There are some really fantastic biotope tanks this year and many others that were nearly as nice. Those of you in either of these groups should be congratulated for your efforts! However I am quite disappointed that over 20% of the entries in this category do not belong here at all. Some have nice "stories" about biotopes but then the tank does not follow through with the maker's biotope description. If you include plants that are clearly not native to the region of your "biotope" it is NOT a biotope. Likewise if you use a man-made color morph of an animal it is not a biotope as these animals are never found in nature.
— Karen Randall
I'd like to second what Karen said. There are some fantastic entries and some "Just about there" entries. Those of you in these groups; keep up the good work. Biotope aquariums require a lot of research and careful planning. They're not easy! Unfortunately there were many entries which were/are completely unsuited for this category. Being a Nature Aquarium in the style of ADA does not mean Biotope. Neither does using artificial color morphs of animals or plants that would not be found in the wild. Only wild-type species are acceptable for biotopes. Please take the time to read the guidelines for this category and do some research prior to entering next year.
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