of freshwater cichlid fishes native to the Amazon River basin. Discus are popular as aquarium fish and their aquaculture in several countries in Asia is a major industry.

Discus belong to the genus Symphysodon, which currently includes three species: : The common discus (Symphysodon aequifasciatus), the Heckel discus (Symphysodon discus), and a new species which has been named Symphysodon tarzoo. A further investigation published in August 2007, suggested that the genus held three species: S. aequifasciatus, S. haraldi and S. discus.

Like cichlids from the genus Pterophyllum, all Symphysodon species have a laterally compressed body shape. In contrast to Pterophyllum, however, extended finnage is absent giving Symphysodon a more rounded shape. It is this body shape from which their common name, “discus”, is derived. The sides of the fish are frequently patterned in shades of green, red, brown, and blue. The height and length of the grown fish are both about 20–25 cm (8–10 in).

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discus_(fish)