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
- Hardness Range: 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: Sexing is generally difficult at the young age at which the fish is usually sold, but mature males will be more colorful, have the arched back described above, and will often be the more territorial sex.
Compatible Tank Mates: See Compatibility Chart