Apistogram Ramirezi: description, content, breeding, compatibility

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Apistogramma Ramirezi is an aquarium fish that does not lose its popularity. She attracts with her exotic appearance, accommodating and interesting behavior. Some aquarists consider it meaningful. Despite all the attractiveness, it has a significant disadvantage - excessive requirements for water quality.

A fish with many names

The miniature cichlid from South America has many informal names. This is partly due to the long disputes of scientists regarding the definition of the most complete scientific designation. The Latin name is considered official, which in Russian sounds like Ramirezi's apistogram.

Amateur aquarists commonly refer to it as the butterfly apistogram. You can also find similar names: Venezuelan butterfly and chromis butterfly.

Life in nature

In the wild, Apistogramma Ramirezi is found in the Orinoco and Amazon river basins. The fish were able to take root in the waters of Indonesia, SouthEast Asia.

Reservoirs these representatives of cichlids choose with a slow or absent current. A lot of silt collects at the bottom. Plants form thickets. They look for food in the soil, in water and on its surface. Consume vegetation and insects.

Ponds and lakes where Venezuelan butterflies live are characterized by shallow water and exposure to direct sunlight. The water temperature in them warms up to thirty-one degrees Celsius above zero. In addition to being warm and soft, it has a pH value of five to six and a half units.

The first to describe these fish was Manuel Vincent Ramirez. He was a famous collector and importer of fish. He published his work in 1948 in the journal Aquarium. Therefore, the fish bears the name of Manuel Vincent.

Appearance description

When buying, the size of Ramirezi's apistogram can be only one and a half to two centimeters. The size of an adult will depend on living conditions, primarily on the size of the tank. So in small aquariums, it will grow up to three centimeters, and in spacious ones - up to seven.

Butterfly fish has an oval body, a tail without notch, high fins. The two rays of the dorsal fin are longer than the rest, they are painted in black.

The color of the fish is very colorful and elegant:

• The body is painted in yellow-brown tones with a reddish or orange tint.
• The head is covered with greenish-blue sequins. There are black spots on the sides.
• Fins - all, except for the pectorals, are painted in orange tones with a red border and bluish blotches. The pectoral fins are transparent.
• The eyes have red irises that are crossed by a vertical dark stripe.

In addition to the standard color, breeders have created such species as golden, veil, albino and others. They are distinguished by an even brighter appearance, as well as weak immunity. For inexperienced aquarists, it is better to take classic butterfly fish.

Gender differences

For some fans, it may not be clear how to distinguish a female from a male Apistogramma Ramirezi. It is easier to do this with classic-colored fish. In females, the abdomen has a crimson color, a black spot on the side is framed with sparkles.

In males, the abdomen is orange, the first rays of the dorsal fin are darker and longer. In all colors, the male is larger than the female. But this can only be seen in comparison.

Residence conditions

In order for Ramirezi's apistogram to please with its bright appearance, it needs to create the conditions that exist in its natural habitat. Acquired fish may die if at least one of the requirements is violated:

• The water parameters were not maintained, it was replaced with violations.
• Feeding was inadequate.
• Individuals were launched into a tank that was recently installed. It did not have time to establish a biological cycle, especiallynitrogen cycle.

The volume of an aquarium largely depends on the number of fish living in it. For one pair of butterflies, a thirty-liter tank will suffice. If representatives of different species live in it, it is better to use a 200-liter aquarium.

It is desirable to plant live plants in the tank. Plastic decorations will saturate the water with nitrogen-containing substances. This will harm the he alth of the cichlids. For decorations, you can use large flat stones, driftwood. Fish should create cozy shelters from snag branches and dense plants.

Because individuals are quite active, they need to leave a lot of space for swimming. The aquarium can not be covered with a lid, as they will not jump out. There are no special lighting requirements. You can install a lamp to enhance the color of the fish. Then they will look even more spectacular.

Fish in the natural environment live in very warm water. They are classified as heat-loving, so the water temperature in the aquarium should be twenty-five to thirty degrees Celsius above zero. What else is important to know about water?

The importance of clean water

Ramirezi apistogram content is closely related to water quality control. Particular attention should be paid to the amount of nitrites, ammonia. Even a small amount of these substances can kill fish. Many aquarium animals will be able to live in water with a small amount of ammonia, but the butterflies will die. An inexperienced aquarist will not even suspect poor water quality.

Special water tests will help to understand the cause of death. Only afteronce the concentration of harmful substances in the reservoir is known, it will become clear what exactly led to the pestilence of specific individuals.

