# Biotope Info



## SlimStretch (Jan 4, 2011)

Are there any good resources for biotopes that are reliable, i was looking at a book "Aquarium Designs: Inspired by Nature" that at first I thought was a great resource only to find out the book wasn't accurate, though the style it was presented is what I'm looking for, It covered substrate, plants, and fish, it always has pictures of the finished tank. Are there any reliable websites or books that would have this information for a number of different Biotopes.

I'm interested in starting up a Amazon Biotope in a 30 gallon tank. And a blind tetra cave biotope in a 30 gallon. The Blind Tetra is fairly straight forward but the amazon could go many different directions.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

If that is Peter Hiscock's book, I have it. It is very good for the overall layout of the respective aquascapes, by which I mean the sand/gravel, wood, rocks arrangements. But I was disappointed that he is not authentic in his selection of plants for many of them. But it is still one of the best books on the subject i have come across.

An older book is one from TFH publications entitled _The Nature Aquarium_. It is "authentic" in terms of plants and fish for the geographic areas, but not as useful as Hiscock's for layout.

As you specifically mentioned the Amazon, there is the book entitled_ The Amazon: Below Water_, written by Oliver Lucanus, concentrating on Amazonia. Oliver has made several collecting trips to Amazonia; he operates a fish importing business in Montreal, Canada. I have not seen the book myself, but from what I have read about it (reviews, etc) I gather it is very good. Here's a link to info:
Below Water - The Amazon

Oliver also has a blog with lots of info on Amazonian habitats:
Below Water Colombia: Sierra de la Macarena

There is also our fellow forum member Heiko Bleher, the renowned explorer and collector. Heiko has written of Amazon habitats often, setting up specific ones for the Rio ***** or Rio Guapore for instance. Here's a link to Heiko's site info on biotopes:
Aquapress Bleher - Bleher's Biotopes

There is, I think, a link somewhere on that site to some photos and info on biotopes.

The problem with authentic biotope aquascapes is the "barren" aspect; most of the streams in Amazonia have few if any plants [the Rio ***** and Rio Guapore are major exceptions to this] so one is left with a tank that has sand, a few branches, and one or two fish species. Re-creating a stylized Amazonian riverscape can be done, have a look at the photos of my 115g aquarium which is one of these [photos under "Aquariums" below my name on the left]. A flooded Amazon forest is more interesting because you can include many plants. Echinodorus (swords) are naturally marsh or bot plants, emersed half the year, submersed the rest, so this is very authentic. My 90g Flooded Amazon Forest aquascape is a representation of something like this.

Byron.


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## SlimStretch (Jan 4, 2011)

Thank you so much!! That is some great information. I'll take a look at some of that.


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## SlimStretch (Jan 4, 2011)

Byron you have beautiful tanks! How strict are you with your biotope tanks? As far as staying true to species of fish and plants in them. Is it frowned upon to do a Amazon tank, but not be specific of what type and be able to combine fish and plants from all over the amazon. I know some obviously are brackish but besides that, they seem like most of them are okay in the same ph ranges and temps.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

SlimStretch said:


> Byron you have beautiful tanks! How strict are you with your biotope tanks? As far as staying true to species of fish and plants in them. Is it frowned upon to do a Amazon tank, but not be specific of what type and be able to combine fish and plants from all over the amazon. I know some obviously are brackish but besides that, they seem like most of them are okay in the same ph ranges and temps.


Thank you for your comments on my aquaria.

There are basically 4 types of community aquaria [this leaves out species only tanks]: biotope, geographic, habitat and general. *Biotope* means that everything in the tank--type of substrate, decor (wood, rock), plants and fish--are specific to a particular stream, river, lake or pond. *Geographic* to me means that all plants and fish occur in the same geographic area but not necessarily together in any particular watercourse. *Habitat* means all fish occur in the same type of environment such as a pond, flowing river, meandering stream, or lake; in this setup the fish might come from different geographic areas, example a riverscape with loaches, characins and danio. *General* obviously means there is no particular reference other than basic compatibility in terms of water parameters (which obviously must be present in any tank) and behaviour/suitability.

My current tanks are all geographic. All fish and plants occur in the same general geographic area. I would do biotope tanks if I had more space; obviously they are much more restrictive in the number of fish species, and plants, when you are considering this or that stream or pond. To do biotope tanks for all the varying species of fish I now have would mean dozens of tanks. I am planning a habitat tank for a flowing stream since my 70g and 90g need re-doing for various reasons.

One of the benefits of geographic tanks is ensuring identical water parameters, though some differences do occur in nature; in this case one has to limit the geographical area. This is why I frequently advise aquarists to research the fish first; if the fish in a given tank are not compatible in terms of water parameters, habitat (some may require wood, rock, caves, plants, leaves, sand, gravel, flowing water, still water, dim light...) and obviously behaviour, they will be under stress and therefore not as healthy.

