Should I make a Valencia Lake project?

[elephantnose3334]

The Valencia Lake project will focus on the namesake lake in Venezuela. It could happen after the Orinoco project, if I'm allowed to have a third tank. I'm trying to make tanks for fish native to Venezuela. I know there are limitations to the tanks due to parents, but I'll make it in the long run. Valencia Lake is home to diamond tetras, which are endemic to the area. How do I make an accurate Valencia Lake biotope?

 

[GaryE]

To be authentic, you would have to pollute your tank with agricultural wastes and cultivate large algae blooms. More than half the species once found in that habitat are extinct there now. It might not be the best option to try to re create - unless you really hate doing water changes. Lago Valencia is a bit of a tragedy.

 

[emeraldking]

But isn't this a question that you should ask yourself instead of others? For it's totally up to you whether you wanna do this or not. Maybe, it would be a better question to ask members what they think of a Valencia lake biotope tank. Then the reply of Gary would make more sense. Which is a good reply, btw. For he does give some cons to a Valencia lake biotope in relation to endemic fish and so on.

 

[elephantnose3334]

But isn't this a questions that you should ask yourself instead of others? For it's totally up to you whether you wanna do this or not. Maybe, it wuld be a better question to ask members what they think of a Valencia lake biotope tank. Then the reply of Gary would make more sense. Which is a good reply, btw. For he does give some cons to a Valencia lake biotope in relation to endemic fish and so on.

Hmm... I could do that except not polluting the tank.

 

[jaylach]

Seems to me that no one can say if you SHOULD do a bio type. It is really a matter as to if you want to do and can afford to do it.

 

[elephantnose3334]

Seems to me that no one can say if you SHOULD do a bio type. It is really a matter as to if you want to do and can afford to do it.

I was asking, that's all.

 

[jaylach]

I was asking, that's all.

Oh, I know and advice is always good. Just don't expect a definitive answer.

If you do this all I could recommend is that you study the water conditions before it was polluted and match as close as possible. Use a substrate that is as close as possible unless dirt/mud and use fauna/rocks/wood that are natural to the area. If dirt/mud is normal than I would substitute, probably, with a fairly dark sand.

 

[GaryE]

Biotopes are hard. Ivan Mikolji's youtube is probably the best channel I've seen to give guidance, if you are interested in future South American projects. You have to work with little info, as it isn't a popular type of tank.
I wish it were, but we don't all have the info or resources to do it. It's a still a glofish, fancy-bred fish hobby, fundamentally, and nature based set ups are not in fashion.
You're 17, and it will probably be some time til you're working and living in a stable space you can build things in. At your age, I read and read, and read some more, figuring I'd store up info for when I could use it, or not. There's never harm in learning. It's daydream fuel. I decided I wanted to get into a jungle and have a look when I was about 20. I did it for the first time at 48, for all of 6 hours. A real trip took til I was 65.
So whatever prep you make for a tank you don't have yet isn't wasted. Plan a hundred biotopes. Patience...

 

[elephantnose3334]

Biotopes are hard. Ivan Mikolji's youtube is probably the best channel I've seen to give guidance, if you are interested in future South American projects. You have to work with little info, as it isn't a popular type of tank.
I wish it were, but we don't all have the info or resources to do it. It's a still a glofish, fancy-bred fish hobby, fundamentally, and nature based set ups are not in fashion.
You're 17, and it will probably be some time til you're working and living in a stable space you can build things in. At your age, I read and read, and read some more, figuring I'd store up info for when I could use it, or not. There's never harm in learning. It's daydream fuel. I decided I wanted to get into a jungle and have a look when I was about 20. I did it for the first time at 48, for all of 6 hours. A real trip took til I was 65.
So whatever prep you make for a tank you don't have yet isn't wasted. Plan a hundred biotopes. Patience...

Yes, I just saw the documentary about the Orinoco by Mikolji, which features cardinal tetras and Orinoco ram cichlids. Could try and make it accurate.