Boesemani Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia boesemani
Melanotaeniidae
About
The Boesemani rainbowfish is a striking, deep-bodied schooling fish endemic to the Ayamaru lakes region of West Papua, Indonesia, where mature males split into a vivid blue-grey front half and a fiery orange-red rear. Peaceful, endlessly active and long-lived, it is wild-endangered but widely commercially bred, and it colours up best when kept as a group in a long, open tank.
Care
Keep a group of 6+ (ideally more, with extra females) in a long tank of at least 120 cm with open swimming space, neutral to slightly alkaline medium-hard water, and a tight lid as these fish jump. Colour deepens over many months in a stable, mature setup.
Diet
Micro-predator and omnivore that grazes zooplankton, insects and plant matter in the wild; feed varied dry foods plus regular frozen or live meaty foods for peak colour, with occasional greens.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (28)
Possible with care (73)
Avoid (8)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.