- Species – Microgeophagus ramirezi
- Common Name – Neon Blue Ram (gold head), Electric Blue Ram
- Origin – South America
- Diet – Omnivore
- PH Range – Acidic 5 – 7
- Temperature – Tropical 24°c – 28°c
- Breed Type – Egg Layer
- Max Size – approximately 6cm
- Sex – Un-sexed
The Neon BlueGold Head Ram is a selectively bred variant of the German Blue Ram, which is a colour variant of the original wild Ram.
Rams are best housed in groups of 5 or more individuals, as they would live in social groups in the wild. While they are peaceful towards other tank mates, they fight amongst themselves to establish a group hierarchy. Larger groups of fish help to spread out their in-fighting, which makes it easier on the group as a whole. They prefer aquariums with a sand, gravel or mixed substrate, plenty of plants and driftwood. Rocks, live plants and driftwood also work to create territory within the aquarium so that individuals can establish their own space within the tank.
As the Neon Blue Ram is a selectively bred farm raised species, thus they are very used to consuming commercially processed flake and pellet foods. They are generally considered aggressive feeders, who will eagerly swim to the aquarium glass as the hobbyist approaches in anticipation of being fed.
As with most fish species, it is best to feed them a variety of food items in order to provide the necessary vitamins and minerals to support a healthy immune system. Meaty flakes, mini-pellets, freeze-dried worms and frozen brine shrimp are ideal. They should be fed a couple of times per day and the amount that they will consume within five minutes.