Dimensions 100 × 40 × 40 cm
Title Igarapé do Daracua, Rio Negro, Barcelos, Brazil
Volume 150L
Background Print Background
Lighting Spotlight Philips 25 watt used for the effect of sunlight and Kandila S Series lamp, 10,000 K, Spotlight Krisbow 25 watt used for the effect of sunlight.
Filtration Canister filter filled with sponge and synthetic cotton
Pump engine: takari 1800, 1600 L/H, 30 Watt
Wave Maker Recent AA WM 24000, 24000 L/H, 25 Watt for use once a week once a day, fast water mode
Animals Paracheirodon innesi (Characidae)
Petitella bleheri (Characidae)
Materials My biotope contains wood, twigs and lots of dry leaves. And for the fish I only used Paracheirodon innesi and Petitella bleheri. There are actually many small fish living there, but as my tank measures only 100x40x40cm, I decided to use two species that live in groups – I don’t want this tank to be overpopulated.
Sand : Beige
Pebble/Gravel : Mixed
Stone : Mixed
Stone form : Roundish
Silt/Mud : Reddish
Leaves : Adundant
Driftwood : Many
Submerged terrestrial vegetation : No
Additional Information This time I want to show a small stream of the Rio Negro River – Igarape do Daracua near Barcelos, Brazil. GPS
-0.4899390, -63.2024994. This place interests me a lot, that’s why I tried to recreate this biotope in the aquarium, so my experience can help other aquarists.
My biotope contains wood, twigs and lots of dry leaves. And for the fish I only used Paracheirodon innesi and Petitella bleheri. There are actually many small fish living there, but as my tank measures only 100x40x40cm, I decided to use two species that live in groups – I don’t want this tank to be overpopulated.
I do not use aquatic plants, because in the original biotope there are none at all, except for the vegetation that grows from the seeds of the surrounding trees.
All of this organic material releases a lot of tannin, naturally turning the water black, and also lowers the pH, maintaining it at around 4.0.
My biotope contains wood, twigs and lots of dry leaves. And for the fish I only used Paracheirodon innesi and Petitella bleheri. There are actually many small fish living there, but as my tank measures only 100x40x40cm, I decided to use two species that live in groups – I don’t want this tank to be overpopulated.
Fish care : The fish are fed once daily, preferably with food designed for tetras and occasionally with live baby brine shrimps.
Water care : None, major flora are absent in my biotope. I only change the green Bactris major leaves once a month when they start to deteriorate.
Vidio : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MdpcC_mu6-TKqYe-Aj5TgdhyE-X7c2Lb/view?usp=drive_link
I commend the aquascaper for resisting the temptation to fill the tank with fishes acknowledging the constraints of their tank size (and filtration) something which was an issue with various other entries.
Allowing the tank to develop plenty of algae and detritus cements its impression of a 'natural habitat' and yet the bright fishes prevent the display from being too drab along with the highlights of the submerged leaf litter.
A great display all round and one which would look perfect in a public aquarium or zoo depicting an 'Amazon stream' biotope.