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Cenotes biotope, a freshwater habitat in the forests of the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico

BIOTOPE AQUARIA

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.

The Yucatan peninsula has virtually no surface streams due ot its limestone foundation -- a relic of its past life as coral reef on the bottom of the ocean. Ground water sinks through the porous limestone and travels to the sea in underground rivers and caves (formed from millenia of acidified water dissolving conduits in the limestone). To date, almost sixty cave systems with more than 300 miles of passageways have been discovered.

These underwater streams can be accessed through cenotes, sinkholes in the surface limestone. Below you will find pictures from a surface cenote and a cave cenote. Because the water is mineral rich and remarkably clear, plant growth is especially vigorous. The plants you see in these pictures are a Chara, or freshwater macroalgae, species. Chara is also known as "stonewort."

Fish
In the photos below you will find tetras, mollies, and catfish. Cenotes are also home to some of the following species:
Characidae
Astyanax fasciatus

Cichlids
Archocentrus octofasciatus
'Cichlasoma' urophthalmus
'Cichlasoma' synspilum
Parachromis friedrischstahli
Thorichthys meeki

Cupleidae
Dorosoma sp.

Pimelodidae
Rhamdia guatemalensis

Poecilidae
Gambusia yucatana
Poecilia mexicana

Rivulidae
Rivulus tenuis


[Other pictures from the Mexican Yucatan: caribbean | reefs | cenotes caves | lagoon | tulum | cancun region]

Except where noted, all images are the property of Rhett A. Butler, copyright 1994-2004. Contact me with questions regarding use, reproduction, or purchase of any of the pictures.



Basilisk Cancun, Mexican Riviera, Mexico
Basilisk


Cenote Cancun, Mexican Riviera, Mexico
Cenote


Cenote Cancun, Mexican Riviera, Mexico
Cenote


Cenote Cancun, Mexican Riviera, Mexico
Cenote


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenotes biotope


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenotes biotope


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenotes biotope


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenotes biotope


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenotes biotope


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenotes biotope


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenotes biotope


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenotes biotope


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenotes biotope


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenotes biotope


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Mexican tetras


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenotes biotope


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Wild Mollies


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Wild Mollies


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Mexican tetras


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Wild Mollies


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Mexican tetras


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Mexican tetras


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenotes biotope


Tulum ruins, Mexico Cancun, Mexican Riviera, Mexico
Tulum ruins, Mexico


Tulum ruins, Mexico Cancun, Mexican Riviera, Mexico
Tulum ruins, Mexico


Tulum ruins, Mexico Cancun, Mexican Riviera, Mexico
Tulum ruins, Mexico


Tulum ruins, Mexico Cancun, Mexican Riviera, Mexico
Tulum ruins, Mexico


Tulum ruins, Mexico Cancun, Mexican Riviera, Mexico
Tulum ruins, Mexico


Tulum ruins, Mexico Cancun, Mexican Riviera, Mexico
Tulum ruins, Mexico


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenotes biotope


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenotes biotope


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenotes biotope


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Wild Mollies


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenotes biotope


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Catfish


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenotes biotope


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenote cave entrance


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenote cave entrance


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenote cave


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Roots in cenote cave


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Roots in cenote cave


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Roots in cenote cave


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Catfish


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Catfish


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenote cave


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Aquatic plant


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Aquatic plant


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Aquatic plant


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Tetras


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenote cave


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Tetras


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenote cave


Cenote Cancun, Mexican Riviera, Mexico
Cenote


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenotes biotope


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenotes biotope


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenotes biotope


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenotes biotope


Aquatic biotope for cenotes in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Cenote cave entrance




`'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``

Other Biotope Resources


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Copyright Rhett Butler 1994-2009

The copy for fish.mongabay.com was written in 1994-1995. Therefore some information such as scientific names may be out of date. For this, I apologize. Feel free to send corrections to me.