Also called the Blue Ram, Butterfly Cichlid, Asian Ram and Ramirez’ Dwarf Cichlid, Rams are very popular in the aquarium trade. This species is available in two different strains – blue and gold. Wild-caught specimens are typically more colorful than captive-bred fish possibly due to this fish being mass produced on a large scale – resulting in poorer quality stock. Males of this species may exhibit extended rays on the dorsal fin whereas females may show a blue sheen on their bodies below the dorsal fin. Rams are South American Cichlids and are endemic to the Rio Orinoco basin in Venezuela and Columbia. These fish can typically be found in slow-moving waters that may be stained with tannins due to a large quantity of submerged vegetation.