Biotope Aquariums.

[TooManyChoices]

Whenever I see the word biotope my ears prick. Too often though what is presented as an Asian 'biotope', is merely a themed tank, containing something like a gourami, some rasboras, a kribensis buzzing around the bottom and bristlenose catfish lurking under some wood.

A true biotope is an aquarium that has plant and animal life that originate from areas that are the exact same. So in your Asian biotope I don't expect to see any hillstream loaches kept with something that requires slack, tannin stained waters.

I'd love to be able to present you all with my very own biotope aquarium, but alas, I don't have one. For ease of set up (funds and sourcing of species and hardware) I stick to themed tanks, however in the future, I can only see myself going for exclusively biotopic set ups.

For me this hobby is about emulating a part of an environment as close as you can. This offers a challenge and an end result, that for me, is far more beautiful than any tank containing an amalgam of fish from around the globe.

So do you have a biotope aquarium? I'd love to see them, and hopefully have people delve into a world where tetras don't meet betta's.

 

[DyArianna]

Interesting thread. I have 2 tanks, 1 Mollie and 1 Guppy that I refer to as species only tank. It is interesting to think I could carry it further into a biotope for them even as common as they are. I look forward to others' posts.

 

[Blondielovesfish]

I'd love to set up a native New Zealand Biotope, unfortunately, I don't have the money or space to do one now but I hope in the future I can.

 

[TooManyChoices]

Recently on another forum I'm on someone posted pics of their New Zealand biotope and it was stunning!

 

[stanleo]

If I would have found this forum before I started keeping fish I would have a biotope. But I have a gourami with corydoras. When I get my 110, it will be a biotope. I saw one in a public aquarium that I am in love with and took a bunch of pics to emulate it as close as possible.

 

[TooManyChoices]

I'll post some stuff later that'll give you a good idea of what a TRUE biotope
is, you'll be surprised

 

[stanleo]

I would LOVE to see that!

 

[Ruskull]

The 36 gal in my signature pic is a SE Asian biotope, including all plants. The only exception is the 2 Ottos and a BN Pleco to keep the glass and plants clean. Eventually they'll be replaced with snails.

 

[wrightt3]

@TooManyChoices
Out of curiosity, do you own a west African themed tank?
I only ask because I saw your pictures on the cute fish thread and noticed that all the fish come from that region.
If you do have one then I would be interested n hearing your stocking list as I hope to create a similar themed tank in the future.

 

[Meeresstille]

How interesting and how timely your post! I just emptied my 10 gallon tank to be able to set up a Southeast Asian biotope in my husbandès study! (sorry about the apostrophy, computer is wonky like that sometimes)
 
I would really love to see some of your suggestions for a Southeast Asian biotope. My plan so far is to get eco-complete for substrate and smooth, natural gravel (dark colour) for on top. For plants I am looking at Nymphaea lotus, hygrophelia polysperma, cryptocoryne ciliata, java moss on a root (was looking for mangrove root, but was told it is very hard to get in Canada), and maybe some pistia startioses (maybe the dwarf variety). Aso a piece of mopani wood which I already have.
 
I am still researching the right lighting for this set-up....
 
Planned inhabitants: 1 female Betta Splendens
 

 

[Wills]

I have a lot of respect for strict biotope tanks and the people that keep them but the problem I find with these kind of tanks is that the people that keep them get bored of them and then either break them or worse end up rehoming the full stock for the next project. For me Im all about keeping the fish for their full life span not a project that might only last 6 months.
 
This is why I prefer to do as you say themed (I would say continental biotope ) as it allows a broader mix of fish and for me the tank still has the integrity of a biotope of sorts and allows for the potential of life long pets
 
Would love to see some pics and videos of good biotopes though
 
Wills

 

[snazy]

Biotopes sound nice. But then again not doing a stict biotope has it's benefits, for the fish especially. If it's a non-planted tank, it's never as healthy as a planted tank enviroment, even for fish that don't come naturally from these.
Some biotopes require plants, but then require sandy bottom too. I know many have grown plants in sand including me, but they don't grow as good as in a more nutritient rich substrate, or/and ferts and CO2. So you may end up with some sorry looking dying plants instead and a tank covered in algae.
 
Generally, I just don't think a fish tank has anything to do with nature and I try to do what's best for the fish in such enviroment.

 

[frapadoodle]

I am going for the loose/continental biotope.
Fish from S.A.. Try with the plants, but not a stickler.
As Snazy said, it's an aquarium, not nature. I do my best for the fishes welfare, and build something I am happy with. I look at my tanks for hours, but the fish live there all the time.
Also agree with Wills, not looking for a six month project, if I do it's with something inanimate, like remodeling the house. Fish are lifelong pets. I wouldn't dream of dumping my dog because I wanted to try out a different breed.
Not running down biotopes, but have noticed that a number of folks I personally come across are a bit of fish snobs.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

In theory, I could do something very close to a "Congo rapids" biotope in my 6-footer, that would consist of...
21x Pareutropius cf. mandevillei
5x Phenacogrammus nigropterus
4x Euchilichthys spp. (royauxi, I think)
3x Synodontis brichardi
1x Synodontis notata
2x Steatocranus sp. ultraslender
3x Steatocranus casuarius
 
However, the idea quickly fell flat on its face, when I added my female Steatocranus casuarius to the tank and she immediately was very aggressive to the fragile midwater catfish. I still worry if the ultraslenders would be ok with the much bigger casuarius, so the catfish and ultraslenders are in another tank living in harmony (along with the Phenacogrammus nigropterus, I've already lost a few indirectly from mixing them with the batch of casuarius youngsters last summer). So instead, for now, my Ilyodon xantusi adults and larger teenagers act as dithers for the rest.
I do have a biotope correct Synodontis congica, but they are very timid for synos and would be bullied by the others, so he/she is in the same ~280l 4-footer as the ultraslenders; nigropterus; mandevillei (along with a fragile Microsynodontis polli).
 
My "African oddball" tank is close to a biotope, but not quite...
1x Pantodon buchholzi
4x Ctenopoma acutirostre (although one might be C. ocellatum)
1x Xenomystus negri
1x Chrysichthys ornatus (the biotope "offender" coming from Congo Rapids, but is highly predatory with a huge mouth even at ~10cm SL!)
 
But it has to be said I am forever juggling fish between 7 proper tanks, as fish grow (eg. my Giraffe Catfish has gone from a tiny ~5cm SL to a chunky ~18cm SL since September 2012 and is now in the 6-footer), or combinations don't work out quite as well as hoped because of aggression; feeding habits etc.

 

[Zante]

I am planning a tank for a pair of Channa orientalis, just them and no other snacks... Ehm... Fish.

Soil substrate and thickly planted. I still haven't decided on the plants, but I am thinking of making a proper biotope out of it.