In our guide below you’ll find 12 great Electric Blue Ram Tank Mates for your aquarium.
The electric blue ram is beautiful dwarf cichlid that’s great for people who are new to keeping fish.
It’s not very hard to care for, and they’re very peaceful. Because of that, electric blue ram tank mates are very easy to find.
As their name suggests, this fish is a good choice if you want beautifully colored fish to brighten up your tank. It won’t be aggressive toward your other fish, plus it isn’t shy either, although it does enjoy its hiding spaces.
They thrive best in well-established tanks, which means it’s actually easier to introduce them to your setup if you’ve already gotten everything settled in.
Below are some important facts about electric blue rams, so you provide them with the best environment possible.
BlueRam92 [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Care level: Easy (they’re inexpensive compared to other cichlids)
Ideal tank size: 20 gallons minimum for 1 pair
Temperature range: 72 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit
pH range: 5.0 to 7.5
If you’re looking for the ideal tank mates for your blue rams, here are 12 of the best ones to choose.
Equipment You Might Need For Your Blue Rams
- Aqua Clear – Fish Tank Filter
- NICREW Classic LED Aquarium Light
- Fluval M Aquarium Heater
- Python Pro-Clean Gravel Washer and Siphon Kit
- Marina Algae Magnet Cleaner
- API Freshwater Master Test Kit
1. Guppy
Care level: Easy
Max size of fish: 2 inches
Temperature range: 75 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit
pH range: 7.0 to 8.0
The guppy is one of the main staples of a wonderfully put-together freshwater aquarium. Not only are they easy to care for, but they also get along with pretty much every other freshwater fish.
Also, the species is incredibly diverse. Not only do they come in different colors, but they also come in different sizes. The different breeds also have different types of tails, such as flag, lace, and veil.
2. Swordtail
Care level: Easy (they’re a very hardy fish)
Max size of fish: 6.3 inches
Temperature range: 65 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit
pH range: 7.0 to 8.4
The swordtail is another main staple of aquariums, especially beginner ones. These fish bear live young and are one of the biggest of this type of fish. They can reach 6 inches long as adults!
Swordtails come in a variety of colors, but you can find them mostly in green. While you can house a whole shoal of them in your aquarium, do keep in mind that adults males can become aggressive toward one another. For this reason, you should only keep one male in a tank.
3. Molly
Care level: Easy
Max size of fish: 4.5 inches
Temperature range: 72 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit
pH range: 6.7 to 8.5
The molly is another excellent beginner fish. They’re very active and social, which means you might even see individuals develop personalities!
These fish are commonly found in fish stores, which means they won’t be very expensive. Mollies come in all different sizes and colors, so they’re yet another fish that’ll add dimension to your aquarium.
Try and limit your shoal of mollies to just females. While males do get along with females, they may sometimes harass them.
4. Platy
Care level: Easy (great for beginners)
Max size of fish: 3 inches
Temperature range: 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit
pH range: 6.8 to 8
Platies are quite energetic and can be kept in a small group rather than a shoal or a school. There has been lots of interbreeding, which has resulted in amazing color patterns.
As with the other fish, you’ll want to have more females than males; preferably, 2 to 3 for every male. That way, the females will experience less harassment.
5. Neon Tetra
Care level: Easy
Max size of fish: 1.5 inches
Temperature range: 70 to 91 degrees Fahrenheit
pH range: below 7.0
True to its name, the neon tetra has a stunning coloring. They’re tiny and inexpensive, which means you can buy a decently sized school for your aquarium without breaking the bank.
Make sure you only add neon Tetras to already-established tanks. They are very sensitive to change and newly cycled tanks can kill them.
Check out this roundup of the 7 Neon Tetra Tank Mates to give this pretty little fish some company in your tank.
6. Silver Dollar Fish
Care level: Intermediate
Max size of fish: 6 inches
Temperature range: 75 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit
pH range: 5.5 to 7.5
As their name suggests, the silver dollar fish is circular, flat, and silver in color. While they’re related to the piranha, they’re much more peaceful than their cousins.
As they’re a schooling fish, you’ll want to buy at least 5. Otherwise, they can become reclusive if they’re the only silver dollar fish in the tank.
7. Dwarf Gourami
Care level: Easy
Max size of fish: 4.5 inches
Temperature range: 77 to 78.5 degrees Fahrenheit
pH range: 6 to 8
If you’re a fan of gouramis but don’t have a large enough tank, the dwarf gourami is a good alternative. They are a schooling fish, which means you need to purchase a good handful for your aquarium.
