Red Boesemani Rainbowfish – Lake Aitinjo Locality (Melanotaenia boesemani “Lake Aitinjo”)

The Red Boesemani Rainbowfish from Lake Aitinjo is a beautiful locality form of the famous Boesemani Rainbowfish, prized for its stronger warm red, orange and golden rear-body colouration compared with many standard aquarium strains. Mature males develop the classic two-tone Boesemani look, with a cooler blue-grey front half and a much brighter red-orange rear half, especially when kept in a group with females and rival males. This is an active, peaceful and highly colourful rainbowfish for a spacious planted aquarium with clean, well-oxygenated water.

Common Name:
Red Boesemani Rainbowfish. Also commonly referred to as Lake Aitinjo Boesemani Rainbowfish, Lake Aytinjo Boesemani, Boesemani Rainbowfish, Boeseman’s Rainbowfish or Bicolour Rainbowfish.

Scientific Name (Latin):
Melanotaenia boesemani “Lake Aitinjo”

Maximum Size:
Around 10–13 cm in captivity, with males usually becoming larger, deeper-bodied and more colourful than females.

Water Type:
Freshwater

Origin / Natural Habitat:
This locality form is associated with Lake Aitinjo, also commonly written as Lake Aytinjo, in West Papua, Indonesia. The species is naturally restricted to the Ajamaru Lakes region, Lake Hain and Lake Aitinjo, including connected waters and tributaries in the Vogelkop Peninsula of Western New Guinea. In the wild, Boesemani Rainbowfish are associated with warm, clear freshwater lake and tributary habitats, often around vegetated margins and open swimming areas.

Water Parameters:
Temperature: 25–28°C
pH Range: 7.0–8.0
Hardness: moderately hard to hard water preferred

Temperament:
Peaceful and suitable for a well-planned community aquarium. Males will display to each other, but this is usually harmless and forms part of their natural behaviour when kept in a proper group.

Diet:
Omnivorous. It should be offered a varied diet including quality flake, small pellets, colour-enhancing foods, frozen brineshrimp, daphnia, bloodworm, mosquito larvae and occasional live foods. A varied diet helps bring out the strongest red, orange and blue tones in mature males.

Minimum Tank Size:
A practical recommendation is at least 200 litres, with a 4ft aquarium or larger strongly preferred due to their active swimming behaviour.

Behaviour & Activity:
This is an active mid-to-upper level shoaling fish that should be kept in a group of at least 6, ideally 8 or more. Males colour up best when kept with females and other males, especially in a spacious aquarium with planted sides, open swimming space and stable water quality. Like many rainbowfish, they can jump when startled, so a secure lid is recommended.

Aquarium Category:
Community Fish
This species is peaceful and works well with other robust, non-aggressive community fish that enjoy similar water conditions. Suitable tank mates include other rainbowfish, peaceful barbs, larger tetras, danios, Corydoras, bristlenose plecos and calm dwarf cichlids. Avoid very shy fish, fin nippers, aggressive cichlids and soft acidic blackwater species that prefer very different conditions.

Special Requirements or Care Notes:
Best kept in a mature, well-filtered aquarium with excellent oxygenation, regular maintenance and plenty of swimming space. Darker substrate and planted margins can help enhance colour, while the centre of the aquarium should remain open for swimming. The wild species is listed as Endangered, so locality forms should be kept responsibly, and captive-bred stock is strongly preferred wherever available.

Suitable for:
Beginner to intermediate fishkeepers

Availability:
Occasional in trade, especially as a locality strain

All images are a visual representation of the fish you will receive, made to be as accurate as possible. Please note that Mother Nature is a wonderful thing, and variation in patterns and colours will occur — that is part of the unique beauty of these animals.