In my 90g flooded Amazon forest for example there are several species of Echinodorus plants. One would never find all these together, but one would find them in different areas within the Amazon basin. The fish in this tank all prefer quiet water, such as one finds in a flooded forest, and they spend half the year in such an environment and the other half in very slow-flowing streams and lagoons. Knowing this, I can ensure that they will be compatible. And the tank is large enough that I can push the boundaries in behaviour a bit, and have a couple pairs of dwarf cichlids (Apistogramma) in with fish that would never come into contact with each other in nature but do nonetheless share near-identical habitats.

Within the Amazon basin the water parameters are very close in terms of hardness; most waters are very soft, though there are a few exceptions. With pH there is more variableness, as some streams have very low pH (3-4) and some are actually basic (low 7's) though still with soft or very soft water. Many species have a limited distribution; considering only the genus Corydoras, there are many species such as C. duplicareus that are endemic to one smallish stream and occur no where else, while a species like C. aeneus is found over much of the northern half of South America and even on an island in the Carribean. One species of characin I am familiar with, Pristella maxillaris, occurs in soft, acidic water but also occurs in populations near the coast that have slightly brackish water. This is the exception however; most characins cannot tolerate salt, nor minerals (hard water), so again one has to research h the habitats and acquire fish that are compatible. And the particular fish themselves never migrate between the two, the populations are distinct which is an important consideration.

Byron.


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## SlimStretch (Jan 4, 2011)

Wow! excellent information thank you so much. I have been doing tons and tons and tons of research. I'm always looking for more and more accurate information. I guess i would be more interested in the type of tanks you are doing than biotope. It's hard to come acrossed some of the plants and fish that I would want/need for a true biotope. Do you know what kind of tanks 
*Takashi Amano does?*

You have been such a great help, if you have any good informative resources you would be willing to share, they will not go to waste with me. 

P.s. I really want some of Takashi's books but they are so pricey yet beautiful!!


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

SlimStretch said:


> Wow! excellent information thank you so much. I have been doing tons and tons and tons of research. I'm always looking for more and more accurate information. I guess i would be more interested in the type of tanks you are doing than biotope. It's hard to come acrossed some of the plants and fish that I would want/need for a true biotope. Do you know what kind of tanks
> *Takashi Amano does?*
> 
> You have been such a great help, if you have any good informative resources you would be willing to share, they will not go to waste with me.
> ...


From what I have seen, Mr. Amano does not do geographic or biotope tanks. He calls them "Nature Aquaria" and the plant and fish species are quite cosmopolitan. Of course, he is far more interested in the artistic side of aquaria designs, using natural material to create a work of art, and the fish are somewhat secondary. 

I am quite the opposite, on two counts. First, my fish are the priority, and the plants and wood/rock are there for both the aesthetic value and the "health" aspect. Most forest fish expect "stuff" around them, be it aquatic plants, overhanging or marginal vegetation, wood, rock, branches, leaves. This is where understanding the habitat of each species is of tremendous value. With the correct environment, fish are less stressed and thus healthier.

But second, I prefer a truly "natural" aquascape. While it is certainly stylized, in that it "replicates" but not strictly "duplicates" the habitat, it is still something very close to what could be seen in nature. Mr. Amano's tanks are works of art, but not something I would want to sit in front of for very long. And aside from the appearance, the maintenance is as high as one can get. Mega light (which is stressful to these forest fish), CO2 diffusion, and daily addition of considerable nutrients via fertilizers to balance the high light. I prefer to let nature do most of the work without my interference.

On finding the fish you want, I sometimes wait months for the fish; they may not be readily available, or only seasonally, or only once in a decade. I always ensure there is room in the aquarium should I find them.

I have done a fair bit of research on fish habitats, esp for Amazonia, and I am still learning. I'll end with a video I have previously posted, on the habitat of angelfish. One often sees this magnificent fish in bare tanks and under bright light. Provide it with something akin to its habitat and one can truly appreciate the fish's behaviour and demeanour. As this video shows, even though made during the bright day under a full sun, little light penetrates the water.




 
Byron.


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## SlimStretch (Jan 4, 2011)

I completely agree, I love putting fish in the environment where they will actually act as they would in the wild, more so than in a community tank, you can really start to study the behavior of the fish, and get a better understanding and respect for the fish. I have a few 30 gallon tanks that I want to get started soon, would you have any suggestions of some setups that would work well in a 30 and be able to have a variety of fish and plants. Perhaps a planted one that would be good for a plant beginner. I really like the 30 gallon tanks cause the size isnt too small nor too big, in the future i want to get some bigger tanks, but in the mean time could i work with the 30s and have a beautiful tank like yours?


