elephantnose3334
Fishaholic
This is an article I wrote for an assessment during English class.
The Biotope Aquarium
Aquarists have been fascinated by aquaria for years. The sights of tropical and marine fish have been stuck to our minds for a good reason. Studies have shown that fish have been used to relieve stress and anxiety. But the biotope aquarium takes it to the next level. They have been increasingly popular because it replicates the natural habitat of fish species, from bettas and cichlids to tangs and gobies. But there are threats as well.
The biotope aquarium is a type of aquarium that closely replicates a fish’s natural habitat. There are different types of biotope aquaria, including rivers, slow-moving streams and marshes, rocky outcrops and blackwater aquaria. Instead of using rainbow gravel, fake plants and ornaments in a small aquarium, biotope aquaria are done by months of research of the fish’s natural habitat and building it to make the fish healthier and happier.
Some fish, like wild bettas and tetras, need a blackwater habitat in order to thrive. Blackwater habitats appear in countries in Southeast Asia and South America. The tanks can be of any size, and botanicals are very important in this setup. Dead Indian almond leaves and bark, driftwood, monkey pods and small twigs are required for a blackwater habitat. Plants from Thailand blackwater habitats may include Microsorum pteropus (Java fern) and Cryptocoryne plants. Plants from South America that can survive blackwater conditions include Salvinia minima and Amazon frogbit.
Lake Malawi, Lake Tanganyika and Lake Victoria are unique for their count of African cichlid species, with all lakes holding hundreds of unique species of African cichlids. Malawi holds roughly 700 species of African cichlids, with Tanganyika holding 200 species and Victoria holding 500 species. The lakes are characterised by rocky outcrops in deep water, with a lack of live plants. Sometimes fallen branches may appear in the shallow areas of the cichlids’ habitats, used as a hiding spot. For this setup, you will need a lot of lava rocks and a sandy substrate for nest building, gill cleansing and grazing, with a small amount of hardy live plants, since African cichlids are known to uproot plants, therefore some plants need to be tied on rocks to stabilise them. Most African cichlids need at least 55 gallons to thrive.
The river biotope remains relatively popular nowadays because a fast-flowing river will look pretty nice if you place it in your home. An example of a river biotope is the Zaire River rapid biotope, which is in Zimbabwe. A few plants are known to survive the fast river rapids, including water fern and Anubias species.
The most common biotope aquarists try to recreate are marine biotopes. Good aquarists try their best to recreate this habitat in their saltwater tank. Corals and live rocks are vital because they may contain beneficial bacteria to help fish and invertebrates thrive. The setup may vary, but most of them will need marine sand, some live rocks and corals. Corals are not plants, but actually are animals. They need to be fed a special liquid food exclusively for them.
Marine biotopes are in danger due to climate change and habitat loss. Bleaching of corals take their toll on the Great Barrier Reef, which had put it dangerously close to being collapsed, in a couple years prior. Global warming disrupts ecosystems and increases territorial fights on food and shelter in cooler waters. There is another threat for wild fish, which are being caught for the aquarium trade, which contributes to fish losses. In a study published in 2008, approximately 90% of marine fish were caught in the wild illegally using poison. Pollution is also another threat to coral reefs, leading to poorer water quality.
Like marine biotopes freshwater biotopes also face threats. Habitat destruction, agriculture and being captured for the aquarium trade affects the species’ future. According to a study, 90% of freshwater fish of over 5000 species come from fish farms or bred in captivity. The other 10% are caught in the wild.
Biotopes can be an educational tool for a group of schoolkids working in science class. For example, if a Southeast Asian blackwater biotope for rasboras are set up for the science classroom, they can use it to learn ecosystems and potential threats to blackwater environments. If you make a biotope aquarium in a learning centre such as schools, the kids will be fascinated by the fish that live here.
The biotope aquarium can help fish in various ways such as conservation and as an educational tool for schools. The closer the habitat is being replicated, the more natural and realistic the biotope aquarium is. Aquarists can help recreate such habitats for their fish, i.e. the endemic celestial pearl danio, which is native to Lake Inle in Myanmar, before ecosystems crash due to habitat loss and agriculture.
You can support the conservation of freshwater fish by contributing to global organisations like IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) or state government departments such as DBCA (Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions) that support helping freshwater fish such as the western pygmy perch, fight back extinction, and donating to help them save freshwater fish. Biotope aquaria are the backbone of freshwater fish conservation because it replicates said habitat of rare fish species found in the aquarium trade. Don’t buy wild-caught fish, buy tank-bred ones instead. If we don’t conserve rare fish, they will go extinct in the near future.
