The livestock that is sold on our online site is not held in store at our Birchwood Aquatic Centre shop. Species sold at the Birchwood Aquatic Centre physical store may differ from ones available to order to your door.
Bolivian Ram Mikrogeophagus Altispinosa 3cm
Image for illustration purposes only. Exact colours, patterns, and size may vary between individuals.
Delivered alive, guaranteed
Live fish delivery is £20 per order, delivered Thursday, Friday or Saturday, arriving before 1:00pm on the day you choose at checkout. Packed by aquatic specialists and shipped overnight with a dedicated livestock courier, every fish is covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee with automatic refunds. See How Live Fish Delivery Works for full details.
When will my fish arrive?
| Order placed | Delivery day |
|---|---|
| Up to Monday 11:00am | Thursday (that week) |
| Monday after 11:00am – Tuesday 11:00am | Friday (that week) |
| Tuesday after 11:00am – Wednesday 11:00am | Saturday (that week) |
| Wednesday after 11:00am – Sunday (any time) | Thursday (following week) |
Overview
The Bolivian Ram is a hardy dwarf cichlid with a golden-yellow front fading to olive, a bold eye bar and dark flank spot, and red-edged fins flecked with iridescent blue. It comes from the upper Rio Madeira basin of Bolivia and Brazil. It suits peaceful, sand-bottomed planted community tanks.
- Adult Size: Around 8 cm (3 in); males slightly larger and more colourful
- Lifespan: 4–6 years
Origin
- Native to: Upper Rio Madeira basin, Bolivia and Brazil
- Habitat: Tributaries, oxbows and lakes with sand or mud beds
Feeding
- Diet: Omnivorous, sand-sifting
- Preferred Foods: Bloodworm, brine shrimp, daphnia, grindal worms, sinking pellets, quality flake
- Feeding Habits: Feed once or twice daily; sinking foods reach them
Tank Mates
- Best with: Tetras, pencilfish, Corydoras, Otocinclus, peaceful rasboras, small groups of its own kind
- Avoid: Fast greedy feeders, fin-nippers and aggressive cichlids
Aggression & Behaviour
- Temperament: Docile by cichlid standards; bluffs rather than bites
- Territoriality: Pairs defend a breeding site with mock charges
Experience Level
- Difficulty: Beginner to Intermediate
- Challenges: Poor food competitor; needs sand and stable water
Water Parameters
- Water Type: Freshwater, soft and slightly acidic to neutral
- Temperature: 24–28°C (75–82°F)
- pH: 6.0–7.5
- Hardness: 1–10 dGH
- Flow: Slow to moderate
- Tank Size: Minimum 100 litres for a pair; larger for groups
Final Notes
Tougher than the Blue Ram and happy at normal tropical temperatures, this is the easier Ram to keep long term. Give it fine sand to sift, flat stones and caves for spawning, and make sure food reaches it past faster fish. Biparental substrate spawners, pairs guard eggs that hatch in 2 to 3 days. Its habit of charging and stopping short is bluff, not violence, and its character grows on everyone.
Please Note
The livestock that is sold on our online site is not held in store at our Birchwood Aquatic Centre shop. Species sold at the Birchwood Aquatic Centre physical store may differ from ones available to order to your door.
Frequently Asked Questions
In insulated boxes designed for live transport, packed by aquatic specialists,
overnight with a licensed live-animal courier, arriving before 1pm.
It is covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee.
Photograph it within 4 hours of delivery, email info@birchwoodaquaticcentre.co.uk with your order number, and the refund is processed automatically. The cover continues for 7 days after arrival.
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. You pick your day at checkout; please choose a day someone is home.
Yes. One basket, one checkout; the fish arrive with the specialist courier and the rest of your order ships as normal.
We can deliver to UK mainland only for live fish.
Follow the five-minute acclimatisation steps in our When Your Fish Arrive guide: float the bags, add tank water gradually, net the fish in, lights low, feed tomorrow.