Water must also be free of organic matter. Feed should not be left if the animals have not eaten it. A high-quality filter should work in the tank, which will effectively purify the water.

Water changes should be done once or twice a week. It is important not to change more than twenty percent of the liquid at a time so that the butterflies can adapt to changes in the environment.

Optimally, the water should be soft and slightly acidic. Although these figures may vary. The cichlid is not particularly picky about the acidity and hardness of the liquid in which it lives. It is important to control clear parameters when spawning.

To ensure a comfortable stay, the owner will have to make a lot of efforts. But all these efforts will be rewarded with positive emotions that will arise from communicating with floating pets.

Food

It is important to figure out what to feed Ramirezi's apistograms. These fish are quite picky about food. It should be varied:

• dry kibble;
• frozen bloodworm and cyclops;
• brine shrimp (live);
• decapsulated brine shrimp eggs;
• homemade food such as he althy tortillas.

The Venezuelan butterfly loves to pick up food from the bottom. Food can be left on the ground, but not more than fifteen minutes. Uneaten granules should be removed so that they do not contaminatewater. The fish is prone to overeating, so it is worth feeding it two to three times a day in small portions.

Compatibility

Butterfly fish love mud and lots of plants. At the same time, you don’t have to worry that the water will be cloudy, since they are not inclined to stir up the soil. Also, the owners will not find them pinching plants. In general, they are peaceful and patient animals.

Conflicts can arise between males of this species. But usually everything is limited to an attack in order to frighten the enemy. They do well in a community tank.

Ramirezi apistogram compatibility will be perfect with the following fish:

• viviparous, for example with guppies, mollies;
• characin, for example neon, rhodostomus;
• barbs.

Butterflies can even live with bettas, provided there is plenty of space and lots of hiding places.

Don't put Venezuelan butterflies with shrimp. The fish will eat small fish. It is also unacceptable to keep them together with aggressive large inhabitants of aquariums.

It is not recommended that the cichlid live alone. She is much more comfortable as a couple. In addition, then it will be possible to breed these bright fish.

Breeding

Getting offspring from representatives of South American cichlids is quite difficult. This is due to the fact that they choose their mate in the pack. About eight fish of different sexes should live in an aquarium.

Breeding apistogramsRamirezi is best carried out in a separate tank, with a volume of fifteen liters. This will reduce their anxiety. Spawning can be stimulated by raising the water temperature by a few degrees and adding fresh soft water in small doses daily.

A place for spawning is a flat stone, the wall of an aquarium, a wide sheet. The fish lays 100-400 eggs at a time. The couple take care of them together. The male removes the dead eggs, transfers the eggs to a better place.

After two or four days the fry will hatch. The male prepares holes in the ground, transfers the offspring into them. After three to five days, the fry will be able to swim. At this stage, the female refuses, so she can be removed. The male takes care of the fry, even when they begin to swim on their own. You can see how he takes the cub in his mouth, rinses it and spits it out into the aquarium. For good survival, you should monitor the purity of the water so that its parameters remain stable.

Diseases

Ramirezi apistogram fish is prone to disease. They slowly adapt to a new place. They are not recommended to be transferred often.

Frequent illnesses:

• Hexamitosis - caused by unicellular parasites. When the disease affects the intestines, gallbladder. This leads to the appearance of ulcers, furrows, holes in the body in pets. All animals can become infected in a common aquarium, since these parasites leave the individual along with waste products.
• Lymphocystosis is caused by a virus that enters the body through minor injuries. The body of a sick individual is covered with gray andblack growths. This is due to giant cells. Fish cannot be cured. You can cauterize infected areas on the fins. Sick fish are removed, and the aquarium is completely disinfected and restarted. Plants are to be destroyed.
• Dropsy - the individual's abdomen swells, the scales bristle. The fish is sluggish, losing color. The cause may be a viral or bacterial infection, parasitic infestation.
• Inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract - occurs due to overeating.
• Stress - may be associated with the presence of nitrogen compounds, other disturbances in water parameters, aggression from other fish. Stress is dangerous because it can weaken the immune system of the animal. Then it can get sick with the above diseases.

If the disease is established accurately, the fish is prescribed medication. Problems with the gastrointestinal tract will pass after a couple of days of fasting. If you are not feeling unwell with an obvious illness, you can increase the temperature of the water in the tank.

Lifespan

With proper maintenance Ramirezi apistogram will be able to please the aquarist for three to four years. That is how long a butterfly fish lives, even under the best conditions.

Unfortunately, there are many Ramirezi apistograms on the market (reviews confirm this trend), which are weakened by inappropriate conditions of detention. They may die in their first year of life.