This is another fish that needs a 2 (or 3) to 1 ratio for females and males. This is to prevent the males from becoming too aggressive with the females.
8. Bristlenose Plecostomus
Care level: Intermediate
Max size of fish: 5 inches
Temperature range: 72 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit
pH range: 6.5 to 7.5
Bristlenose Plecos are a small armored catfish that are not only nice to look at, but also serve an important purpose. They love eating algae, which will help keep your tank clean.
Most plecos are brown and may have some spots or patterns. However, you can find variations on colors, spots, and patterns depending on the environment they’re raised in.
9. Black Phantom Tetra
Care level: Easy
Max size of fish: 2 inches
Temperature range: 72 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit
pH range: 6 to 7.5
This small fish is silver with a small black patch on its side. There will also be an outline around the patch that’ll look either silver or green. The better their diet, the more vibrant this fish’s coloring will be.
The black phantom tetra will do well in schools of 6 or more. To minimize aggression in the tank, try to only have 1 male. While this is a peaceful fish, males can attack one another around spawning time.
10. Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish
Care level: Intermediate
Max size of fish: 2.5 inches
Temperature range: 73 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit
pH range: 6.8 to 7.5
If you’ve ever read “The Rainbow Fish” as a child, you’ll know how beautiful that fish was. Get something similar in real life for your tank by purchasing the dwarf neon rainbowfish.
While this fish is easy to care for, they do get stressed out easily. Make sure you only introduce them to a well-established aquarium.
11. Discus
Care level: Intermediate
Max size of fish: 6.5 inches
Temperature range: 82 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit
pH range: 6 to 7
The Discus will add a wonderful splash of color to your tank. They’re known as the king of freshwater aquariums and for a good reason. When you purchase a shoal of them, they’ll definitely draw people’s attention when they look at your tank.
Like the other fish on this list, they’re generally peaceful. However, they can become aggressive when it comes to spawning time.
12. Kuhli Loach
Care level: Intermediate
Max size of fish: 4 inches
Temperature range: 73 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit
pH range: 5.5 to 6.5
This is a fish with an eel-shaped body and dwells on the bottom of your tank. Since they’re scavengers, they’ll help keep your tank clean as plecos do.
Kuhli loaches are extremely shy, plus they’re active during nighttime. For these reasons, don’t expect to see them much. You’ll also need to purchase more than one, so they’re more comfortable in your aquarium.
Tips for Electric Blue Ram Tanks
You’ll need to provide plenty of hiding spaces for your blue rams. Although they’re a docile fish, they may become aggressive at times if they feel threatened as a result of a lack of hiding spaces.
Another time they can become aggressive is during breeding. To keep all of your fish safe, you’ll need to move them to a separate tank if you’re planning on breeding your coupled cichlids.
You can keep electric blue rams on their own or in a mated pair. While you can have more than 1 mated pair in the tank, you should only really do so if your tank is over 30 gallons since the males may become aggressive toward each other.
Electric Blue Ram Tank Mates to Avoid
Any aggressive sort of fish shouldn’t be housed with electric blue rams. The same goes for very energetic fish since they’ll dart about and steal everything during feeding time, leaving nothing for your electric blue rams.
You should also avoid housing your electric blues with other types of dwarf cichlids.
Fun Facts About Electric Blue Rams
These fish are quite intelligent and can quickly recognize you when it’s feeding time. Consequently, they may actually start begging for food when they see you approach the tank.
Like other cichlids, they have an extra set of teeth in their throat. Also, they only have 1 set of nostrils (other fish have 2). The way they smell is by sucking in water through their nostrils, sampling it, then expelling it.
The electric blue ram can live up to 4 years, so they’re a worthy investment if you can keep them healthy and happy. They pair for life, so if you get a mated pair, they’re set! Get some electric blue ram tank mates from our list, and your aquarium will look absolutely stunning.
Can Electric Blue Ram live with guppies?
Ram cichlids and guppies can coexist peacefully in a community tank. Both Rams and Guppies are peaceful fish and will get along very well.
Are Ram Cichlid Fish aggressive?
Ram’s are very peaceful, beautiful, and easy to care for making them a beautiful dwarf cichlid that’s great for people who are new to keeping fish.
Are you looking to add aquarium plants to your setup? Then check out this article for some tips!
