Lake Tseny, Madagascar, northwest part of the island, Sofia region

21st place in Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2017

poland Poland. Pawel Lukasz Kocik

Volume: 840L
Dimensions: 200x60x70
List of fishes: Paretroplus Menarambo
List of plants: N/A
Description of decorations: The layout is made of a large wooden drift trunk found by a friend of mine on the beach in Italy, and probably came here from Africa, the clear sand and the amber of the granulometry 0.6-1.2. and some silica rocks to integrate the habitats of these fish.
Description of equipment: Sump 120/45/45 and pump jebao 8000, cube where I bring the snails hospital 45/45/45 connected to sump, UVB lamp JBL 11W,  2x Easy Led Aquatlantis 6800K sunrise and sunset
Water parameters: Temperature is 27°C Gh-15, Kh-7, pH-7.5

Description of the area surrounding the biotope: (Lac Tseny) is a lake (class H – Hydrographic) in Mahajanga, Madagascar (Africa) with theregion font code of Africa/Middle East. Coordinates: 15 ° 40’00.01 “S 47 ° 50’59.59” E (Map) Elevations 32 m s.l.m.local time (Indian/Antananarivo UTC/GMT+3). The standard time zone for Lac Tseny is UTC/GMT+3 In 2017 DST starts on and ends on. A Lake is a large inland body of standing water. The lake is located within the Port Bergé District of the Sofia Region and is 26 km straight-line distance from Lac Sarodrano. Lac Tseny is located within a wetland complex in the lower catchment of the Sofia River. It undergoes major fluctuations in water level in accordance with the rainy (January -April) and dry seasons (May –December) in western Madagascar. The villages of Anjia, Ambario, Ankazobe, Anjiajia and Antanankova are located on the lakeshore and the nearest town is Tsaratanana, which had an estimated population of 8,720. The communities around the lake consist of part-time fishermen who also tend their farmland nearby, and professional fishermen who are predominantly recent immigrants.

Description of the underwater landscape of the biotope: A number of bays located on the western shore of the lake contain permanently submerged trees, which provide the habitat for the water fauna of Lac Tseny. In some cases only the higher branches emerge from the water, while the tree trunks and associated debris are submerged. In other areas the whole tree is under water. Its substrate is made up of finely colored amber clear sand, the flooded trees prevent it access to fishing activities to certain fisheries sectors that have refrained from setting up networks in these areas because of the risk of damage. The lake is particularly beautiful, nestled in a landscape of grassy hills and scattered forest areas, with a complex coastline of numerous creeks and dotted with small islands covered by three-meter-long herbs and occasional palm trees. It is a seasonal transformation landscape; fishermen tell them that the depth of the lake flows from three meters in the dry season to 12 meters above the monsoon. Paretroplus Menarambo is a malicophagous (mollusc feed and has two longer teeth), a two-chambered cyclide substrate-sprocket housing with a protracted period of brooding and a highly seasonal reproductive pattern.The P. Menarambo is a relatively deep-bodied Paretroplus that reaches 12.8–25 centimetres (5.0–9.8 in) in length. Unfortunately there is no other information, photos and videos of the lake.

Description of the parameters of the habitat:
PH: 7.3
Tetemperature : 75-85°F
(Note: Eggs and fry should be raised no lower than 85°F)
GH & KH: 1-5°

List of fishes:  Paretroplus menarambo, Paretroplus lamenabe, Paretroplus cf. kieneri, Arius festinus (Ariidae), Megalops cyprinoides (Megalopidae), Sauvagella robusta (Clupeidae), Glossogobius giuris (Gobiidae), Endangered Madagascar big -headed turtle, (Erymnochelys madagascariensis)

List of plants: N/A

Threats to the ecology: Paretroplus Menarambo and their habitats are severely threatened in Madagascar because of over-fishing, exotic species and deforestation. Many endemic fish species are now restricted to a tiny proportion of their original range and are on the verge of extinction. The pinstripe damba, Paretroplus menarambo, was described in 1996 from Sarodrano in western Madagascar. This population of P. menarambo subsequently became threatened by over-fishing and habitat degradation and was considered to be extinct in the wild by 2003. It is currently listed as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and is only reported to occur in Lac Tseny, although populations are maintained in captivity in five institutions.

Sources of information:

Comments of the members of the jury of Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2017

This aquarium differs from other works by its design, choice of biotope and aquatic organisms. Such a biotope can be both the pride of a collector of rare fish and the main point of interior. Stones, sand, wood. Nothing extra. The minimal set of decorative elements, but at the same time complete harmony between them. The line between ordinary and talented is very thin. I cannot imagine a better aquarium for these fishes. In my opinion, it is one of the most attractive works in the contest.

Yuriy Yancher (Ukraine)

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