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Also called
the "boesemani rainbow" fish this nice little creature
belongs to the family Melanotaeniidae (Rainbowfishes) and was
firstly described by Allen and Gross in 1980. It is a peaceful, very
active schooling fish - something to be remembered when planning
your tank population. The sight of a large school of these fishes
(12 or more) swimming in a well planted tank is breathtaking. The
fish is particularly suitable for the Dutch style aquariums because
of its contrasting colors and its tolerance to plants. Will spend
most of its time in the open, occupying the middle and top zones of
the tank. Usually the females are less vividly colored and smaller
than males. The fish will spawn continuously in the right water
conditions which call for a pH around neutral (6.8-7.2) and normal
hardness. The fish originates from New Guinea (mainly) where it is
found in alkaline waters (pH 9.2-9.5). This species is relatively
rare in its natural habitat (mainly inhabiting lakes). It should be
kept in a rather warm water (27-30 C). The male will reach a final
size of 10-11 cm while the female will get somewhat smaller (8-9
cm). The fish is a good jumper so the tank cover should remain
always closed. Will feed on almost any commercially available food
and will develop its splendid coloration after 12 months. Live food
is also recommended 2-3 times per week.
Irawan Husada, a fellow hobbyist from Indonesia contributed
those superb photos of the fish. This amazing fish comes from Irian
jaya (part of New Guinea) which is also part of Indonesia |
