(Please note that the fish shown in the photo is only a representative of what an adult specimen would look like. The color may vary based on the age and sex of the fish you receive.)
Scientific Name: Melanotaenia boesemani
Common Name: Boeseman’s Rainbowfish
Adult Size: 3 - 5 inches
Life Expectancy: 5 years
Habitat: Asia
Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Ideal Tank Conditions:
- Temperature Range: 72 - 77° F
- pH Range: 7.0 - 8.0
- Water Hardness: 9 - 19
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet & Nutrition: Omnivores; opportunistic feeders in the wild, with a natural diet of small crustaceans, insects, and some vegetation. In captivity they should be given a high quality diet to encourage good coloration. A mix of live and processed foods is necessary for optimal health.
Breeding & Spawning: Egg scatterers; the males and females should be moved into separate tanks while they are conditioned prior to breeding.
Gender: Females have narrower body depth and shorter dorsal fin rays. Their coloration is less bisected. Dominant females have similar colors to subordinate males, but most females are a single shade of duller blue-green to gray, or only have a faint yellow to their posterior half.
Compatible Tank Mates: See Compatibility Chart