Southwest WA "Forrest Creek" Biotope

Those who know me know that I live and breath fish. I could spend hours just reading about them, or mucking around with my aquariums, or studying them in the wild and exploring their natural habitat. The latter is probably why I'm fascinated by the idea of biotope aquaria, and what gave me the idea to set up this little fish tank.

My take on a southwest Western Australia forrest creek biotope

I really thought my 200 litre Amazonian aquarium would be enough to satisfy my fishy addiction. It turns out it wasn't. In fairness, this latest tank is basically a puddle at 60cm x 30cm x 30 cm (45 litres), so I figured it doesn't really count. Besides, this was going to be a highly educational project! My aim was to replicate a section of a forrest creek that I might find in my native southwest Western Australia, while stocking fish that are endemic to the region, and most importantly, of course,  to do it on a budget!

The spectacular southwest, on which this biotope is based

The tank

When choosing a fish tank, I would usually go for the biggest affordable (large tanks mean more consistent water quality, and lower maintenance). However, as I have previously learned, big tanks are harder to aquascape, much more expensive, and aren't always appropriate for biotopes such as this one. So, when I spotted a secondhand 45 litre tank (including stand) on Gumtree for just $100, I knew this was just the tank for me. For the type of fish I was planning to stock, anything larger seemed unnecessary, and I couldn't pass up such a bargain!


The hardscape

Many creeks in the southwest of WA are found trickling through areas of dense Jarrah and Marri forrest, and so the habitat I wanted to represent would feature a sandy bottom, lots of sunken woody debris, and leaf litter. I planned to have the water be slightly stained with tannins and lit dimly, with lots of dark, shady areas.

To start off, I collected some branchy driftwood from local creeks and wetlands. I was careful to soak and clean each piece thoroughly to get rid of any nasties (dirt, bacteria, parasites etc.), and I played around with the position of the wood until I was happy (a long and drawn out process for a perfectionist like myself!).

For the substrate, I used an undulating layer of Richgro playsand (washed thoroughly), on top of which sits a detritus layer of small twigs and Indian almond leaves (available from all good aquarium retailers). To add to the authenticity of the biotope, I cut the leaves into thin, crescent-shaped pieces, imitating eucalyptus leaves, which you will find littering the bed of pretty much any Australian creek (real eucalyptus leaves release oils and toxins, which can be leathal to fish).

"Eucalyptus" leaves add authenticity to the biotope.

The plants


Naturally, the growth of aquatic plants is limited in southwest forrest creeks, as little sunlight penetrates the tall canopy. Instead, emergent and riparian sedges and rushes, such as those from the Junkus genus, dominate. In the end, considering I wanted to the tank to be dim and shady, I decided against the use of native live plants, such as Vallisneria, Azolla and Potamogeton. Instead I opted for a couple of sedge-like silk 'plants', which I used to represent flooded riparian vegetation.


The hardware


Since this was a very simple setup, only the most basic of hardware was required to get the biotope up and running. For filtration, I decided to go with the Fluval Aquaclear 20, rated for around 76 litres/20 US gallons. Fortunately, the temperate climate of the southwest means the tank doesn't need a heater, which is a big money-saving bonus. I also didn't need bother with high tech lighting, in fact, for the dim effect I wanted for the tank, all I needed was a simple 3.5 watt LED strip (found on Ebay), which just clips on to the side of the glass. Too easy!

The fish

A wild pygmy perch displaying breeding colours

Five species of minnow, four species of perch, one catfish species (freshwater cobbler) and the fascinating salamander fish, Lepidogalaxias salamandroides, inhabit the creeks and wetlands of the southwest. However, only one species, the western pygmy perch, Nannoperca vittata, is really appropriate for this particular setup, given the tank's small size.

Found in a range of habitats across the southwest, from sluggish swamps and wetlands to clear, flowing creeks, western pygmy perch reside in the shallows, usually amongst aquatic vegetation, feeding mainly on invertebrates from the creekbed.

