Why 'german Blue Rams'?

[fluttermoth]

I know it's not important, but why is everyone calling the normal, wild type Ram, 'German Blue Ram' these days?

I thought it was originally meant to distinuish the German and Dutch bred ones from the hormone treated, Far Eastern ones that are most common in the trade, but the name seems to be being used for all wild coloured Rams now. They can't all be coming from Germany, can they?

And 'blue' is just confusing when they're nowhere near as blue as the 'true' blue Ram, isn't it?

 

[Carlovel1]

Agreed, its annoying when ppl confuse Bolivian Rams and German Rams.
Also German Blue Rams should be called something like 'Colombian Blue Rams'

 

[AstonN24vantage]

never knew gbrs had a different name. on wikipedia its just ram cichlid.

 

[Gvilleguy]

I just picked up using GBR from users on this forum - never knew they had a different name. What did people used to call them??

 

[fluttermoth]

I just picked up using GBR from users on this forum - never knew they had a different name. What did people used to call them??

Well, they used to be called 'Rams'!

 

[Essjay]

And don't forget gold rams, electric blue rams and balloon rams are all the same species as GBRs too. These fish are getting a bit like guppies and mollies with their different colours and body shapes
At least no-one's started messing with bolivian rams. Yet......

 

[Gvilleguy]

I have been confused by the difference between gold, electric, and balloon, etc. I didn't realize they were all the same as GBRs.

 

[PDSimon]

Gold is well, more gold

electric blue rams are completely blue but really shiny

balloons are mutated freaks

 

[AstonN24vantage]

too many rams!

 

[fluttermoth]

There's no such thing as 'too many rams'

 

[AlanTh]

Does the colour of the German flag mean anything?

 

[fluvial]

There was the introduction of a strong breeding strain that came from German breeders in the hobby,
about the 1980's, hence the name started to stick.
Rather like the strain bred in Holland, except the name didn't stick - confused ??