Will my Mikrogeophagus ramirezi be okay by itself?

Question

I had a couple Mikrogeophagus ramirezi (German Blue Ram / Ram chiclid) in my tank, but unfortunately, the female died.

Can I keep the male solitary, or is it really important for them to be held as a couple?

Answer 1

It will likely be fine as long as the conditions in the tank aren't the cause of the female's death. Not sure how long you've had this pair, but rams are very short-lived fish. 2 - 3 years is the typical lifespan of healthy rams. Bolivian Rams, Mikrogeophagus altispinosus, tend to live a little longer than blue or gold rams, but still short lives, regardless.

Answer 2

Generally a Remirezi should be happy to be the only of it's kind in a tank, but that does depend on the individual fish as they do have their own personalities.

If you notice behavior like compressed fins (not fanned out), or if he's hiding or not swimming around, then I would say he would need a companion. He might be less inclined to feel lonely if you already have other (community) fish in your tank though.