New Guinea River Biotope Aquarium Setup
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.
Always check compatibility! Some species from a particular habitat are not suitable tankmates. For example, the Peacock Bass will eat small tetras since they are their natural food in the wild.
The biotope aquarium can be adapted by adding species from disparate areas that have similar water requirements.
[Photos from various habitats/biotopes]
Freshwater fish species listed by country and ecosystem -- excellent resources for constructing biotope aquaria.
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New Guinea River
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New Guinea has fish fauna unlike that of Southeast Asia.
New Guinea's fish most resemble those of Australia for good reason, millions of years ago they were part of the same land mass.
The dominant species in the aquarium trade from New Guinea are Rainbowfish.
WATER:
pH 6.5-7.1, 4-8 dH, 75-77 F (23-25 C)
TANK:
A tank with large open swimming areas is suggested for rainbowfish.
The tank should have areas of dense vegetation and bright lighting.
Use a sand substrate.
PLANTS:
Vallisneria, Aponogeton, Ceratopteris, Bolbitis
FISH:
Rainbowfish, Gobies, Australian Arowana, Arius catfish
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Other Biotope Resources
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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
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