1 kinds · tap one for a closer look
Peaceful dwarf cichlid.
331 species in our list are a good match.
Peaceful dwarf cichlid.
Pellets, frozen foods.
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How hard to tell: Moderate
Tip: Fin length
From the checked notes: “Adult males grow larger than females, have slightly longer fin extensions and stronger colour; differences are slight.” Numbers sit on the part of the body each difference is about. Tap a picture to see it bigger.
Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.
Egg-layer (substrate spawner) · Moderate
Open spawner: eggs are laid on a solid surface such as a flat rock, driftwood or a broad leaf, and both parents guard the eggs and fry.
Buy a group of 6 and let pairs form. Hardier than German blue rams.
A 20 gallon (75 L) planted tank with flat stones, 24-27 C and soft water.
Warm, clean water and live foods.
About 100-200 eggs per clutch; they hatch in 2-3 days (about 60 hours at 27°C), and fry stay mostly still for another 5-8 days before swimming.
Feed baby brine shrimp and microworms. Parents guard the fry; remove other fish.
A close relative of the ram (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi) from Bolivia and Brazil. Often sold as a community fish, but it needs a mature tank with stable, clean water and is a poor competitor.
American zoologist John D. Haseman described this cichlid in 1911 from the Guaporé-Mamoré region. It is a larger, hardier cousin of the German blue ram. Its calm nature makes it a good dwarf cichlid for community tanks.
First described by John D. Haseman in 1911.
16 facts checked with sources
Valid name. Older names seen in books and shops: Crenicara altispinosa, Microgeophagus altispinosus, Papiliochromis altispinosus. Also traded as hi-fin ram, Bolivian butterfly or ruby crown cichlid; Seriously Fish says it is often confused with M. ramirezi.
FishBase: Mikrogeophagus altispinosus summaryLegacy has no family field. FishBase puts it in subfamily Cichlinae; older classifications (Wikipedia) use Geophaginae.
FishBase: Mikrogeophagus altispinosus summary · Wikipedia: Mikrogeophagus altispinosus (cites Baensch Aquarium Atlas; Linke & Staeck 1994; Richter 1989; FishBase)Seriously Fish 8.0 cm SL and Wikipedia (citing Baensch) about 8 cm agree with legacy. FishBase lists only 5.6 cm SL (males/unsexed). Figures are SL (standard length).
Seriously Fish: Mikrogeophagus altispinosus · Wikipedia: Mikrogeophagus altispinosus (cites Baensch Aquarium Atlas; Linke & Staeck 1994; Richter 1989; FishBase) · FishBase: Mikrogeophagus altispinosus summarySources disagree: FishBase 22-26 matches legacy; Seriously Fish (preferred for husbandry) gives 24-28.
Seriously Fish: Mikrogeophagus altispinosus · FishBase: Mikrogeophagus altispinosus summaryLegacy equals Seriously Fish. FishBase gives only a lower bound of 7.0.
Seriously Fish: Mikrogeophagus altispinosus · FishBase: Mikrogeophagus altispinosus summaryLegacy has no hardness; Seriously Fish range recorded. FishBase gives 'dH range: 10 - ?'.
Seriously Fish: Mikrogeophagus altispinosus90 x 45 cm base x 35 cm height = 141,750 cm³ = about 142 L (with a 30 cm height, 121.5 L). This is for a single fish in a community or a pair. Legacy 100 L is below it.
Seriously Fish: Mikrogeophagus altispinosusSeriously Fish is inconsistent: its tank section says one fish or a pair, but its behaviour section says ideally a mixed-sex group of 6-8 or more in a spacious tank. Legacy 1 matches the first.
Seriously Fish: Mikrogeophagus altispinosusSeriously Fish lists temperament as unknown; it calls the species a poor competitor needing pristine water and says to avoid territorial or aggressive tankmates. Not enough to confirm 'peaceful'.
Seriously Fish: Mikrogeophagus altispinosusFeeds by sifting the substrate; also browses surfaces and takes food from the water column.
Seriously Fish: Mikrogeophagus altispinosusSeriously Fish rates it Moderate because it needs a mature tank and stable water; legacy had 1 (easy).
Seriously Fish: Mikrogeophagus altispinosusLegacy has no range field. IUCN: Least Concern (assessed 20 November 2020, per FishBase).
Seriously Fish: Mikrogeophagus altispinosus · FishBase: Mikrogeophagus altispinosus summaryMatches legacy 'lays eggs on stones'. FishBase adds: 'Eggs are deposited on stones and covered with sand, female cares for eggs.'
Seriously Fish: Mikrogeophagus altispinosusEgg count from Wikipedia citing Linke & Staeck (1994), American Cichlids I: Dwarf Cichlids. Legacy 50-200 eggs is close; legacy hatch time 3-4 days is a little long.
Wikipedia: Mikrogeophagus altispinosus (cites Baensch Aquarium Atlas; Linke & Staeck 1994; Richter 1989; FishBase) · Seriously Fish: Mikrogeophagus altispinosusLegacy calls it 'tougher, easier' than the German blue ram; Seriously Fish does not support 'easier' (it rates it Moderate). That it is hardier than M. ramirezi is a common hobby claim not found in a reliable source.
Seriously Fish: Mikrogeophagus altispinosus