The Biotope Aquarium
Aquarists have been fascinated by aquaria for years. The sights of tropical and marine fish have been stuck to our minds for a good reason. Studies have shown that fish have been used to relieve stress and anxiety. But the biotope aquarium takes it to the next level. They have been increasingly popular because it replicates the natural habitat of fish species, from bettas and cichlids to tangs and gobies. But there are threats as well.
The biotope aquarium is a type of aquarium that closely replicates a fish’s natural habitat. There are different types of biotope aquaria, including rivers, slow-moving streams and marshes, rocky outcrops and blackwater aquaria. Instead of using rainbow gravel, fake plants and ornaments in a small aquarium, biotope aquaria are done by months of research of the fish’s natural habitat and building it to make the fish healthier and happier.
Some fish, like wild bettas and tetras, need a blackwater habitat in order to thrive. Blackwater habitats appear in countries in Southeast Asia and South America. The tanks can be of any size, and botanicals are very important in this setup. Dead Indian almond leaves and bark, driftwood, monkey pods and small twigs are required for a blackwater habitat. Plants from Thailand blackwater habitats may include Microsorum pteropus (Java fern) and Cryptocoryne plants. Plants from South America that can survive blackwater conditions include Salvinia minima and Amazon frogbit.
Lake Malawi, Lake Tanganyika and Lake Victoria are unique for their count of African cichlid species, with all lakes holding hundreds of unique species of African cichlids. Malawi holds roughly 700 species of African cichlids, with Tanganyika holding 200 species and Victoria holding 500 species. The lakes are characterised by rocky outcrops in deep water, with a lack of live plants. Sometimes fallen branches may appear in the shallow areas of the cichlids’ habitats, used as a hiding spot. For this setup, you will need a lot of lava rocks and a sandy substrate for nest building, gill cleansing and grazing, with a small amount of hardy live plants, since African cichlids are known to uproot plants, therefore some plants need to be tied on rocks to stabilise them. Most African cichlids need at least 55 gallons to thrive.
The river biotope remains relatively popular nowadays because a fast-flowing river will look pretty nice if you place it in your home. An example of a river biotope is the Zaire River rapid biotope, which is in Zimbabwe. A few plants are known to survive the fast river rapids, including water fern and Anubias species.
The most common biotope aquarists try to recreate are marine biotopes. Good aquarists try their best to recreate this habitat in their saltwater tank. Corals and live rocks are vital because they may contain beneficial bacteria to help fish and invertebrates thrive. The setup may vary, but most of them will need marine sand, some live rocks and corals. Corals are not plants, but actually are animals. They need to be fed a special liquid food exclusively for them.
Marine biotopes are in danger due to climate change and habitat loss. Bleaching of corals take their toll on the Great Barrier Reef, which had put it dangerously close to being collapsed, in a couple years prior. Global warming disrupts ecosystems and increases territorial fights on food and shelter in cooler waters. There is another threat for wild fish, which are being caught for the aquarium trade, which contributes to fish losses. In a study published in 2008, approximately 90% of marine fish were caught in the wild illegally using poison. Pollution is also another threat to coral reefs, leading to poorer water quality.
Like marine biotopes freshwater biotopes also face threats. Habitat destruction, agriculture and being captured for the aquarium trade affects the species’ future. According to a study, 90% of freshwater fish of over 5000 species come from fish farms or bred in captivity. The other 10% are caught in the wild.
Biotopes can be an educational tool for a group of schoolkids working in science class. For example, if a Southeast Asian blackwater biotope for rasboras are set up for the science classroom, they can use it to learn ecosystems and potential threats to blackwater environments. If you make a biotope aquarium in a learning centre such as schools, the kids will be fascinated by the fish that live here.
The biotope aquarium can help fish in various ways such as conservation and as an educational tool for schools. The closer the habitat is being replicated, the more natural and realistic the biotope aquarium is. Aquarists can help recreate such habitats for their fish, i.e. the endemic celestial pearl danio, which is native to Lake Inle in Myanmar, before ecosystems crash due to habitat loss and agriculture.
You can support the conservation of freshwater fish by contributing to global organisations like IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) or state government departments such as DBCA (Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions) that support helping freshwater fish such as the western pygmy perch, fight back extinction, and donating to help them save freshwater fish. Biotope aquaria are the backbone of freshwater fish conservation because it replicates said habitat of rare fish species found in the aquarium trade. Don’t buy wild-caught fish, buy tank-bred ones instead. If we don’t conserve rare fish, they will go extinct in the near future.