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

SlimStretch said:


> I completely agree, I love putting fish in the environment where they will actually act as they would in the wild, more so than in a community tank, you can really start to study the behavior of the fish, and get a better understanding and respect for the fish. I have a few 30 gallon tanks that I want to get started soon, would you have any suggestions of some setups that would work well in a 30 and be able to have a variety of fish and plants. Perhaps a planted one that would be good for a plant beginner. I really like the 30 gallon tanks cause the size isnt too small nor too big, in the future i want to get some bigger tanks, but in the mean time could i work with the 30s and have a beautiful tank like yours?


Certainly. My 33g is aquascaped as a SE Asian pond, see the photos. I have thickly planted 10g and 20g tanks, though they are just a mass of plants, mainly spares and adventitious plants from my larger tanks. Some of the plants in my Amazon tanks are too large for a 33g, but several remain small and work fine. Check out our plant profiles for some ideas. I might have some ideas if you indicate the theme--geographic (from where), habitat (what type), etc.


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## SlimStretch (Jan 4, 2011)

I have actually decided on what i want to do with a couple 10 gallon tanks.

1st is DPs, 2-3 Dwarf Puffers, heavy planted, I'm going to use plants that would be found in the India/Sri Lanka region, sand and red gravel, Maybe some Bamboo Plant, _Blyxa japonica_ and Giant Hygrophia, _Nomaphila stricta_? Is this hard to find? Should I use a substrate to help the plants since it will be heavily planted?

2nd tank, I still have a lot of research to do, but i was thinking bee shrimp and crystal red shrimp, with heavy planted aquarium, a lot of moss. Could i put snails in with the shrimp? What would be a good snail to breed for my DPs?

3rd I want to do a tank with Bumble Bee Gobbies, I don't know if i should use a 30 for a brackish type Tank, or if i should do a smaller tank or even the 30 with BBGs only?


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

SlimStretch said:


> I have actually decided on what i want to do with a couple 10 gallon tanks.
> 
> 1st is DPs, 2-3 Dwarf Puffers, heavy planted, I'm going to use plants that would be found in the India/Sri Lanka region, sand and red gravel, Maybe some Bamboo Plant, _Blyxa japonica_ and Giant Hygrophia, _Nomaphila stricta_? Is this hard to find? Should I use a substrate to help the plants since it will be heavily planted?
> 
> ...


Well, the name Nomaphila stricta is new to me, so I had to do some research. And, I got conflicting info, on two dis-similar plants. There is a purple-tinted plant native to the USA under this name. But also I found it is a synonym for Hygrophila stricta, and the plant authority Karen Randall says this is actually Hygrophila corymbosa. When I looked this up in Kasselmann, sure enough she lists Nomaphila stricta as a synonym of H. corymbosa. Both authors mention that there are several leaf form varieties around. This plant is in our profiles, so no need to say more; here's the direct link:
Giant Hygrophila (Hygrophila corymbosa) Profile

Blyxa japonica has mixed reviews; many say it is demanding, or will not be as "good" without intense light, CO2, nutrient fertilization. It apparently is a favourite of Mr. Amano, so that says something about its needs to look like it does in his aquascapes. If you mean the true dwarf puffer as the fish, the freshwater beauty, I would avoid this plant; dwarf puffers like less overhead light, they live in sluggish ponds with thick vegetation and under cover of floating vegetation and branches. Crypts would work fine with this, and for "grassy" look I would go with my old favourite the pygmy chain sword--unless you want to be fully authentic in geography. Cryptocoryne parva then, also in our profile (click shaded name).

With substrate-rooted plants like crypts, a nice substrate would be Seachem's Flourite in the red or brown. CarribSea also makes Eco-complete in a red (as well as the more common black). Either would replicate the irony-red appearance of Sri Lankan streams, and provide most of the nutrients for crypts. With floating plants, crypts should do very well in such a setup.

Tanks with shrimp will presumably have harder water for the calcium they need, so here Vallisneria works ideally. Corkscrew Vallisneria remains small enough for a 10g. This plant does much better in harder basic water, much better.

Gobies are outside my experience. But in brackish water, if it is mildly so, Java Fern does well, Vallisneria should, and there are some others i can't remember at the moment; I believe redchigh mentioned some the other day in another thread.

|Byron.


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## SlimStretch (Jan 4, 2011)

Thanks for the info, lots of help, I still have lots of research before i jump in, I'm new to planted tanks so it's a bit overwhelming as far as finding the plants and then once i get them to aqua scape it into a beautiful set up. 

I'm a little confused about the process of starting the planted tank up, I want to fishless cycle, do i need to cycle the tank before i add the plants or before? Once i get the plants in there how long can I wait before i put the fish in there?

