Bolivian Ram Cichlid Care | 水產百科網

ThesecichlidsliveinBoliviaandBrazil.KnownlocalitiesinhabitedbythisspecieslayinthecatchmentoftheupperRioMadeira(Bolivia).Thefisharemostly ...

Author: Radek Bednarczuk

With their elegant colors and peaceful temperament, Bolivian rams are like the butterflies of the fishkeeping hobby.

Spiny dorsal fins, a feast of colors, small size, and mouths shaped like parrot beaks are all characteristics that make the popular Bolivian rams aquarium favorites. The generic name of Mikrogeophagus altispinosus is composed of three Greek roots: mikr, or small; geo, or earth; and phag, or eat (in other words, “small eartheater”), while the specific epithet refers to the elongated first ray of the dorsal fin and was created from two Latin roots: alt, or high; and spinos, meaning spiny.

The species was originally described as Crenicara altispinosa. Later the fish was placed in the genus Apistogramma; however, as its morphology and spawning behavior are similar to M. ramirezi, it was moved to a new genus set up fo...