Slow moving coastal stream, Hongding Mountain, Qiongzhong County, Hainan Island
_th place in Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2020
Volume: 38 Liters
Dimensions: 51 x 25.6 x 32.5 cm
List of fishes: Tanichthys Albonubes
List of plants: Rotala Rotundifolia
Description of decorations: Mountain Creek River Rock collected from local landscaping yard, Spiderwood, Indian Almond Leaves, Top Fin White Sand, Seachem Fluorite Red, Top Fin River Rock Gravel measuring 12.7mm
Description of equipment: Top Fin Silent Stream Power Filter with moderate flow, Nicrew Submersible LED Aquarium Light 6500K
Water parameters: Clear Water, Temperature 20-22C, PH: 6.4
Additional info: Water Change 25% once a week
INFORMATION ABOUT BIOTOPE:
Description of the area surrounding the biotope: Hainan is both the smallest province and the largest island controlled by China. It has a size of 33,920 km2. Its geography is similar to other islands its size; with a central mountain range where streams flow in all directions. Due to its location it has a tropical climate. It also has large areas of rainforest and coastal areas with mangrove forest.
Description of the underwater landscape of the biotope: The Hainan Island fish occupy a clear, slow-moving coastal streams and tributaries with substrates of sand, pebbles and leaf litter and maximum water depth of only 60cm even during the wet season. They have been observed swimming in schools in calmer zones and backwaters close to patches of dense, trailing marginal vegetation.
Description of the parameters of the habitat: Clear water, PH 6.4, GH:20, KH: 10
List of fishes and invertebrates occurring in the nature biotope: Fish that occur in nature are Puntius semifasciolatus, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, Macropodus opercularis, and Channa gachua as well as non-native Gambusia and Oreochromis.
List of plants found in the nature biotope: Plants found in nature biotope include Blyxa japonica, Rotala rotundifolia, Ludwigia prostrata, Ceratopteris thalictroides and Limnophila sp.
Threats to the ecology: Due to pollution, destruction of habitat, and tourism; the Tanichthys Albonubes was thought to be extinct in its native habitat of White Cloud Mountain in Guangzhou, China. Until recently in 2007, a population of Tanichthys Albonubes was discovered on Hainan Island; which is separated from Guangdong by the 30 km wide Qiongzhou Strait. Also, a small number of native populations have been discovered in isolated locations within the coastal province of Guangdong in China, as well as in Quảng Ninh province in Vietnam. This species is still very rare in the wild and is considered an endangered species in China.
Sources of information:
- Aquadiction. “White Cloud Mountain Minnow (Tanichthys Albonubes) Fish Species Profile.” Aquadiction, Aquadiction, 11 June 2020, aquadiction.world/species-
spotlight/white-cloud- mountain-minnow/. - “Caresheet: White Cloud Mountain Minnow: Tanichthys Albonubes |.” Aquariadise, 16 July 2020, www.aquariadise.com/caresheet-
white-cloud-mountain-minnow/. - “Seriously Fish.” Tanichthys Albonubes – White Cloud Mountain Minnow (Aphyocypris Pooni) – Seriously Fish, www.seriouslyfish.com/species/
tanichthys-albonubes/. - Lange, John de, and Bart Hoogland. “Tanichthys Albonubes – White Cloud Mountain Minnow.” AquaInfo, 25 Apr. 2020, www.aquainfo.org/tanichthys-
albonubes-white-cloud- mountain-minnow/. - “Biotope Aquarium Example: Coastal Creek of Hainan, China.” Biotope Aquarium Forum, 1 May 2015, biotopeaquarium.freeforums.
net/thread/46/biotope- aquarium-example-coastal- hainan. - “Hainan.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 15 Aug. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainan.
- Banerjee, Sarmistha. “White Cloud Mountain Minnow – Know How to Take Care of This Nano Fish.” Fisharoma, 13 Mar. 2020, fisharoma.com/white-cloud-
mountain-minnow/. - Luna, Susan M. “Tanichthys Albonubes Summary Page.” FishBase, https://www.fishbase.se/
Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?ID= 4758&AT=white+cloud.