#381: 345L Biotope Aquascape Oxbow edge of shallow stream in Rio Guapore drainage, Bolivia

Kamil Hazy Poznan, Poland

Comments

This is pretty neat. The real thing is probably not so tidy but this tank is the right shape to really give the feeling of a "piece of shallow river oxbow"
— Karen Randall
I applaud your choice of a long aquarium; it's perfect for these fish. It's plausible that the fish could be found together at times as they do have overlapping ranges. However the choice and arrangement of plants looks more like a traditional aquascape than a biotope. Underwater photos and videos of planted habitats are more common these days than before. Even if they're not from the same area you're trying to recreate take a look at them to see how plants grow in the wild.
— Phil Edwards
Nice little biotope although I would have liked to see a lot more leaf little as found in the habitat.
— Bailin Shaw

Aquascape Details

Dimensions 180 × 60 × 32 cm
Title Oxbow edge of shallow stream in Rio Guapore drainage, Bolivia
Volume 345L
Background Black foil
Lighting 40x 1W 6500K LED modules
20x 0,7W RGB LED modules
8x Leddy Tube 6W LED modules "sunny"
SANRISE 40W 7000K LED beam
Filtration Eheim 2228 canister filter
Aquael Turbo 2000 internal filter
Aquael Turbo 1500 internal filter
Plants Helanthium tenellum
Helanthium bolivianum
Hydrocotyle leucocephala
Animals Apistogramma trifasciata 5m+5f
Corydoras sterbai 12x
Hyphessobrycon eques 40x
Materials Substrate: Sand 0,4-1,2mm with peat underneath
Decorations: Roots and branches
Additional Information Specified biotope represented in my aquarium shows an oxbow edge of shallow stream, with water level approx. 30cm. This type of littoral zone is full of aquatic plants submerged during rainy season, and partially or fully emersed when the rains don’t fall. Slow water movement in the oxbow area, where tree roots occur, creates perfect microhabitat for Apistogramma trifasciata group. Thick layer of dead leaves, twigs and bark gives hiding spots and variety of food sources for this species. That area is also covered with partly emersed growing stems of Hydrocotyle leucocephala, so it’s well shaded, and therefore creates safe environment for small, slower moving fish . Corydoras sterbai in the border area between zones of little stronger and slower flow search the bottom for food that comes with water. Quite large group of Hyphessobrycon eques, while searching for food, moves in the front of roots to the area with brighter light, that gives perfect conditions for Helanthium species to grow densely. When not searching for food apisto males patrol their bottom districts, trying to attract females, and attempting to become the “alpha male”; corys lies under the roots; tetras loosen their group ties with males displaying to attract females, and overcome rivals over their quasi-territories.

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