The ram cichlid has been a mainstay in the hobby for over a century, and has a rightfully earned reputation for being a delicate, fussy fish. Its southern cousin, the Bolivian Ram, comes from cooler water, and is generally far more forgiving of a fish in the aquarium. It is less sensitive to pH, doesn't require very warm water (doing quite well at standard aquarium temperatures), and has most of the beauty of the true ram.

Bolivian Rams can be a little bit more aggressive than the standard rams, or other dwarf cichlids, but are generally fairly peaceful. They should kept with more robust species, such as active tetras, pencilfish, rasboras, and other small cichlids. They can also mix with some of the larger dwarf cichlids.