German Blue Ram

A jewel-bright dwarf cichlid that wants warm, soft, mature water. Beautiful but delicate — stable parameters matter more than perfect ones.

• Minimum footprint: 20 gallons; a 30+ gallon tank gives real swimming room.
• Preferred swimming zone: bottom of the water column.
• Social — keep a group of at least 2.
• Care level: moderate.

• Temperature: 78–85°F
• pH: 5.5–7
• Hardness: 1–8 dGH (Soft)

Stable parameters matter more than perfect ones — aim for consistency before chasing an exact number.

semi-aggressive

cichlidterritorialsoft-watersensitivepairs

An omnivore — offer a staple flake or pellet plus regular frozen or live foods (daphnia, bloodworm, brine shrimp) and some vegetable matter for balance.

No outright-compatible species in our current database — check individual pairings with the compatibility tool.

• Zebra Danio — One species will live outside its comfortable temperature range.
• Molly — pH requirements do not intersect — one species will be stressed.
• Rosy Barb — One species will live outside its comfortable temperature range.
• White Cloud Mountain Minnow — One species will live outside its comfortable temperature range.
• Chili Rasbora — Occasional chasing or fin nipping is possible.

Standard tanks at or above the recommended 30 gallons:

• 30 gallon 36 × 12 × 16″
• 40 gallon Breeder 36 × 18 × 16″
• 40 gallon Long 48 × 12 × 16″
• All tank sizes

• Start from a 20 gallon minimum and plan the full group size (2+) before you buy.
• Activity level is moderate, which affects how much of the tank it uses and how much it adds to the bioload.
• Zoning matters: this species lives mostly in the bottom zone, so choose tank mates that occupy other levels.

Compatibility depends on tank size, water chemistry, temperament, and adult size. Run a full check against any species in our database.

In-depth guides for German Blue Ram:

• German Blue Ram and Neon TetraRisky
• German Blue Ram and AngelfishRisky
• German Blue Ram and Cardinal TetraRisky
• German Blue Ram and Harlequin RasboraRisky

• FishBase(Scientific Database, accessed 2026-09-20)
• SeriouslyFish(Specialist Publication, accessed 2026-09-20)
• Practical Fishkeeping(Specialist Publication, accessed 2026-09-20)
• Aquarium Forge editorial guidelines(Editorial Interpretation, accessed 2026-09-22)

Data reviewed: September 2026 · Data version: 2026.11
Editorial note: Minimum tank recommendations may vary by source and husbandry approach. Our figures synthesise the sources above for planning purposes.