Boesemani Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia boesemani
Melanotaeniidae
FishDifficulty: ●●●○○Data: well-established
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 (21)
Bamboo ShrimpBetta (Siamese Fighting Fish)Blood Parrot CichlidBolivian RamCelebes RainbowfishDwarf Neon RainbowfishEndler's LivebearerForktail RainbowfishGuppyPenguin TetraRabbit SnailRainbow SharkRed RainbowfishSilver Tip TetraT-Bar CichlidThree-spot GouramiTiger BarbUpside-down CatfishVampire ShrimpWrestling HalfbeakX-ray Tetra
Possible with care (201)
Acei CichlidAfrican Butterfly CichlidAfrican ButterflyfishAgassiz's CoryAgassiz's Dwarf CichlidAmano ShrimpAngelfishAssassin SnailAuratus CichlidBanjo CatfishBlack Neon TetraBlack Phantom TetraBlack Ruby BarbBlack Skirt TetraBlackline RasboraBladder SnailBleeding Heart TetraBloodfin TetraBlue AcaraBlue Dolphin CichlidBlue Tiger ShrimpBlue Velvet ShrimpBorleyi (Redfin Hap)Borneo SuckerBrevis Shell DwellerBrichard's TeleogrammaBrichardi (Fairy Cichlid)Bristlenose PlecoBronze CorydorasBuenos Aires TetraBuffalohead CichlidBumblebee CichlidBumblebee GobyButterfly Hillstream LoachCalvus CichlidCelestial Pearl DanioCheckered BarbCherry BarbCherry ShrimpChinese Algae EaterChocolate CichlidClown KillifishClown PlecoCobalt Blue ZebraCochu's Blue TetraCockatoo Dwarf CichlidColombian Ramshorn SnailCompressiceps CichlidCongo Dwarf CichlidCongo TetraConvict CichlidCuckoo CatfishCylindricus CichlidCyprichromisDemasoni CichlidDenison BarbDiamond TetraDiscusDoctor FishDogtooth CichlidDojo (Weather) LoachDwarf Chain LoachDwarf Flag CichlidDwarf GouramiDwarf Orange CrayfishDwarf Pea PufferDwarf Petricola CatfishElectric Blue AhliElectric Yellow LabElephantnose FishEllioti CichlidElongate MbunaEmerald CoryEmperor TetraEven-spotted SynodontisFeatherfin SqueakerFestivum (Flag Cichlid)Figure-8 PufferFiremouth CichlidFive-bar CichlidFlame TetraFreshwater ClamGerman Blue RamGhost ShrimpGlass CatfishGlowlight DanioGlowlight TetraGold BarbGolden Dwarf CichlidGolden JulieGolden PencilfishGolden TetraGolden Wonder KillifishGreen DiscusGreen TerrorHarlequin RasboraHead-and-Tail-Light TetraHoney GouramiHongi CichlidJack DempseyJapanese Trapdoor SnailJewel CichlidJohanni CichlidJulii CoryKenyi CichlidKeyhole CichlidKissing GouramiKribensisKuhli LoachLambchop RasboraLeast KillifishLemon CichlidLemon TetraLeopard DanioLittle CorydorasLivingstoniMacmasteri Dwarf CichlidMaingano CichlidMalaysian Trumpet SnailMarble HatchetfishMarlieri CichlidMasked JulieMedaka RicefishMollyMoonlight GouramiMultifasciatus Shell DwellerMystery SnailNeon TetraNerite SnailOcellatus Shell DwellerOdessa BarbOtocinclusPanda CorydorasParadise FishParaguay EartheaterPeaceful BettaPeacock CichlidPearl DanioPearl GouramiPeppered CorydorasPictus CatfishPlatyPolka Dot LoachPort CichlidPowder Blue CichlidPurple Emperor TetraPygmy CorydorasRainbow CichlidRamshorn SnailRed EmpressRed Whiptail CatfishRed Zebra CichlidRed-Tail SharkRedhead CichlidRegan's JulieReticulated Hillstream LoachRosy BarbRosy TetraRubber Lip PlecoRummynose TetraRusty CichlidSailfin MollySalt and Pepper CorySalvini CichlidSand-sifting XenotilapiaSaulosi CichlidScarlet BadisScissortail RasboraSerpae TetraSeverumSiamese Algae EaterSimilis Shell DwellerSkunk CorySparkling GouramiSpotted HoploStar SapphireSterbai CorydorasStrawberry RasboraStriped KribensisStriped Raphael CatfishSulawesi Cardinal ShrimpSunshine PeacockSveni EartheaterSwordtailTaiwan Reef CichlidTexas CichlidThai Micro CrabThick-lipped GouramiThreadfin AcaraThreadfin PetrochromisThreadfin RainbowfishTurquoise RainbowfishUaru (Triangle Cichlid)Umbrella Dwarf CichlidVenezuelan CoryVenustus (Giraffe Cichlid)White Cloud Mountain MinnowYoyo LoachZebra DanioZebra MbunaZebra Pleco
Avoid (49)
Adonis PlecoAltum AngelfishBala SharkBlack Moor GoldfishCardinal TetraCheckerboard CichlidChili RasboraChocolate GouramiClown LoachComet GoldfishCommon GoldfishCommon PlecoCrystal Red ShrimpDemon EartheaterDuboisi TropheusDwarf RasboraEmber TetraEndlicheri BichirFantail GoldfishFrontosaGoby CichlidGreen Neon TetraGreen Spotted PufferfishHeckel DiscusIridescent SharkJaguar CichlidKoiMalawi EyebiterMalawi HawkOranda GoldfishOrnate BichirOscarPeacock BassPike CichlidRanchu GoldfishRed DevilRed TerrorReticulated Flying FoxRostratusRosy Red MinnowRoyal PlecoRyukin GoldfishSailfin PlecoShubunkin GoldfishSilver ArowanaSilver MoonyTelescope GoldfishTropheusWolf Cichlid
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.
Telling males from females
What works for this species, most reliable first.
- Colour and patternStrong · from about 6 months, and only on a settled fish
In rainbowfish, killifish and several barbs the male carries the colour — deeper and more saturated, intensifying further when he displays.
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Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Boesemani Rainbowfish need?
- A Boesemani Rainbowfish needs an aquarium of at least 150 litres (39.6 US gallons) with a footprint at least 120 cm (47.2 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Boesemani Rainbowfish need?
- Boesemani Rainbowfish does best at 22–30 °C (71.6–86 °F), pH 6–8 and a general hardness of 8–20 °dGH.
- What group size does a Boesemani Rainbowfish need?
- Boesemani Rainbowfish is a social species — keep a group of at least 6 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Boesemani Rainbowfish suitable for beginners?
- Boesemani Rainbowfish sits in the middle of the difficulty scale — manageable for a careful beginner who has done the reading, but it has specific needs worth researching first.
Sources
Water & tank
Temperature22–30°C
Optimal temp.25–28°C
pH6–8
Hardness (GH)8–20°d
Carbonate (KH)3–12°d
Adult size11 cm
Min. volume≥ 150 L
Min. tank length≥ 120 cm
Group size≥ 6
Swimming zoneMid
TemperamentPeaceful
Water typeFreshwater
FlowModerate
Lifespan~6 yrs
Try in the calculator