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Live fish will be delivered only to selected pincodes in Kolkata and nearby areas.
Here's a comprehensive guide to the Boesemani Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia boesemani), one of the most colorful and popular freshwater species in the aquarium hobby:
🐟 Boesemani Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia boesemani)
🔹 Common Names
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Boesemani Rainbowfish
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Bosemani Rainbow
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Boeseman’s Rainbowfish
🔹 Scientific Classification
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Melanotaenia boesemani |
| Family | Melanotaeniidae (Rainbowfish family) |
| Origin | Aytinjo and Ajamaru Lakes, West Papua (formerly Irian Jaya), Indonesia |
| Conservation Status | Endangered (IUCN Red List) |
🌈 Appearance
| Trait | Description |
|---|---|
| Size | Up to 4.5 inches (11–12 cm) in captivity |
| Body Shape | Laterally compressed, deep-bodied |
| Coloration | Distinct two-tone pattern: |
| 🔹 Front half – bright metallic blue | |
| 🟠 Rear half – vibrant orange or yellow |
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Males: More vibrant, especially during mating displays.
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Females: Duller in color, more silver-gray overall.
🧬 Behavior & Temperament
| Trait | Detail |
|---|---|
| Temperament | Peaceful and social |
| Social Behavior | Shoaling species – keep in groups of 6+ |
| Activity Level | Very active swimmers; occupy the middle and upper parts of the tank |
| Compatibility | Great for community tanks with other peaceful or semi-active species |
🏞️ Natural Habitat
| Trait | Detail |
|---|---|
| Native Region | Ajamaru Lakes and surrounding tributaries in West Papua |
| Water Conditions | Slightly alkaline, clear water with aquatic vegetation |
| Threats in the Wild | Habitat destruction, over-collection for the aquarium trade |
🧪 Ideal Water Parameters (Aquarium)
| Parameter | Range |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 24–28°C (75–82°F) |
| pH | 7.0–8.0 |
| Hardness | Moderate to hard (8–20 dGH) |
| Ammonia/Nitrites | 0 ppm (very sensitive) |
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Weekly water changes (25–50%) are important due to their sensitivity to poor water quality.
🐠 Aquarium Requirements
| Feature | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Tank Size | Minimum 40 gallons for a group; 55+ gallons ideal |
| Aquascaping | Open swimming space + planted background |
| Substrate | Sand or fine gravel |
| Lighting | Moderate to bright (brings out colors) |
| Decor | Driftwood, rocks, tall plants like Vallisneria or Amazon swords |
| Filtration | Good filtration with moderate flow (can handle strong currents) |
| Tank Lid | Required – they can jump! |
🍽️ Diet
| Type | Food |
|---|---|
| Omnivorous | - High-quality flake or pellet food |
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Frozen/live foods: bloodworms, daphnia, brine shrimp
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Vegetables: blanched spinach, zucchini, spirulina flakes |
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Color-enhancing foods help maintain their vivid hues.
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Feed 1–2 times daily in small amounts.
🐣 Breeding
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Spawning Method | Egg scatterer |
| Breeding Setup | Separate breeding tank with fine-leaved plants or spawning mops |
| Spawning Behavior | Males display vibrant colors and court females with fin displays |
| Eggs | Sticky eggs are scattered over plants |
| Hatching Time | 7–12 days (depending on temperature) |
| Fry Care | Feed infusoria or powdered fry food, then baby brine shrimp |
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Parents will eat the eggs, so remove adults or transfer eggs for better survival.
⚠️ Care Tips
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Group size matters – small groups can cause stress and dull coloration.
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Don’t mix with fin-nippers (e.g., tiger barbs).
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Color intensity improves with age, good diet, and water quality.
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Not a beginner fish but manageable with some experience in community tanks.
📚 Fun Facts
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Named after Dutch ichthyologist Dr. Marinus Boeseman who first collected the species.
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The "half-and-half" color split becomes more prominent as males mature.
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Despite being peaceful, males may spar with each other—this is harmless and part of their display behavior.
✅ Ideal Tank Mates
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Other Rainbowfish (e.g., Melanotaenia praecox, M. lacustris)
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Peaceful barbs (e.g., cherry barbs)
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Corydoras
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Gouramis (except aggressive types)
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Peaceful tetras (e.g., rummy nose, lemon)
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Livebearers (e.g., mollies, platys)
To avail free shipping, purchase amount should be Rs350/-(for Aquarium Accessories and Aquatic Plants) or more, less than the above amount shipping charges applicable Rs70/- only. For live fish delivery charges applicable at the time of checkout.
Orders are normally Shipped within 1-2 days and usually take 2-5 working days to be delivered based on your location. However, you will receive an approximate timeline when you place your order.
To ensure that your order reaches you quickly and in good condition, we only ship through reputed courier agencies.
