boesemani rainbow

Boesmani rainbow are probably one of the most beautiful and popular species of freshwater fish. These fish are easily recognized by the male’s signature gradient of blue and orange.  A school of rainbow fish look really good in a planted tank where the plants are around the sides giving them plenty of open water to swim in.

The Boesemani rainbowfish comes from the warm waters of Indonesia. Their natural range is very limited and they’re only thought to occur in the regions surrounding the Ajamaru lake system in the western areas of Bird’s Head Peninsula in West Papua, Indonesia. They have wide bodies and a downward sloping face. Their typical blue and orange colors are a signature of rainbowfish.

Male Boesemani rainbowfish have an especially deep body with two extended dorsal fins whereas the females are not so vibrant and don’t have such a deep body. Instead, they usually have a greenish-brown dorsal area that fades to white/silver on their underbellies. Both the male and female often have two to three noticeable dark black or grey stripes behind the gills.

You need to have a school of these fish to really appreciate their beauty and to keep them happy, so make sure you allow space for them all. Keeping a school (6 or more fish) of rainbow fish help them to feel safe.

Diet:

These omnivores need an assortment of appropriately-sized live, frozen, and freeze-dried foods. They especially love insect larvae and worms, like bloodworms and Tubifex worms. A good high-quality fish flake or pellet should be the main staple of the diet in order to give your fish the nutrients it needs to keep colors bright.