Rainbow Boesemani

One of the most striking and recognizable rainbowfish is the Boesemani rainbow. This schooling fish is prized for its unique-looking, bicolored body and is the perfect statement piece for a medium-sized community aquarium. Find out what it takes to keep this stunning species happy, healthy, and showing off the best colors possible.

Melanotaenia boesemani has the classic rainbowfish profile with its pointed snout, deep-bodied profile, and large, distinct scales. Males grow to 4 inches (10 cm) in size and display an iridescent blue front half and orange back half. Females are less colorful, have a slimmer body, and tend to stay around 3 inches (8 cm) long. They are currently endangered in the wild, so the Boeseman's rainbowfish sold in the aquarium hobby are all captive-bred. However, the rainbowfish you see at the pet store are usually 2-inch (5 cm) juveniles that looked washed out and barely resemble their adult counterparts. It can take up to a year of providing good care and high-quality foods for them to color up, but the results are well worth the wait.
Depending on the water temperature you keep them at, they can live for about 5–8 years on average, although some hobbyists have reportedly kept them alive for up to 13–15 years.