Little puddles of water near Mejuda River, Gori, Georgia, Caucasus
130th place in Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2018
Georgia. Giorgi Khizanishvili
Volume: 77 L
Dimensions: 60x43x30 cm
List of fishes: Alburnoides bipunctatus, Barbus lacerta, Radix peregra, Rana macrocnemis
List of plants: Phragmites australis
Description of decorations: Stones and Phragmites australis taken from the Mejuda river.
Description of equipment: No filter. Everything in the aquarium is taken from wildlife and also the natural light of the sun.
Water parameters: Water temperature is 29°C, ph is 7.6
INFORMATION ABOUT BIOTOPE
Description of the area surrounding the biotope: The Mejuda River originates on the western slope of the Kharuli rigde at an altitude of about 1940 meters and flows into the Liakhvi River near town Gori, flowing along the picturesque mountainous places, mainly named after the river – Mejvriskhevi, Mejudispiri, Little Mejvriskhevi. In total, the length of the river is 46 km, and the area of the basin – 651 km ². Mejuda itself has no tributaries, it is fed by melted mountain water and groundwater.
Description of the underwater landscape of the biotope: The summer in Gori is hot and dry, the amount of precipitation is minuscule, the Mejuda River begins to dry up, forming in 20-30 meters away small isolated reservoirs, that do not dry up because of subsurface waters and are rich in underwater life. Here, in contrast to the deep and turbulent river, you can safely watch the water bugs sliding on the water surface as on an ice, gracefully swimming fish, tadpoles swarming in search of food in the bottom sediment, slowly creeping Limnaea peregra snails, sheltering in the shade of Phragmites australis on the shores.
Isolated reservoirs feed on groundwater, and their bottom mostly consists of small rocks covered with algae.
Description of the parameters of the habitat: Isolated reservoirs are usually formed in August and dry up by the end of September. During this short-term period, the temperature of the water is kept within 29-30 degrees Celsius. PH 7.6. Water level 20-30 cm.
List of fishes and invertebrates occurring in the nature biotope: Alburnoides bipunctatus, Cobitis aurata, Gobio gobio, Barbus mursa, Barbus lacerta, Lymnaea peregra, Ephemeroptera and Plecoptera larvae, Gammarus sp.
List of plants found in the nature biotope: Phragmites australis.
Sources of information: https://ka.wikipedia.org/wiki/