Melanotaenia boesemani Allen & Cross, 1980
Suggested pronunciation: mel-anne-oh-teen-EE-uh bohss-man-eye

 

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Species description

• Description....
• Melanotaenia boesemani is a large fish, with a laterally compressed, deep-set body and relatively small head.
• They have two dorsal fins, separated by a small gap, the first being much smaller than the second.
• Mature males have a higher first dorsal fin, which overlaps the start of the second dorsal fin when it lies flat against the back. The rear edge of the caudal fin is concave.
• The colour pattern of Melanotaenia boesemani is completely different to that of other rainbowfish.
• The head and front portion of the body, including the first dorsal fin, are a brilliant blue colour, sometimes verging close to black.
• The back half of the body and the second dorsal fin, anal fin and caudal peduncle are largely bright golden-orange in colour. The fins are bordered in violet and white and the caudal fin contains blue colouration on the lobes.
• Between these two areas, or roughly just behind the pectoral fin, there are alternating light and dark vertical bars.
• A lateral, blue stripe runs from the mouth, through the eye, before fading near the caudal penuncle.
• Females display a broad dark mid-lateral stripe accompanied by a series of narrow yellow or reddish-orange longitudinal stripes corresponding with each scale row, that deepen or lighten according to mood.
• Mature, older females often show colouration similar to subordinate males, but are usually easily identified by a shallower body/chest depth and smaller, more rounded fin edges.
• Taxonomy....
  • Kingdom: Animalia
    • Phylum: Chordata: Sub-phylum: Vertebrates - Group: Fish
• Class: Osteichthyes (Bony Fish): Sub-class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fish)
  • Order: Atheriniformes: atherine (Greek)= a kind of smelt + forma (Latin) = shape
• Family: Melanotaeniidae (Rainbowfish): Subfamily: Melanotaeniinae:
  • Genus: Melanotaenia
• Species: boesemani
• Geographical variants....
  • None.
• Similar species....
• None

Habitat information

• Melanotaenia bosemani has its distribution in the Ajamaru Lakes region, which is situated at the headwaters of the Ajamaru River in the centre of the Vogelkop Peninsula, Irian Jaya.
• They are found mainly in Lake Ajamaru and a few surrounding tributaries, but also occur in Lake Hain and Lake Aitinjo, which is 20 kilometres southeast of Lake Ajamaru.
• They inhabit relatively clear shallow water, with abundant vegetation. The lakes and streams are alkaline with pH in excess of 8.0.
• Heiko Bleher reported that he initially collected specimens in a small artificial pond constructed by the local natives. The water conditions recorded were reported as pH 9.0, hardness 5dH, and conductivity 145 mS.
• More were later collected from a fast-flowing clear water creek near Ajamaru. Marinus Boeseman reported a pH of 6.4-6.5 when he collected his specimens.

About Lake Ajamaru....
Melanotaenia boesmani is endemic to the Ajamaru Lakes in the central Vogelkop Penninsula, Irian Jaya. Habitat and Ecology This species' freshwater habitat consists of three lakes, the largest of which is 7 km long and 2 km wide. The name Ajamaru is a very late invention by someone who does not speak the native Mejprat language. It means "water-lake". Lake Ayamaru is located in the Sorong Regency of Irian Jaya.

Aquarium care
The following information relating to tank size, decoration and tank mates is indicative and intended to be used as a rough guide only. Other possible tank mates are listed under Compatibility and there are many plants and decorations that can be used - just ask us.

• Tank....
  • A 90 centimetre (36 inch) tank is the minimum size for keeping a small group of these stunning fish.
  • The tank should be wider than it is tall, as they swim horizontally not vertically.
  • Example - Tropical planted community tank:
    • Tank capacity: 273 litres
    • Tank type: HR-1200
      
      • 120 centimetre (4 foot) tank
        
      • 3 x 30W fluorescent tubes
    • Fish ideas:
      • 9 x Melanotaenia boesemani
      • 6 x Melanotaenia lacustris
      • 6 x Moenkhausia pittieri
      • 3 x Epalzeorhynchus siamensis
      • 3 x Brochis splendens
      • 3 x Pterophyllum scalare
      • 5 x Otocinclus vitattus
    • Building the tank:
    • Background - eg. external printed rock background
    • Substrate - 3mm Coffs Harbour gravel; roughly 50kg
    • Decoration - Driftwood; ancient ruins ornament.
      
