Help Identify a fish

[tekkaman]

Hello,

We don't have many fish stores in my country. Many have closed out or just don't sell fish anymore and just sell pet supplies. So anyway I went to one that's close to where I live. There was this weird looking fish and I asked the owner the name of the fish and he said "I think it's a ramirezi". I've had ram before and it looks different. But I thought it would be nice for a planted 10 gallon aquarium. So brought it home. The next day I had to take it out because it was too aggressive. So I put it in another tank that has a lone mbuna with some loaches. Weirdly enough the mbuna just don't care at all about this fish. Never chases it. So anyway I still want to know what type of fish it is so I have some pics. The fish swims all over the tank but prefers the bottom part just chewing around the decor.

 

[Essjay]

It's hard to see from the photos but if the fish has a bit of red in the eye rings it is a Mikrogeophagus ramirezi, better known as a ram. If it doesn't have any red it could be a Bolivian ram, M. altispinousus, or another similar looking cichlid. Both species of Mikrogeophagus are soft water fish, with ramirezi needing softer water than altispinosus and warmer water than most other fish. Mbunas are hard water fish.
They also need tanks bigger than 10 gallons.

 

[tekkaman]

It doesn't have any color. It's all gray. I searched the web and all the rams I see are very colorful. Is this a weird variant ? I don't have anywhere else to put it and since the mbuna doesn't bother it at all I have to leave it there for the time being. And another thing is that when it was in the 10 gallon it was very aggressive. Now in the bigger tank it's peaceful.

 

[Colin_T]

It's a young Bolivian ram (Mikrogeophagus altispinosus)

 

[tekkaman]

Thanks. When does it begin to show color ? It has been about 2 weeks since I got it. So far it seems happy and very active.

 

[Colin_T]

When does it begin to show color ?

when its sexually mature