Parte caudalosa del Arroyo, Tlaxcalantongo, Puebla, México
_th place in Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2020
Volume: 146 l
Dimensions: 122 x 30 x 40 cm
List of fishes: Herichthys tepehua, Tampichthys ipni, Poeciliopsis gracilis, Heterandria bimaculata.
List of plants: Cladophora glomerata, Diatomea sp. and Salix Humboldtiana
Description of decorations: For decoration, we used: river stones with growth of diatoms and C. glomerata, gravel-shaped substrate with a very thin sieve of the same stream, leaves of (Salix Humboldtiana, Guazuma ulmifolia), branches of (Salix Humboldtiana and Guazuma ulmifolia), roots of (Salix Humboldtiana).
Description of equipment: Filtration: double cascade filter Resun HF-2003, internal filter OceanAqua OCI-700, wave generator coral box QP-9, pump Elite 801
Lighting: 3 LED tubes of 2400 lumens
Water parameters:
Temperature 25º centigrade
Ph 7.5
NH3 / NH4: 0 ppm
NO2 5 ppm
NO3 5 ppm
GH 125 ppm
KH 130 ppm
Additional info: Water changes: once a week 25% and glass cleaning.
INFORMATION ABOUT BIOTOPE:
Description of the area surrounding the biotope: It is a small stream of crystal-clear waters q is born in the sierra madre oriental in the State of Puebla, Mexico, bordered by trees, mainly Salix Humboldtiana, Guazuma ulmifolia, Cedrela odorata –Bursera simaruba and vegetation bordering the stream primarily by Acmella repens, Ludwigia octovalvus, Philodendron hederaceum, Xanthosoma robustum, Adiantum capillus. The biotope is located at a height of 642 meters above sea level with a temperature range between 19 and 27 degrees Celsius, and a precipitation range of 1500 – 1900 mm, with a humid temperate climate with rains almost all year round.
Description of the underwater landscape of the biotope: The stream has a bottom composed mainly of river ball Stone some of them are covered with brown and green algae, the substrate is formed by gravel and sand, in the middle part of the stream we find accumulation of rocks that come to form fast currents and at the same time in these rock accumulations are stuck some roots or branches of trees proper to the area.
Description of the parameters of the habitat: The water is completely crystal clear, has a temperature of 22 degrees Celsius and a PH of around 7.5 to 7.3, and a hardness GH of 110 ppm and KH of 120 ppm
List of fishes and invertebrates occurring in the nature biotope: Fish: Herichthys tepehua, Tampichthys ipni, Poeciliopsis gracilis, Heterandria bimaculata, Thorichthys maculipinnis, Astyanax mexicanus, gobiomorus dormitor, Poecilia mexicana, Agonostomus monticola.
Invertebrates: Cambarellus sp., Macrobrachium acanthurus, Melanoides sp.
Others: Rhinella marina.
List of plants found in the nature biotope: Cladophora glomerata, Diatomea sp.
Threats to the ecology: The biotope Aquarium of the Tlaxcalantongo region, was created to preserve the species and make them known to the community in general and aquarists of the northern region of Puebla and Veracruz, how important is this habitat and the great diversity of species that we find in it. Likewise, the sponsorship of Aquarium Blue Planet that is committed to the preservation and to promote the aquarium hobby of biotopes, trying to instill the idea of environmental care, conservation of these areas and the life that exists in this small and beautiful stream in the north area of the state of Puebla, which is currently being affected mainly by cattle ranching, agriculture, and in addition, that some people of the locality take up this stream for the washing of Zingiber officinale and Curcuma longa, also occupied for bathing or recreational activities, and domestic.
Sources of information: Espinosa Pérez et al., 1993. Wildlife listings from Mexico. III. Mexican freshwater fish.
Robert Rush Miller. 2009. Freshwater fish from Mexico.
Mauricio De La Maza Benignos. 2014. Systematic, zoogeography and evolution of the genus herichthys (pisces: cichlidae), in northeastern Mexico.
De la Cruz et al., 2017. Flora and vegetation of the municipality Alamo Temapache, Veracruz, Mexico