For the shrimp tank, I'm really wanting to do a carpeting effect with the moss, do you know of any good resources of how to pull this off, I really like the moss, but i want to have ways of seperating the huge amounts of green. I'm not sure where to buy wood to put in the tank to have the moss grow up it but i think that would be cool as well.


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## amazon21 (Jun 28, 2010)

SlimStretch said:


> Thanks for the info, lots of help, I still have lots of research before i jump in, I'm new to planted tanks so it's a bit overwhelming as far as finding the plants and then once i get them to aqua scape it into a beautiful set up.
> 
> I'm a little confused about the process of starting the planted tank up, I want to fishless cycle, do i need to cycle the tank before i add the plants or before? Once i get the plants in there how long can I wait before i put the fish in there?
> 
> For the shrimp tank, I'm really wanting to do a carpeting effect with the moss, do you know of any good resources of how to pull this off, I really like the moss, but i want to have ways of seperating the huge amounts of green. I'm not sure where to buy wood to put in the tank to have the moss grow up it but i think that would be cool as well.


If you plant heavy enough you don't have to cycle since the plants will use all the ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites that the fish give off as fertlizer for themselves


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## SlimStretch (Jan 4, 2011)

amazon21 said:


> If you plant heavy enough you don't have to cycle since the plants will use all the ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites that the fish give off as fertlizer for themselves


Are you sure about that for the Dwarf Puffers? If so then you are saying plant the tank heavy then wait how long? Then add the puffers?


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

SlimStretch said:


> Thanks for the info, lots of help, I still have lots of research before i jump in, I'm new to planted tanks so it's a bit overwhelming as far as finding the plants and then once i get them to aqua scape it into a beautiful set up.
> 
> I'm a little confused about the process of starting the planted tank up, I want to fishless cycle, do i need to cycle the tank before i add the plants or before? Once i get the plants in there how long can I wait before i put the fish in there?
> 
> For the shrimp tank, I'm really wanting to do a carpeting effect with the moss, do you know of any good resources of how to pull this off, I really like the moss, but i want to have ways of seperating the huge amounts of green. I'm not sure where to buy wood to put in the tank to have the moss grow up it but i think that would be cool as well.


As amazon21 correctly said, with live plants there is basically no cycle. Or to be more accurate, there is a cycle (all new tanks have to establish the nitrifying bacteria) but it is simply so small as to be undetectable with our test kits. I have set up dozens of new tanks with live plants and added fish on day 1, and I have never had ammonia or nitrite above zero on test kits. As long as you plant the tank, condition the water, then add some fish (the same day is fine), just don't overload the fish. There can't be more fish than the plants can handle. But plants assimilate a lot of ammonia (as ammonium). And if acidic water is involved, the ammonia automatically changes to ammonium (harmless) anyway. In basic water the plants can change the ammonia to ammonium and assimilate it.

As long as the water is not overly hard, moss will do fine. It will readily attach to wood. My wood i buy from the fish store. I know it is expensive, more than picking up wood outside in streams or somewhere, but it is safer. When I do this, I prefer wood that is in a fish tank, as it will have leeched out most of its tannins and save me having to boil it or soak it or wait it out with yellow/brownish water. Also, sometimes moss will be attached, so you have a head start. Putting it in a tank of warm (normal aquarium) water with no fish for a week will ensure no ich is present, sort of quarantining the wood.


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## SlimStretch (Jan 4, 2011)

You guys are great, i'm learning so much between you guys and researching myself!


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## SlimStretch (Jan 4, 2011)

Question though, i looked of the Flourite Red, but they don't have a red sand, my concern is for the DPs? I heard to use sand vs the gravel. I've also heard it doesn't matter that much, so what is your opinion/experiences with this?

Byron would could i find info for a shrimp tank that would be geographicish? Or should I just do whatever with that one? I want the carpeting of moss for sure. Would that fit in with the shrimp as far as a realistic place you would find shrimp?


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

SlimStretch said:


> Question though, i looked of the Flourite Red, but they don't have a red sand, my concern is for the DPs? I heard to use sand vs the gravel. I've also heard it doesn't matter that much, so what is your opinion/experiences with this?
> 
> Byron would could i find info for a shrimp tank that would be geographicish? Or should I just do whatever with that one? I want the carpeting of moss for sure. Would that fit in with the shrimp as far as a realistic place you would find shrimp?


I did a scan of the dwarf puffer site and they mention sand or gravel is fine. Given the sensitivity of puffers to water conditions, requiring weekly 50% changes, small gravel would probably be better. Less chance of compaction, easier to clean, etc.

I don't know about the red Flourite, but the black (which I have seen) is quite small. Not true sand, but very small grains. If the red is the same, it will look close to sand.

Can't help you on the shrimp.;-)


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