Boesemani Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia boesemani
A large, fast-swimming rainbowfish with a striking blue-to-orange gradient, best in a long tank in a group.
Ideal Conditions
- Temperature
- 24 – 30 °C
- pH range
- 7 – 8
- Hardness
- 8 – 20 dGH
- Adult size
- 9 – 11 cm
- Min. tank size
- 200 litres+
- Lifespan
- 5 – 8 years
- Diet
- Omnivore — flake, granules and frozen foods
- Water flow
- Moderate
- Preferred setup
- Long tank with open swimming space and planted margins
About the Boesemani Rainbowfish
Boesemani Rainbowfish are hardy, active fish from the Ayamaru Lakes of West Papua. Males develop a dramatic two-tone body; the colour takes a year or more to develop, so young fish in shops look plain.
Find Boesemani Rainbowfish
Search current listings in your chosen area. If none are available, save an alert and we’ll let you know when a match is listed.
Availability alerts only use public sale listings. Adding this species to a Setup updates your private records.
Is it right for your tank?
Check Boesemani Rainbowfish against a habitat you already keep. We compare water type, temperature, pH, adult size, group needs and everything living there.
Where Boesemani Rainbowfish comes from
Native range
Western New Guinea, Ayamaru Lakes
Countries / regions
Indonesia
Habitat
Shallow, hard, alkaline lakes and connecting streams with dense marginal vegetation.
Illustrative native range only, not an occurrence dataset.
Similar species
Turquoise Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia lacustris
Guppy
Poecilia reticulata
We’re adding more full species guides as the catalogue grows.
Compatible tank mates
Reviewed guidance based on this species' recorded traits.
- Compatible with caution
Harlequin Rasbora
Trigonostigma heteromorpha
Peaceful, but rainbowfish are fast, boisterous feeders that can out-compete smaller shoalers.
- Great
Bristlenose Pleco
Ancistrus cirrhosus
Bottom-dwelling algae grazer that tolerates the same hard, alkaline water.
- Compatible with caution
Cherry Shrimp
Neocaridina davidi
Adult shrimp usually survive in a well-planted tank, but juveniles will be eaten.
Current marketplace listings
Checking the marketplace…
See all Boesemani Rainbowfish listingsPublic Wanted requests
No open requests for Boesemani Rainbowfish in this market yet.
Looking for Boesemani Rainbowfish?
Search current listings near you, or post a wanted request so local sellers know what you’re looking for.