Mbowe Island, Lake Malawi, Malawi

_st place in Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2022

Volume of your aquarium: 400 L

Dimensions of your aquarium: 120 x 50 x 70 cm

List of fishes: Labidochromis caeruleus

List of plants: –

Description of Decorations and Substrate: Selected limestone in a cube shape, quartz fine sand and pebbles.

Description of Equipment: The aquarium runs with 2 chamber filter one in each side with Eheim compactON 1000 on it. Eheim Jager 250w, led lighting.

Water Parameters: Temperature 25c, pH 7.8-8.2, GH 14, KH 12, NH3 0, NO2 0, NO3 0

Additional Info: Species tank, weekly water change 35%

Aquarium video:

Description of the Area Surrounding the Biotope: 11°10’52.5″S 34°13’07.0″E
At Usisya bay is the Mbowe Island, a small uninhabited island with just few trees on it. Few meters of the west coast of Lake Malawi. The beach have nice white color and only few palm trees can give a little shade.

Description of the Underwater Landscape of the Biotope: At North side of Mbowe Island the water is deeper and bottom are covered with fine sand, at South side is shallower with big boulder and smaller rocks covered with nice brown algae.

Description of the Habitat Parameters: The Lake’s water is alkaline (pH 7.7–8.6) and warm with a typical surface temperature between 24 and 29 °C (75–84 °F), while deep sections typically are about 22C

List of Fishes and Invertebrates Occurring in the Nature Biotope: Aulonocara jacobfreibergi, Aulonocara stuartgranti, Copadichromis sp. ‘virginalis kajose’, Labidochromis sp. ‘hora’
Melanochromis mpoto, Metriaclima fainzilberi, Metriaclima sp. ‘zebra gold’, Metriaclima sp. ‘zebra mbowe’, Petrotilapia genalutea, Pseudotropheus fuscus, Tropheops sp. ‘olive’, Tropheops sp. ‘weed’.

List of Plants Found in the Nature Biotope: –

Threats to the Ecology of the Biotope: The main problem of Lake Malawi is the continued increasing fishing pressures, along with changes in plankton community structure and water quality, may lead to a decreased biodiversity and even losses of species, if preventive action is not taken.

Sources of Information:
http://www.malawi.si/Locations/slides/Mbowe%20Island.html

http://www.malawi.si/Locations/slides/Vua.html

https://aquainfo.org/locations/mbowe-island/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Malawi

https://www.ilec.or.jp/wp-content/uploads/pub/16_Lake_Malawi_Nyasa_27February2006.pdf
http://www.onzemalawicichliden.eu/Bestanden%20vissendatabase%20eng/Labidochromis%20caeruleus%20Mbowe%20eng.html
http://www.onzemalawicichliden.eu/Bestanden%20vissendatabase%20eng/Labidochromis%20caeruleus%20Mbowe%20eng.html

http://www.malawi-dream.info/Labidochromis_caeruleus_Mbowe_Island.htm