Bolivian Butterfly Ram 5cm

The Bolivian Ram Mikrogeophagus altispinosus (previously Paplilochromis altispinosus) is a very beautiful, small, and peaceful cichlid. This is a dwarf cichlid, only reaching up to about 3 1/2 inches (8.9 cm) in length. It has a delicate elongated oval shape adorned with long pointed fins and tail. Adult males have longer filaments off the tail fin as well.

The body color is solid overall, ranging from a light brown to a grayish blue with orange or red on the lower fins and edging the dorsal and tail fin. Often they are accented with a yellowish front half, a black spot in the center and a black crescent running through the eye. The subtle yet pretty coloring along with its long fluttery finnage has led to some other descriptive common names including the Bolivian Butterfly Cichlid, Butterfly Ram, Ruby Cichlid, Red Cichlid, and Ruby Clown Cichlid. The Bolivian Ram is one of the easiest of the dwarf cichlids to care for and can be a good choice for a community aquarium.