Fish
Boesemani Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia boesemani · also called boeseman's rainbowfish
A sharp line divides blue-grey from vivid orange-yellow along the body of a boesemani rainbowfish, a striking two-tone pattern found naturally in only one small lake system in West Papua, Indonesia.
Overview
The boesemani rainbowfish, Melanotaenia boesemani, is an Endangered fish found naturally only around Lake Ayamaru in West Papua, Indonesia. Its sharply divided two-colour pattern, extremely restricted natural range, and schooling behaviour make it one of the most visually striking yet conservation-vulnerable rainbowfish kept in home aquariums.
A lake’s worth of colour
Nearly the entire wild population of boesemani rainbowfish depends on a single small lake system, a degree of geographic concentration that leaves the species especially exposed to any decline in water quality or habitat condition there.
Status
Endangered, with a declining population confined to a small lake system in West Papua, Indonesia, threatened by ongoing habitat degradation.
Boesemani Rainbowfish: common questions
Why does the boesemani rainbowfish have two different colours on its body?
It shows a sharp natural colour division, with the front half of the body a blue-grey shade and the rear half a vivid orange-yellow, a striking two-tone pattern that gives the species much of its visual appeal.
How small is the boesemani rainbowfish's natural range?
It is found naturally only around Lake Ayamaru in West Papua, Indonesia, one of the smallest natural ranges of any popular aquarium fish.
Why is the boesemani rainbowfish endangered?
Its naturally tiny range around a single lake system, combined with ongoing habitat degradation affecting water quality there, has driven a continuing population decline.
Should boesemani rainbowfish be kept alone or in groups?
In groups; it is a schooling fish that shows more natural behaviour and more vivid colouring when kept with others of its own kind rather than alone.