Long Fin Blue Balloon Ram

The Long Fin Blue Balloon Ram is a striking selectively bred variety of the German Blue Ram, combining brilliant blue colouration with a compact rounded body and beautifully extended fins. Its shimmering blue scales, colourful markings, and flowing finnage make it an impressive feature fish for peaceful tropical aquariums.

Balloon Rams have a shorter, deeper body shape than standard German Blue Rams, while the long-fin variety develops extended dorsal, anal, and tail fins. They are generally peaceful dwarf cichlids but can become territorial when forming pairs or breeding.

• Common Name: Long Fin Blue Balloon Ram
• Scientific Name: Mikrogeophagus ramirezi
• Family: Cichlidae
• Adult Size: Approximately 5–7 cm
• Temperament: Peaceful to semi-aggressive
• Care Level: Moderate
• Minimum Tank Size: Approximately 60 litres+
• Temperature: Approximately 26–30°C
• pH: Approximately 5.5–7.5
• Diet: Omnivorous
• Aquarium Level: Bottom to middle
• Aquascape: Plants, caves, driftwood and open swimming areas
• Water Quality: Clean, warm and stable water essential

Feeding

Provide a varied, high-quality diet consisting of small tropical or cichlid pellets supplemented with frozen or live foods such as brine shrimp, daphnia, bloodworms, and other appropriately sized foods.

Feed small portions once or twice daily, providing only what can be consumed within a few minutes. A varied diet helps support healthy growth, strong finnage, excellent body condition, and vibrant blue colouration.

Aquarium Care

Long Fin Blue Balloon Rams perform best in a mature aquarium with stable water conditions. Provide a soft substrate along with live plants, driftwood, rocks, and caves to create sheltered areas and defined territories.

Good filtration and regular partial water changes are important, but avoid excessively strong currents that may make swimming difficult for their longer fins and compact body shape.

Choose peaceful tank mates that thrive at similarly warm temperatures. Avoid aggressive species and persistent fin-nippers that may damage their extended fins.

Rams can become territorial when breeding, particularly around eggs or fry, so additional hiding places and visual barriers are beneficial when keeping multiple dwarf cichlids.

Shipping

• Australia-wide shipping available where permitted
• Fish are carefully packed for safe transport
• Local pickup available by appointment from Fins 'N' Feathers
• Shipping availability may depend on destination, weather conditions, fish size, and applicable biosecurity restrictions

Live Arrival

Please inspect livestock immediately upon arrival. If there is an issue with your order, contact us as soon as possible in accordance with our live arrival policy and provide clear photos of the fish in its unopened transport bag where applicable.

Actual size, body shape, colour intensity, pattern, and fin length may vary between individual fish due to age, sex, genetics, stress, and environmental conditions.