# difference between blu and german blue rams?



## Green Leaf Aquariums (Feb 26, 2007)

Are you referring to the "Electric Blue" vs. "German Blue Ram"? If so, color is the only difference.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Yup, they're just GBRs that have been selectively bred to emphasize the blue.


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## NateFank (Jan 2, 2009)

no they are not electric blue, it just says blue rams and german blue rams, the blue rams are cheaper than the germans


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## Green Leaf Aquariums (Feb 26, 2007)

Those 2 are the same. Some folks just leave out the "German"


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## flowmsp (Feb 6, 2010)

Ive seen some labeled as balloon rams too. Ive heard these are altered to be more round? Someone else might have more info.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

flowmsp said:


> Ive seen some labeled as balloon rams too. Ive heard these are altered to be more round? Someone else might have more info.


That is correct.


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## markopolo (Jun 2, 2008)

rams can be open to many different names and varieties. Ive seen them called blue rams german blue rams, dwarf rams, dwarf butterfly cichlid etc etc. 

known variants of rams (to me at least)

*German Blue Ram, Blue ram*, *Dwarf butterfly cichlid*
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/146/336896530_9bf5e5ec59.jpg?v=0
standard ram, although it may have "German" in name most are bred in SE asia on fish farms

*Longfin German Blue Ram*
http://www.ratemyfish.com/images/ul/677/Longfin-Blue-Ram-fish-6772.jpeg
same as above but with beautiful long fins especially caudal and anal.

*Wild caught blue ram* 
An actual wild caught specimen from Venezuela or the Orinoco basin
Tends to be more drab since it is not treated with hormones on fish farms, but will color up nicely if kept in proper acidic and soft conditions

*Gold ram*
A color variant where the color is yellowy gold
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Gold_Ram_Cichlid.JPG

*Electric Blue ram
*A relatively new variant where the color is an electric blue on silvery gray
very expensive as of right now
http://www.aquascapeonline.com/ProdImages/Fish_Cichlids_SA/Electric_Blue_Ram_3.jpg

*Balloon Ram
*A variant that has been bred to have a shorter spine and rounded stumpy look. In my opinion a sad way to make a beautiful fish look...
http://www.aquaticquotient.com/gallery/files/9/4/1/0/fishtoID.JPG


Other quick facts about rams, A lot of farm raised rams will carry an internal parasite called hexamita which leads to hole in the head or white stringy poop and death, use metro + to get rid of this, also many farm raised rams may be given hormones to make them look better. 

A beautiful fish, my favorite ever since i was a kid.

If hes selling you both Blue rams and German Blue rams, he could be getting them from different buyers that label them differently perhaps. I have also seen more colored up rams with more black on them being labeled as German and less colored rams as blue, but in actuality they are the same. i would get his GBRs if the price isnt too different.


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## D'cecilia (Jun 12, 2009)

OMG, the picture you posted of the German blue ram is magnificent!!!!!


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## NateFank (Jan 2, 2009)

the only thing i can think of ish the blue ram has less color or its wild caught, cuz they sell balloon, gold, longfin gold and blue, blue and german blue


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## markopolo (Jun 2, 2008)

probably one of those 2 reasons, ask the owner


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## captain_bu (Oct 20, 2007)

These fish are native to South America not Germany. I am pretty sure that the reason people tack on German to the name is due to very high quality tank bred Rams that were originally available from Germany. Some of the Rams bred in Germany were phenomenal looking fish but IMO the majority of Rams you find in the LFS were not bred in Germany and have just been tagged that way as a marketing tool. I actually find it annoying to unilaterally call these fish GBRs if they were not bred in Germany.


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