Banks of Malebo Pool or (Stanley Pool) Congo

The 14th place in the qualifying stage of the Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2014

france France. Emmanuel Bultel

Volume: 260 L
List of fishes: Phenacogrammus interruptus, Hemigrammopters caudalis, Aleste longipinis, Pantodon buchholzi, Gnathonemus petersi
List of plants: Anubias barteri var. barteri, Anubias barteri var. Angustifolia, Anubias barteri var. nana, Bolbitis heudelotii, Crinum calamistratum
Biotope description: The aquarium was set up on the basis of banks of Malebo Pool (formerly Stanley Pool), Congo. The lake separates the two capitals of Congo: Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Brazzaville (Republic of the Congo). It is formed by the lower Congo River. The flora consists mainly of Anubias. And in these 400 sq km there is also a very important wildlife from the point of view of its diversity.

My 3rd place is Banks of Malebo Pool, as it is very well done, a real bank of that area (although could be more precise location), fishes and plants correct to the biotope.

Heiko Bleher (Italy)

Great work, my second choice in this category, but with some mistakes. 1. This lagoon doesn’t have black water like Amazon’s rivers. 2. The leaves on the bottom must be the same of the plants who live in the same margin. 3. This kind of plants live in clear water and in bushes more dense. But the high point in this work is the great perception of natural position of the woods and plants.

André Longarço (Brazil)

It is a classical technique of making a marginal area. Everything is good, nothing is excessive. Tetras swim freely. But Pantodon feels uncomfortable in this design. There should be more floating plants or Nymphea with large leaves on the surface.

Alexey Malyshev (Russia)