São Gabriel da Cachoeira do Rio Negro

The 20th place in the qualifying stage of the Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2014

belgium Belgium. Philip Shaw

Volume: 160 L
List of fishes: Apistogramma mendezi, Nannostomus marilynae
List of plants: Limnobium laevigatum
Biotope description: The aquarium was set up based on Rio Aiuanã biotope, Brazil. Slowly flowing among the rainforest, this not wide and not deep river hasn’t got any vegetation with the exception of some Сabomba species that are not often seen. The water is very dark and clear with many fallen leafs on the ground. In places where a tree has fallen into the shallow creek or igarapé a lot of fish can be found. Beneath the thick, muddy layer of dead litter you can find white sand with an orange glow.

Dark waters and what seemed to me as plant roots made me feel at home. The water color, leaf litter and what seems an absence of rocks just make it a great representation of the habitat!

Ivan Mikolji (Venezuela)