#385: 126L Biotope Aquascape A blackwater Igarapé

Ivo Lemmens Rotterdam, Netherlands

Comments

While the Hydrocleys would not be found in this area there ARE a few night blooming Nymphaea that are occasionally found -- able to draw their nutrients from the sediment on the bottom. Since the Nymphaea are too large for use in the average aquarium I find the use of this Hydrocleys to be an acceptable substitute to give the same "feel" to the aquascape.
— Karen Randall
The aquarist has certainly done his/her research on plausibility. I'll defer to Scott's expertise. If it were up to me I'd accept it simply based on the citations the aquarist has provided. Sometimes all we can go on is plausibility rather than certainty.
— Phil Edwards
Fish all look good for a blackwater stream. Not so sure how many floating plants you'd see in such a nutrient devoid environment though.
— Scott Dowd

Aquascape Details

Dimensions 80 × 35 × 45 cm
Title A blackwater Igarapé
Volume 126L
Background Simple black background with some relief
Lighting Two 18 Watt T8 tubes (color temperature of 4000 Kelvin)
Filtration JBL Cristalprofi e701
Plants Hydrocleys sp.; Pistia sp.
Animals Dicrossus filamentosus (Lyretail Checkerboard Cichlid) (1 male/3 female); Nannostomus marginatus (Dwarf Pencilfish) (group of 15); Carnegiella strigata (Marbled Hatchetfish (group of 10)
Materials Sand; small boulders; leaf litter; driftwood
Additional Information While researching various habitats in Amazonia, I came across the so-called "igarapé", which is in essence a minor tributary or stream to one of the main rivers in the Amazon basin and is characterized by submerged roots and overhanging vegetation above the water surface.
The Marbled Hatchetfish is an inhabitant of those habitats in the Rio Negro system (http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/carnegiella-strigata/). Dwarf Pencilfishes are found in such habitats (amongst other types of habitats) as well (http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/nannostomus-marginatus/ - http://apisto.sites.no/fish.aspx?fishIndexID=1805&gruppeID=5). Finally, it is reported that Lyretail Checkerboard Cichlids are (sometimes) by-catch with the collection of Cardinal tetras (http://www.apistogramma.com/forum/index.php?threads/dicrossus-filamentosus.11481/) and the latter are found and collected in such habitats in the Rio Negro system as well (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAADHjaqOAw - http://apisto.sites.no/fish.aspx?fishIndexID=2497&gruppeID=6). So, not only are all three species known from the Rio Negro, their presence in the same type of habitats is very plausible.
Also, records exist for the presence of all three species in the Rio Orinoco system (http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/carnegiella-strigata/ - http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/nannostomus-marginatus/ - http://apisto.sites.no/fish.aspx?fishIndexID=1805&gruppeID=5 - http://apisto.sites.no/fish.aspx?fishIndexID=2497&gruppeID=6).
Pistia sp. is chosen because of its nitrate absorbing capactity. Hydrocleys sp. is used to provide for some additional contrast with the driftwoord and leaf litter.
To create an environment as natural as possible, peat-filtered RO water is used. No aquarium fertilizers.

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