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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

  • Boesemani Rainbowfish

  • Bosemani Rainbow

  • 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
  • Males: More vibrant, especially during mating displays.

  • 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)
  • 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
  • Frozen/live foods: bloodworms, daphnia, brine shrimp

  • Vegetables: blanched spinach, zucchini, spirulina flakes |

  • Color-enhancing foods help maintain their vivid hues.

  • 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
  • Parents will eat the eggs, so remove adults or transfer eggs for better survival.


⚠️ Care Tips

  • Group size matters – small groups can cause stress and dull coloration.

  • Don’t mix with fin-nippers (e.g., tiger barbs).

  • Color intensity improves with age, good diet, and water quality.

  • Not a beginner fish but manageable with some experience in community tanks.


📚 Fun Facts

  • Named after Dutch ichthyologist Dr. Marinus Boeseman who first collected the species.

  • The "half-and-half" color split becomes more prominent as males mature.

  • Despite being peaceful, males may spar with each other—this is harmless and part of their display behavior.


✅ Ideal Tank Mates

  • Other Rainbowfish (e.g., Melanotaenia praecox, M. lacustris)

  • Peaceful barbs (e.g., cherry barbs)

  • Corydoras

  • Gouramis (except aggressive types)

  • Peaceful tetras (e.g., rummy nose, lemon)

  • Livebearers (e.g., mollies, platys)


 

We process orders on all weekdays (Monday to Saturday), excluding public holidays.

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.

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