Stiphodon river

The 7th place in the qualifying stage of the Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2013

france France. Michael Reinke

Volume: 900 L
List of fishes: tiphodon percnopterygionus, Stiphodon semoni, Stiphodon ornatus, Sicyopterus macrostetholepis, Sanichthys albonubes, Yaoshania pachychilus
List of plants: Lilaeopsis sp., Blyxa japonica, Bolbitis heudelotii, Cryptocoryne wendtii, Marsilea crenata, Divers moss
Biotope description: It is a habitat of asia, created for Stiphodon. There are many current and oxygenation to mimic a river. Gobies spend their days grazing microfauna was present on the stones, and are hiding under rocks.

This Frenchman really did a great job with the decoration but unfortunately has nothing to do with a typical Stiphodon biotope – far from it. Not one of the Stiphodon species lives anywhere in the region of the Indo-Pacific in a similar biotope, because of this fact and the missing detail of location and the mates it lives with, it could not have been judged among the first 10. Note that all Stiphodon species live purely in rocky fast flowing areas never within plants and do not hide under rocks in nature, only above (to graze) or along the sides. And never so many species live in one and the same biotope (almost nowhere two species living sympatric!). Like Stiphodon percnopterygionus from Ryukyu Islands and Taiwan, Guam, Mariana and Palau while S. auratus only known from New Guinea, Admiralty Islands, Halmahera Island, Bismark Archipelago, Bougainville, Vanuatu and New Caledonia. Never saw them together (or any other 3rd species). And your Yaoshania is maybe Yaoshanicus, but it does not exist with this species name. And also the Cryptocoryne wendtii and Marsilea crenata never found with Stiphodon nor Sicyopterus. Still an amazing work and therefore my positive votes (contrary to all others).

Heiko Bleher (Italy)

This is a scene that I would like to see one day snorkeling and photographing these interesting fishes. Love it!

Chris Lukhaup (Germany)

One of my favourite tanks of this contest – however, as in other cases, I had difficulties when judging it, because it is wonderful planted tank, but I’m not sure if it truly resembles natural underwater habitat… Yet, 900 liters – bravo!

Piotr Kierzkowski (Poland)