Freshwater Fish
Blue Ram.
A small, jewel-toned dwarf cichlid — gold, blue, and red with bold dark markings and expressive fins. A little particular about clean, warm, stable water, but a pair brings constant interaction to a 20-gallon-plus tank with caves to claim.
We keep this species at our Erie store. Come and see it in the tanks, or call (814) 456-9445 and ask what we have in right now.
Sea Cave keeps this species. You will find these in the tanks at 660 East 14th Street in Erie. We never ship live animals.
- Condition
- new
- Fulfillment
- Local pickup — Erie, PA
We never ship fish, coral, or invertebrates — every animal here is one you meet in person. Each one is acclimated and health-checked in-house before it goes out into the display tanks. This is a species we keep, and what is swimming on any given day changes with the deliveries, so please call (814) 456-9445 before you drive in.
Care at a glance
What to know before you take one home.
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Temperament
- Semi aggressive
- Community
- Semi community
- Adult size
- 3"
- Min tank size
- 20 gallons
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Scientific name
- Microgeophagus ramirezi
Good tank mates
The blue ram is a semi-aggressive dwarf cichlid, so it wants calm, similarly-sized tankmates that aren't timid and won't outcompete it at feeding time. Good company includes peaceful mid-water schoolers like rummy-nose or cardinal tetras and harlequin rasboras, plus bottom-dwellers like corydoras. Avoid large or aggressive cichlids that will bully it, fin-nippers, and tiny shrimp it may pick at. A pair can get territorial around their cave at breeding time, so give them space.
Good to know
The blue ram is named after Manuel Ramirez, an aquarium-fish exporter, which is reflected in its species name ramirezi.
What is in the tanks and each animal's temperament vary — call (814) 456-9445 for pairing advice.
Good tankmates
Plays well with.
Species we’d keep in the same tank, with why each pairing works. What is in the tanks and each animal’s temperament vary — call (814) 456-9445 for advice on pairing.
New to stocking a tank? Read our guide on which fish live together.
Cardinal Tetra
Peaceful open-water schooler that shares the warm (27–30°C), soft, acidic water Blue Rams require. Explicitly named as a compatible species by Seriously Fish and widely documented in the planted-tank community as one of the best Ram companions.
Rummy-Nose Tetra
Tolerates up to 31°C per Wikipedia; planted-tank communities confirm regular successful cohabitation with Rams at 28–30°C. Small, peaceful schooling fish with overlapping soft-acidic water preferences and no reported aggression.
Bristlenose Pleco
Despite a quoted optimal range of 74–80°F, extensive real-world evidence from the discus-keeping community shows Bristlenose thriving at 84–86°F with good aeration — well within Ram territory. Docile algae grazer with no zone or aggression conflict. Best kept at the lower end of Ram temperatures (27–28°C) with adequate oxygenation.
- S
Sterbai Cory Catfish
The standout Corydoras species for high-temperature setups — one of the very few Cory species that thrives at the warm water Rams need. Peaceful, bottom-dwelling, and occupies a different zone from the Ram's mid-bottom territory.
- K
Kuhli Loach
Native warm-water loach with a 24–30°C comfort range that maps directly onto Ram parameters. Peaceful, nocturnal, and hides in substrate crevices, producing minimal zone conflict with a daytime-active Ram.
Visit the store
660 East 14th Street,
Erie, PA.
Mon–Fri 12–6 · Sat 11–4 · Sun closed. Call ahead on livestock — what's on the floor rotates.