Rocky habitat of chilumba port, Lake Malawi
_th place in Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2020
Volume: 384 liters
Dimensions: 120*80*40
List of fishes: One male and three female Labeotropheus trewavasae Chilumba.
Two female Pseudotropheus tropheops Chilumba.One male and one female Pseudotropheus elegans.One male and two female Pseudotropheus elongatus Mphanga / micro.
List of plants: nothing
Description of decorations: I used 150 kg of Yellow Diorite for several reasons: 1. They are similar in shape to those found along the coast of the port of chilumba. The edge of the stone is not sharp enough to be disturbed by fish. 3. The surface of the stone is easily covered with green algae. I also used 50 kg Yellow Sand and Yellow Diorite Gravel as the bottom bed of the fish tank. The color of the sand is quite close to the origin, which does not cause fish to be pressed
Description of equipment: The fish tank is the bottom filter, the water pump is Zhongke dc55q-8000l, the filter material is coral bone, which can ensure that the pH value of the fish tank is about 8.5. The color temperature of the lighting equipment UFO ze8500f is 6500k
Water parameters: Temperature: 26 ° C. PH：8.5。 GH:15。 Nitrate: 5-10ppm.。Nitrite: 0ppm
Additional info: not have
INFORMATION ABOUT BIOTOPE:
Description of the area surrounding the biotope: The lake is 560 km (350 mi) long to 580 km (360 mi) long and about 75 km (47 mi) wide at its widest point. The lake covers a total area of 29600 square kilometers (11400 square miles) and the deepest point is 706 meters (2316 feet). Chilumba port is a relatively large settlement and port in Malawi with a population of about 5000 people. It is surrounded by famous collection sites: chilumaba harbour / chitande lsland / mpanga rocks / luwino reef / katale lsland / chirwa lsland / Maison reef
Description of the underwater landscape of the biotope: The lakeshore of Lake Malawian is divided into three main types: one third is rock, the rest is sandy beach, and the third is reed swamp, mostly near the estuary. limited to their preferred environment, but most of them live in specific habitats These habitats are divided as follows: 1.The wave-washeh upper rocky habitat. 2. The sediment- free rocky habitat. 3.The deep sediment-rich rocky habitat. 4. The intermediate habitat. 5.The shallow intermediate habitat. 6. Sheltered bays with aquatic plants. 7.The sandy habitat. 8.The unknown depths.
Description of the parameters of the habitat: The water quality of Lake Malawian varies with different seasons. The lake water contains high concentration of mineral salts and more minerals, and the pH value is between 7.8 and 8.5 (depending on different waters). It belongs to weak alkaline water quality. The conductivity is about 200 ~ 260. Typical surface temperatures range from 24 to 29 ° C (75-84 ° f), while deep profiles are typically about 22 ° C (72 ° f). This oxygen limit is about 250 meters (820 feet) deep, effectively limiting fish and other aerobic organisms to the upper layer. The lake is very clear, with visibility of up to 20 meters (66 feet), but that number is slightly less than half more common, less than 3 meters (10 feet) in muddy bays.
List of fishes and invertebrates occurring in the nature biotope: Abactochromis labrous. pseudotropheus.Cynotilapia aurifrons.Labeotropheus trewavasae.and so on
List of plants found in the nature biotope: Vallisneria
calamo
Myriophyllum
Threats to the ecology: Don’t overfish. The size of fishing net should be regulated! Leave time for small fish to grow
Sources of information:
Malawi Cichlids in their natural habitat
www.cichlidae.com
www.onzemalawicichliden.eu