|
|
|
Southern African Swamp
BIOTOPE AQUARIA -- Southern African Swamp
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.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Southern African Swamp
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Okavango Delta is among the largest swamps in Africa. The waters support a variety of species and vigorous plant growth making it an ideal subject for a biotope aquarium.
 |
|
Boro River in the Okavango River Delta, Botswana 1994
|
 |
|
Cross-section/diagram of Boro River, Botswana
Click to enlarge
|
Reedy plants line the shores of waterways and shallow pools. Floating grasses and lilies are found where there is little current. Banks along moving waterways drop off quickly, creating cliff-like formations with overhanging roots. Many fish seek refuge under these root overhangs and inside caves.
WATER:
pH 7.2-7.8, 2-8 dH, 70-75 F (21-24 C)
TANK:
The tank should have fine gravel, sand, or clay for a substrate.
Plant grassy vegetation along with rear and corners of the tank. Use dense leafy vegetation in the center of the aquarium and scattered floating plants (if desired).
Use submerged wood to provide hiding places akin to those created by overhanging roots and clay caves in the natural setting.
The lighting should be bright and the water should be clear. Current should be still to moderate depending on whether the aquariast is amining to recreate a still pool or flowing channel.
PLANTS:
African Water Fern, Ammannia, Marsilea, Eleocharis, Anubias, Nymphaea, Water Lettuce
FISH:
Mormyrids, African tetras, barbs, spiny eels,
Haplochromines, Tilapia, Hemichromis, Synodontis, Clarias catfish.
In the neighboring floodplain, annual Killifish can be found.
PHOTOS:
Okavango Delta (Botswana)
`'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``
Other Biotope Resources
|
|
|
|
Recent news
Charting a new environmental course in China
(05/21/2012)
Founded in 1951, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) works in more than 30 countries and
has projects in all 50 of the United States. The Conservancy has over one million
members, and has protected more than 119 million acres of wild-lands and 5,000 miles
of rivers worldwide. TNC has taken an active interest in China, the world's most
populated nation, and in many important ways, a critical center of global development.
The following is an interview with multiple directors of The Nature Conservancy's China
Program.
New 'bony-tongue' fish discovered in Myanmar
(05/18/2012)
A new species of arowana, a highly valued aquarium fish, has been described from southern Myanmar (Burma). The description is published in last month's issue of the journal Aqua.
Wildlife in the tropics plummets by over 60 percent
(05/15/2012)
In 48 years wildlife populations in the tropics, the region that holds the bulk of the world's biodiversity, have fallen by an alarming 61 percent, according to the most recent update to the Living Planet Index. Produced by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), the index currently tracks almost 10,000 populations of 2,688 vertebrate species (including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish) in both the tropics and temperate regions.
Educating the next generation of conservation leaders in Colombia
(05/14/2012)
Colombia's northern departments of Cordoba and Bolivar are home to an abundance of coral reefs, estuaries, mangroves forests, and forests. Rich in both marine and terrestrial wildlife, local communities depend on the sea and land for survival, yet these ecosystems are imperiled by booming populations, overexploitation, and unsustainable management. Since 2007, an innovative education program in the region, the Guardians of Nature, has worked to teach local children about the ecology of the region, hoping to instill a conservation ethic that will aid both the present and the future.
Manta rays tracked by satellite
(05/11/2012)
Satellite tracking technology has revealed new insights into the behavior of manta rays, reports the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). The findings are published in this week's issue of the journal PLoS.
Featured video: the oceans and Rio+20
(05/10/2012)
A new video by Pew Environment Group and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) hopes to convince policy-makers attending the Rio+20 Summit on Sustainable Development this summer that urgent action is needed to save the ocean's from an environmental crisis.
|
|
