Small stream in Tamil Nadu state, Western Ghats, India
83th place in Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2019
France. Enzo Angevin
Volume: 310 L
Dimensions: 150×50×30 cm
List of fishes: Haludaria fasciata
List of plants: Epipremnum aureum
Description of decorations: Bank of a small stream : sand, rocks of different sizes and colors , Catappa leaves and oak branches.
There is an Epipremnum Aureum on the top to recreate the bank river vegetation with the roots.
Description of equipment: Internal filter Eheim biopower 240 ×2
Pump flow : Eheim compact 300 (170l/ h)
Ligth : Juwel tube T5 HiLite day
Water parameters: Temperature is 24C°, pH is 7 ans gH is 11
Additional info: Water change frequency : 30% / week
INFORMATION ABOUT BIOTOPE
Description of the area surrounding the biotope: This is a small stream in the western Ghats, India . (Tamil Nadu state) neer “Valparai”.
The stream is in the forest, there is a lot of trees and vegetation around the river more precisely on the banks.
Description of the underwater landscape of the biotope: The stream is in the forest, the substratc consists in sand, rocks of differents sizes and colors, there is a lot of tree leaves and branches. Water is fast flowing in some part of the stream.
There is no aquatic plants but an important vegetation on the banks, the roots of this plants are like shelters for the small fishes.
Description of the parameters of the habitat: Water is transparent.The average temperature is 24C° but it can be 27C° during the hot season.
pH varies from 6.8 to 8 depending the season and gH is around 10 or 15
List of fishes and invertebrates occurring in the nature biotope: Devario malabaricus , Garra , Travancoria, Mesonoemacheilus spp and Devario neilgirrhiensis
List of plants found in the nature biotope: Lagenandra ovata
Blyxa aubertii ( rare)
Threats to the ecology: Western ghats is one of the most important teritory for biodiversity in India and many fishes of the aquarium hobby comme from the western Ghats.
In August 2011, the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel designated the entire Western Ghats as an Ecologically Sensitive Area and assigned three levels of Ecological Sensitivity to its different regions. The panel, headed by ecologist Madhav Gadgil, was appointed by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to assess the biodiversity and environmental issues of the Western Ghats.The Gadgil Committee and its successor, the Kasturirangan Committee, recommended suggestions to protect the Western Ghats. The Gadgil report was criticised as being too environment-friendly and the Kasturirangan report was labelled as being anti-environmental.
In 2006, India applied to the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme for the Western Ghats to be listed as a protected World Heritage Site
Sources of information:
http://cefishessentials.com/