Boeseman's Rainbowfish Melanotaenia boesemani

Boeseman's Rainbowfish is native only to a few lakes and tributaries in the Ayamara/Ajamara and Aitinjo/Hain regions of West Papua, Indonesia. It has become endangered as in its limited range over 1 million a year are (were) being collected for breeding stock in the aquarium trade.

Males, above, have a strongly defined bluish grey front half and orange or red back half, although the intensity varies. They are larger than females and can exceed 12cm long.

Females, above, are a slimmer, muted version of the male but sometimes show a black half lateral line.

They eat small worms, crustaceans and other invertebrates as well as some plant matter.