Boeseman’s Rainbowfish – Multicolored Wonder
Scientifically described by Allen & Cross in 1980, Boeseman’s Rainbowfish or Melanotaenia boesemani is found in the freshwater lakes of Western New Guinea (former Irian Jaya). Even within this region, it can almost be narrowed down to three lakes – Lake Ayamaru, Lake Hain and Lake Aitinjo, as well as in streams flowing into Lake Ayamaru.
The typical Boeseman’s Rainbowfish habitat is shallow and swampy with clear water and lush aquatic vegetation, not to mention a pH value over 8.0
Due to it’s popularity as an aquarium fish, and subsequent over-harvesting, the fish has been declared as “Endangered” in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
What makes this fish extremely attractive, is its dual coloration – in a well kept specimen, the front half of the fish will be a fiery red with orange and yellow highlights, while the back half of the fish will be deep indigo blue or purple. The two colors come together in the middle with a few green or blackish vertical stripes. The female will have similar color distribution but will generally be less intensely colored and more noticeably silver. Fins should be opaque and yellow with a white outline.
This may not be the coloration you see at the fish shop, since the specimens sold are typically youngsters. As they mature you will be able to see the colors develop.
Typical of rainbows, these are extremely active fish, and are a joy to feed. These guys will invariably be the first ones to get to the food.
Tank setup
Suited for the community aquarium, these fish go well with barbs, tetras, danios, gouramis, other rainbows.
They like a lot of vegetation but also need a lot of swimming space – so the best option would be to have lots of plants along the sides, and leave space for them to swim around in the center. Make sure there is an effective filtration system in place. They also need hard alkaline water, with a pH of 8.0 or above.
They do best when kept in shoals of 6 or more.
Feeding your Boeseman’s Rainbowfish
These guys are omnivores, so they eat pretty much anything. To bring out their best coloration, ensure that you feed them a high quality mix of live and processed foods to encourage good coloration. They love live foods, like bloodworms, tubifex worms, water fleas, brine shrimp, etc., so makse sure these are part of the diet.
Breeding
Egg scatterers, breeding them is relatively simple. You need a breeding tank that is at least 30″ long, with slightly hard, alkaline water having a pH of around 7.5 and a temperature of 80-84°F. Make sure the tank contains java moss, or spawning mops to catch the eggs.
Normally bred in groups consisting of at least 2-3 females for each male, you’ll know the fish are ready when the females start to look plumper, and the males start to display to each other. Get the specimens with the best coloration and put them in the breeding tank.
Spawn takes place over a period of several weeks, with the females laying batches of upto 20 eggs each day. These are attached to surfaces by a small thread. Although the adults generally do not eat the spawn, it would be better to remove the eggs to a raising tank containing water from the spawning tank.
The eggs hatch in 7-12 days, depending on temperature, and the fry initially require infusoria-type food, before graduating onto free swimming foods, such as brine shrimp, which typically takes a week.
Fishy facts:
Common Name: Boeseman’s Rainbowfish
Scientific Name: Melanotaenia boesemani
Origin: Western New Guinea
Adult Size: 4 inches (10 cm)
Social life: Peaceful, suitable for community tanks. Go well with barbs, danios, gouramis and other rainbows.
Lifespan: 5 years
Tank Level: Top, Mid dweller
Minimum Tank Size: At least 30 inches and 30 gallons
Diet: Omnivore, enjoys live foods
Breeding: Egglayer
Care: Not too difficult
pH: 8.0 or above
Temperature: 81-86 F (27-30 C)
Picture courtesy: Eileen Kortright from Wikipedia.
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