    • Plants - Straight Val - Vallisneria spiralis; Red Tiger Lotus - Nymphea maculata; Bacopa - Bacopa caroliniana; Ambulia - Limnophila sessiflora; Cryptocorene wendtii.
• Decoration....
• Plant the tank heavily but leave plenty of open swimming room in the centre and at the front of the tank.
• The fish is particularly suitable for the Dutch style planted aquariums because they don't eat or uproot plants. The contrasting colours are striking against a planted background.
  
• Maintenance and Disease....
  • The fish is a good jumper so the tank should have lids.
  • This active species requires frequent partial water changes to develop its splendid colour.
  • Strong filtration is not necessary, but the filter needs to be efficient
  • Water parameters:
    
    • pH: neutral to alkaline (7.0-9.0: optimal 7.2)
    • Hardness: moderate (6-20: optimal 8)
    • Temperature: 25-30oC.
      
• Compatibility....
  • Melanotaenia boesemani is a peaceful, very active schooling fish.
  • They are suitable for a community tank.
    
    

    Ideas for suitable tankmates.... The fish listed below are indicative of the species that can be kept with this fish. Other fish may also be suitable - please ask us which other fish are compatible. ______________________________ Australian/New Guinea Butis butis Empire Gudgeon (Hypseleotris compressa) Other Rainbowfish Melanotaenia trifasciata Goyder River Melanotaenia dubolayi Kangaroo Creek Glossolepis incisus Melanotaenia parkinsoni ______________________________ Asia Pearl Danio (Danio albolineatus) Black Ruby Barb (Barbus nigrofasciata) Gold Barb (Barbus schuberti) Pearl Gourami (Trichogaster leeri) ______________________________ Central America Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) Platy (Xiphophorus maculata) ______________________________ South America Emerald Catfish (Brochis splendens) Albino Cory (Corydoras aeneus) Bolivian Ram (Mikrogeophagus altispinosa) Corydoras erhardtii Silver Hatchetfish (Gasteropelecus sternicla)
  Breeding....
  • Rainbows are extremely easy to induce to spawn, the difficult part is in rearing the fry. Unlike most egglayers, Rainbows lay their eggs every day, a few at a time, as long as conditions (i.e food and spawning site) are ideal. This is known as "continuous spawning".
  • Spawning females produce between 100 and 200 eggs.
  • Eggs adhere to water plants and hatching occurs around 6-7 days at temperatures between 24 to 28° Celsius.
  • Java Moss can be used for the fish to spawn in or an artificial spawning mop can be used. A spawning mop can be made out of dark green acrylic wool.
  • The males display for one another and the females. Their colour intensifies and they hold their fins are held erect while they begin "flashing" (males sparring - right). The males have a special electric blue-gray bar that extends from the back of the snout to the dorsal fin.
  • The males entice the females to the mops where both quiver and the eggs are released and fertilised. The eggs attach by adhesive threads to the mops, and are largely ignored by the parents.
  • You can leave the eggs in the mop and remove it on a weekly basis or you can pick the eggs every few days.
  • The eggs are sturdy and stand up well to handling and exposure to the air.
  • They hatch in 10 to 14 days after being laid so, if you move the mop, leave it in the hatching container for at least two weeks.
  • As you see fry swimming at the water surface remove them with a turkey baster or plastic pipette into a tank filled with green water and Java moss. The fry will eat the organisms on the moss and in the water for the first several days.
  • They can also be fed commercial fry food and vinegar eels. Don't feed microworms since they sink to the bottom and Rainbow fry stay in the top inch or so of the water column.
    Special breeding notes....
  • How to make your spawning mop.
  • Wrap the wool about 40 or 50 times around a book about 10 inches long.
  • Cut it along the bottom edge and tie it at the top (leaving a small loop) with a different colour yarn so you can find it easily.
  • Add a large cork, or a piece of styrofoam, to the top so that it floats in the waterand your mop is nearly ready.
  • Boil it for 15 to 20 minutes to sterilise the mop. Rinse it thoroughly and place it in the tank.
  • It is a good idea to boil it every time you are ready to use it just as an extra insurance against pests or even of mixing species.
  • Use at least one mop for every male, or they will spend all their time quarreling over the mop and neglect the females.
  • Breeding is moderately difficult due to the problematic feeding of the fry. The young are very small and grow slowly.

These very popular Rainbowfish should be kept in a large tank with plenty of open swimming space. Water movement should be fairly gentle. The males attain their full colouration at about 12 months.

Melanotaenia boesemani is recommended as a good beginners rainbow. Rainbows can live up to four years in the wild and may live six years or more in the home aquarium.

• References....
  Web sites
  Fishbase
  Rainbowfish
  Books
  

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