Gold Head Electric Blue Ram (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi)

Common Name

Golden Head Platinum Ram

Origin and Habitat

The species is native to the Orinoco Llanos of Venezuela and Colombia. In the wild it lives in warm, very slow waters such as shallow savannah streams, floodplain pools, and quiet backwaters. These sites have soft sand or silt, leaf litter, tangled roots, and dense marginal plants. Water is often soft and slightly acidic, tea stained from tannins, and gently filtered through vegetation.

Temperature and Water Conditions

Rams are true warm water cichlids. A practical range for long term health is 27 to 30°C, which is 81 to 86°F. Many wild reports place pH slightly acidic, commonly about 5.0 to 6.8, with very low to moderate hardness. We do not recommend chasing or altering water chemistry except for special breeding situations. Stable temperature, very clean water, and low nitrogen waste are far more important than exact numbers. Gentle flow, high oxygen, and a tight routine of small water changes keep this strain thriving.

Appearance and Size

Golden Head Platinum shows a bright metallic gold mask over the face that blends into a pearl white to platinum body. Fins carry soft yellow to orange with blue spangling. Males are a little larger with longer dorsal extensions, a sharper leading fin edge, and stronger color when in full condition. Females are rounder in the belly and may show a rosy belly blush when ready to spawn. Adult size is about 5 to 6.5 cm, which is 2.0 to 2.6 inches.

Diet in the Wild

A micro predator that picks through sand and leaf litter for tiny invertebrates. Natural prey includes insect larvae, micro crustaceans, worms, and small amounts of aufwuchs.

Feeding in Captivity

Offer a varied menu of small foods. Use a quality micro pellet or fine soft pellet as the staple. Enrich with frozen or live baby brine shrimp, daphnia, cyclops, and small blackworms in moderation. Add occasional green content such as spirulina flakes. Feed small portions two or three times daily and remove uneaten food quickly to protect water quality.

Behavior and Tank Setup

Generally peaceful, best as a bonded pair in a calm community. Choose gentle tank mates that enjoy warm water, such as small tetras from warm regions, pencilfish, hatchetfish, Corydoras that tolerate higher temperatures, and otocinclus once the tank is mature. Provide a fine sand foreground so the pair can sift without damaging gills. Add broad leaves, flat stones, half coconuts, and wood for cover and spawning sites. A planted layout with line of sight breaks reduces stress and lowers territorial pressure. Use a quiet sponge or gentle canister return and keep surface agitation steady for oxygen without harsh current.

Breeding

Rams are open substrate spawners with attentive biparental care, though some domestic lines may eat first clutches until they settle. Patience and careful conditioning make the difference.

Pair formation and conditioning

Begin with a young group and allow a pair to form naturally, or purchase a known pair. Condition with several small feedings of live or frozen foods each day for one to two weeks. Keep temperature near 28 to 29°C and perform small, frequent water changes to mimic fresh rainfall.

Spawning site and courtship

Provide flat stones, small tiles, or broad leaves near quiet cover. The pair will clean the surface with careful pecking, flare fins, and display side by side quivers. When ready, the female lays neat rows of small amber eggs while the male follows to fertilize.

Egg care

At warm ram temperatures, eggs commonly hatch in about 36 to 48 hours. Parents fan the clutch and remove bad eggs. If a pair is inexperienced and eats eggs, let them try again. Success often arrives by the second or third attempt. For artificial rearing, move the stone to a small container with matching water, a gentle airstone pointed near the eggs, and a trace of methylene blue to prevent fungus. Keep light subdued.

Wrigglers and free swimmers

Newly hatched fry are wrigglers for two to three days while they absorb yolk. Parents may mouth carry and plant them in shallow pits they dig in the sand. Once fry become free swimming, the adults herd them in a tight cloud and defend the area. Offer very small foods near the school so fry do not have to travel far.

First foods and grow out

Start with infusoria, rotifers, or a fine powdered fry food that remains suspended. Add vinegar eels and micro worms on day two or three. Introduce newly hatched brine shrimp as soon as bellies can handle it. Feed tiny portions four to six times daily and change small amounts of water daily with pre warmed, aged water. A seasoned sponge filter with a prefilter sleeve protects fry from intake.

Helpful structures

Flat stones for egg laying, fine sand for nest pits, and scattered pebbles or small rock piles create micro gaps that shelter fry. Clumps of moss and broad leaf plants provide visual barriers that keep the school tight and calm.

Troubleshooting

If clutches fail repeatedly, review temperature and stability first. Avoid sudden swings, bright lights over the nest, or fast current. Try a different spawning site material, polish water quality with small daily changes, and keep conditioning foods varied. If parents remain unreliable, remove the stone for artificial incubation and return later to natural rearing once the pair matures.

Quick Facts

Scientific name: Mikrogeophagus ramirezi
Trade name: Gold Head Electric Blue Ram
Origin: Orinoco Llanos, Venezuela and Colombia
Size: About 5 to 6.5 cm, which is 2.0 to 2.6 inches
Temperature: 27 to 30°C, which is 81 to 86°F
pH: Often slightly acidic in the wild, stability is more important than exact value in aquaria
Temperament: Peaceful dwarf cichlid, territorial when breeding
Diet: Small invertebrates, accepts quality micro pellets and fine frozen foods
Breeding: Open substrate spawner with biparental care, eggs on stones or broad leaves, fry require tiny live foods

Tropical Fish Co. Notes

Golden Head Platinum rams are jewels that reward steady hands. Warm water, pristine conditions, and a calm layout make their faces glow like sunrise. Keep the sand clean, the feeding light but frequent, and the temperature rock steady. When a pair decides to raise a brood, the family ballet around a green leaf or flat stone is pure aquarium magic. If you are chasing that perfect display, let plants frame a small terrace with one flat stone at center stage and give the pair the spotlight. Consistency turns this beautiful strain from delicate to dependable.