Cano Aguijon tributary of the Inírida river, Inirida, Colombia

_st place in Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2022

Volume of your aquarium: 1200 L

Dimensions of your aquarium: 200 x 70 x 75 cm

List of fishes: Pterophyllum altum F1, Heros liberiefer, Hemiodus gracilis, Hipoclinemus mentalis

List of plants: –

Description of Decorations and Substrate: A big vatiery of wood used for this result, driftwood, moorwood, branches, little pieces and leafs from local trees combined together. Roots coming from plants above the water (Monstera & Epipremnum). Fine gray quartz sand and limestone at the bottom.

Description of Equipment: The aquarium runs with a sump filter, 110x 60x 50 (250lt), 2 power head ( Eheim compactON 3000 & 5000) Shego temperature controller with 2 Shego Titanium heater 600w, ledzeal malibu 400.

Water Parameters: R/O water, temperature 28c, pH 5.8-6.5, GH 4, KH 3, NH3 0 , NO2 0, NO3 10

Additional Info: Weekly water change of 30% with R/O water.

Aquarium video::

Description of the Area Surrounding the Biotope: Ιnirida river originates in the Tuhani mountains in the department of Guaviare, 25 klm from Cerro Pintado. In the upper course it flows first to the west, then turns to the east, on the plain it flows in a northeasterly direction. The river mouth is located in the department of Guainía near the town of Inírida, about 25 kilometers from the border with Venezuela. 35Klm from Inirida is a small affluent from the right side of the river, under the deep rainforest beside Black Lagoon. Trees shade and roots coming in to the water from all the surrounding plants gives a fabulous calm water environment.

Description of the Underwater Landscape of the Biotope: The water have tea color. There is no aquatic vegetation. This affluent have slow water movement, fine sand and is full of branches and leafs at the bottom. At the banks plant and trees have there roots in the water.

Description of the Habitat Parameters: pH is 5,90 and temperature 27.9-28.5C, conductivity 26μs/cm.

List of Fishes and Invertebrates Occurring in the Nature Biotope: Acestridium colombiense , Apistogramma iniridae , Corydoras delphax , Peckoltia lineola

List of Plants Found in the Nature Biotope: –

Threats to the Ecology of the Biotope: On July 8th, 2014, the government of Colombia declared the Fluvial Star of Inirida as a Ramsar site. This long awaited outcome concluded when a small Presidential Commission travelled to Inirida, Guainía, in the frontier region with Venezuela, and recognized the conservation value of this mosaic of forests and savannahs, and network of rivers, and wetlands.
The Fluvial Star of Inirida is the 6th Ramsar Site in Colombia and the first in the Orinoco Basin- Amazon Biome. The overall area covers 253,000 hectares and is home to more than 900 plants species, 400 birds (60% of bird species found in the Orinoco of Colombia), 470 fish (50% of fish species found in the Orinoco River Basin), 200 mammals, and 40 amphibians. It conserves an important freshwater area in the frontier region with Venezuela, a transition zone between the Orinoco and Amazon, conserving the confluence of four different river systems, three (Atabapo, Guaviare and Inirida Rivers) that flow into the Orinoco, the third most important river in the world in terms of water volume. It is a spectacular landscape dotted by tepuys and the varied colors of the different rivers systems.

The declaration process took nearly ten years given the mining potential in this region. President Juan Manuel Santos publically affirmed in his declaration speech that protecting the environment was a priority for the country and that his government could not fail in that purpose. Furthermore he acknowledged that even though his government has conceived mining as one of the engines for development, there were places due to their biological and cultural value where mining should not take place. The President committed to the stewardship of this important region for present and future generations.

Sources of Information:
https://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?225590/Inrida-a-new-Ramsar-conservation-star
https://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/features/heiko-bleher-discovers-south-american-surprises/
https://www.facebook.com/AquaWildLife/videos/503887750810696/
https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archives/the_mouthbrooding_heros_from_venezuela_a_new_species_heros_liberifer_en/
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/1699606655
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/1699612327

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In%C3%ADrida_River
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/1932911974