A West African Biotope

[mlawson]

I have a spare 36" by 12" by 18"/90cm by 30cm by 45cm tank and I want to make it into a west African Biotope.
I don't just want fish from western Africa, but fish that are found in the same waters and habitats as eachother.
I want it to be a a proper biotope with the same plants/ornaments found in the wild.

Can anyone suugest a habitat suitable to replicate which will give me the most choice for fish and plants?

I would like to keep the rope fish and maybe some characins but all opinions for this setup are welcome.

Cheers,

Mike

 

[Gazoo]

African root wood from West Africa is a nice hard brown wood that is smooth on one side and gnarly on the other. I have this in a couple of my tanks and think it looks great.

 

[mlawson]

African root wood from West Africa is a nice hard brown wood that is smooth on one side and gnarly on the other. I have this in a couple of my tanks and think it looks great.

I think the wood would be good in my tank and provide shelter and caves.

The only plants I can think of are Anubias species, Crinium and Nymphae, anyone else have some suuggestions?

 

[dizzied]

I feel like I should add a "Duh!" afterwards if I say African Fern.

 

[mlawson]

I feel like I should add a "Duh!" afterwards if I say African Fern.

I did think of African fern but it is diificult to keep and wouldn't do well in my tapwater.

If any of you read the new PFK article about Heiko Blehers biotope that is what I intend to replicate, obviously my tank would be on a smaller scale. he said 'Aquatic plants are rare. Along the edges may be some large congo Water fern, Bolbitis heudelotti, partially submerged and possibly the floating hook lilys, Crinium natans. Sometimes floating plants are found in little side bays.'

Fish wise he kept congo tetras, yellow-finned congo tetras, some reedfish, elephant noses, butterflyfish, some upside down catfish and some Jewel cichlids which I already have.

 

[mlawson]

I think I could keep one reedfish, 3 butterflyfish and maybe four upside down catfish or possibly some congo tetras.

 

[mlawson]

I have just ordered a 50cm marsh root which I might put the African Fern on.
It only cost me about £4!
I also ordered a large Crinium natans all from Aqua Essentials. It will go
in my other tank for the time being.

 

[Castellop123]

Cheers...