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BIOTOPE AQUARIA -- Updated Mar.3.2004 By Rhett Butler
A biotope aquaria is an aquarium that is set-up to simulate a natural habitat. The fish, plants, water chemistry, and furnishings are similar to those that can be found in a specific natural setting.
Roughly half of the two dozen or so biotope-related emails I get each week ask for more specific details on a particular biotope. The truth is, true biotopes are exceedingly difficult to represent even if you are fortunate enough to be endowed with substantial tank. True habitats very greatly -- they are dynamic environments where conditions can change quickly and flora and fauna tend to be limited to a single species rather than an exciting mix of species. True biotopes are considerably more boring than those you see in magazines while natural substrates and materials [clay, mud, decaying leaves] are often impractical in the home aquarium. The purpose of this site is to jumpstart your creative process and to give you some ideas for designing your own biotope aquarium. Mongabay.com is the sole effort of Rhett A. Butler, who has taken the photos and written all of the content found on the site. If you find mongabay.com a useful resource I hope that you may consider making a contribution to help support the site. You can also assist by purchasing biotope books using links on this page. [Photos from various habitats/biotopes] Freshwater fish species listed by country and ecosystem -- excellent resources for constructing biotope aquaria. Be sure not to miss links to other biotope resources and sites. `'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'`` Other Biotope Resources
Eheim - Biotope profiles for 10 habitats NatureAquarium.it - For those who can read Italian Amazzonia - In Italian. Includes great pictures on how to set up a biotope tank Shane's World - Geography Articles - Biotope resources for Catfish Biotope Aquariums - Freshwater biotope and regional aquarium setups, water chemistry information, care instructions for featured fish and plants Badman's Tropical Fish - Biotope Aquariums - Biotope Aquarium Info Loaches Online - A River Runs Through It - Replicating fast flowing rivers and streams Loaches Online - A River Runs Through It - Replicating fast flowing rivers and streams for hillstream loaches Aqua Journal - The Making of Nature Aquarium Cichlid-Forum.com - The Great Lakes of East Africa Aqua Botanic - Archived biotope descriptions Aqua Botanic Biotope Forum Archives - Archived biotope forum All Wet Thumb Community [Aqua Botanic] - Rio Negro biotope thread including pictures Asian and African Biotopes[Aqua Botanic] - Asia & Africa Aqua Botanic - Tips on planted aquaria Aqua Botanic - Sri Lanka - Sri Lank biotope including pictures All Wet Thumb Community [Aqua Botanic] Biotope Forum - An excellent resource for information on biotope aquaria NBAT - In Dutch Tropica.com - Tropical Aquarium Plants Simply Discus - Amano's pics of some Blackwater habitats TheKrib.com - Biotope pages from TheKrib Giant Amazon Biotope Tank |
