Coastal area of Ayamaru Lake, West Papua, New Guinea
_th place in Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2020
Volume: 480 litres
Dimensions: 120 X 80 X 50 cm
List of fishes: Melanotaenia boesemani
List of plants: –
Description of decorations: Very large and small stones in the same shape and color , as those we find in the real habitat of Ayamaru Lake, branches and many tiny roots which I collected through a local river. The substrate is beige fine sand .
Description of equipment: Sump filter with dimentions 100X50X40 above the aquarium with mechanical and biological materials, jebao dcp pump 2.500 litres per hour, EHEIM thermocontrol 300watt with stc -1000 temperature controller. 180watt led lights with smart controller + 2 smaller led lights cool white, reverse osmosis system.
Water parameters: 26.0 °C ,pH 7.4 , conductivity 200 μS
Additional info: –
INFORMATION ABOUT BIOTOPE
Description of the area surrounding the biotope: The Ayamaru Lakes region is located about 120 km East-South-East of Sorong, at the headwaters of the Ayamaru River in a mountainous region of the Vogelkop Peninsula, West Papua. The region contains three small freshwater lakes and associated marshes. The largest lake, Lake Ayamaru drains east via the other two lakes (Lake Hain and Lake Aytinjo) into an upper tributary of the Kais River which eventually flows into the Ceram Sea to the south. The lakes are positioned centrally on the Ayamaru Plateau, a heavily karstified region of Miocene limestone. The average elevation of the plateau is reported as 350 m above sea level. The Ayamaru Plateau extends for 20-30 km to the south and south-west of the lakes before giving way to a broad zone of relict alluvial landforms dissected by wide flooded river valleys.
Description of the underwater landscape of the biotope: The outstanding characteristic of the lake is the clearness of the water. The lake has variable depths with clear water and abundant vegetation .The Ayamaru lake is surrounded by a low marshy plain of varying width and, beyond the plain, by hills and mountains, so the underwater landscape is rocky and the shore of the lake abundant with tree roots and branches.
Description of the parameters of the habitat: The lake have a pH of 6.4~7.8 (de Vries, 1962) and temperate 26~27°C. Heiko Bleher reported the water conditions as pH 9.0, hardness 5° dGH, and conductivity 145 mS. When Marinus Boeseman collected his specimens, he reported a pH of 6.4~6.5.
List of fishes and invertebrates occurring in the nature biotope: Melanotaenia boesemani, Pseudomugil reticulatus, Glossogobius hoesei, Cherax holthuisi
List of plants found in the nature biotope: Ceratophyllum demersum, Najas sp
Threats to the ecology: The occasion I got ,to present to you the specific aquarium set up is an article of Marten Luter Salossa that I read for the Ayamaru lakes at the West Papua. With his project trying to save the lakes area and the fishes that live in them. So my tank is a voice and help for his effort!! Save Ayamaru Lakes!!!
Sources of information:
- http://poisson.oceanie.free.
fr/Fiches/Melanotaenia% 20boesemani.pdf - https://rainbowfish.angfaqld.
org.au/Boesemani.htm - https://www.academia.edu/
4815126/Local_Community_ Perception_on_the_Sustainable_ Uses_of_Ayamaru_Lake_West_ Papua_Indonesia - https://www.reef2rainforest.
com/2014/10/01/melanotaenia- boesemani-forgotten-treasures- of-the-ayamaru-lakes-west- papua-new-guinea/ - https://tel.archives-ouvertes.
fr/tel-02050010/file/51492_ NUGRAHA_2015_archivage_cor.pdf - https://youtu.be/2O6Zuz_qiPY