Western pygmy perch are a perfect fit for aquarium life, being small (max. length: 8 cm), hardy and easily obtainable from local pond and aquarium retailers. They wont cost a small mortgage either at around $4 - 6 each. The perch exhibit an attractive mottled silver-grey colouration, while males display an enigmatic red-orange stripe on each flank when in breeding season. In the wild, pygmy perch can tolerate a temperature rage between 0 - 30 degrees C, and therefore don't require a heated aquarium. In fact, they make an ideal alternative for goldfish in a coldwater tank.

Playful pygmy perch

There isn't much information available for the behavioural characteristics of pygmy perch in the aquarium, however in my observations I've found them to be very active, inquisitive, and highly adaptable to aquarium life. The three currently residing in this tank are constantly picking at the decor for microscopic bits and pieces, and they feed eagerly on the flake and frozen bloodworms that I offer.

Future thoughts


Eventually, I would like to add some glass shrimp, Paratya australiensis, which are found across the temperate climes of southern Australia, including the southwest of WA. Shrimp are fascinating to watch, while also being excellent tank 'cleaners', combing the surface of glass, wood and substrate, picking up leftover food, algae and other microscopic organisms. The perfect foil for the humble pygmy perch.

Overall, I'm really happy with the way the tank has turned out. In terms of size, the little 45 litre/10 gallon is perfect for this biotope and it's inhabitants, and I'm really pleased with the natural(ish) look of the hardscape. Best of all, I managed to do it on a pretty small budget. My favourite thing about this setup is that puts on display some of our amazing native fish, while each day I get to lose myself in a little slice of the beautiful Southwest from the comfort of my own home. 

Thanks for reading!

Step-by-step

A blank canvas: The second hand 10 gallon, cleaned and in position

A small selection of river pebbles were added first to help add some height to the substrate

The Richgro playsand was washed thoroughly before being added, and smoothed over. Building up the sand towards the back and sides of the tank adds depth to the layout

I played around with the positioning of the locally collected wood until I was happy with the layout (or so I thought!). The wood was cleaned and soaked thoroughly prior to use. The tank was then filled, and the filter left running for a week or so to stabilise the system

After installing the new Aquaclear 20 filter and LED lighting, and more rearranging  of the wood, I was finally satisfied with the hardscape. Silk plants and leaf litter were then added to finish of the flooded forrest creek look. Mature filter media was transplanted into the new filter to create an instant cycle, and the pygmy perch were carefully acclimatised. Biotope complete!

What did it cost?

- Tank & stand (Second hand; Gumtree): $100
- Fluval Aquaclear 20 filter (aquariumproducts.com.au): $45
- 3.5 watt LED clip-on light (Ebay): $23
- Silk plants (Ebay): $20
- Richgro Playsand (Bunnings): $8 for 20kg (I only used about a third of that)
- Indian almond leaves (Vebas Aquariums): $10 for a bag of 25 large leaves
- Wood: Free, from local creeks and wetlands
- Pygmy perch (Woodvale Fish and Lilly farm): $18 ($6 each)

Total: $224

Amazonian Biotope, Slowly but Surely

Question: What do you get when you combine moving a 200L fully stocked fish tank, a curious Burmese cat who decides he wants to swim in a bucket full of fish, and an exploding power board which nearly sets fire to the whole house? A very long, soggy and stressful Saturday afternoon!

Yes, one of the few downfalls being a young fishkeeper is that when you decide to move out of home, you have to take the whole thing with you. The reward: getting to set up the tank as a main feature in our new home, instead of hiding it away in my room for none but me to enjoy. 

It's been a long while since I last gave an update on my aquarium hobby. As you might imagine, many things have changed since then, which is a good thing, as I'm slowly but surely turning my tank into the slice of the Amazon that I always dreamed of.

I always liked the idea of a biotope themed aquarium, one that attempts to recreate as best possible the "natural" conditions of a river/lake/waterhole of a certain part of the world. This usually means keeping fish that would probably co-inhabit the same rivers, creeks and pools in the wild. Then, depending on how accurate you wish to get, you can also use plants from the same region, along with similar substrate, decor and even water chemistry. It's a cool little side project, and I think it can also cause the fish to behave and interact more natually.

Paradise, anyone? This is the kind of rainforest pool I was trying to emulate in  aquarium form.

Anyway, from the moment I knew I was getting a new tank in late 2012, I had my heart set on an Amazon River biotope. When I first dreamed up the tank, I pictured a gloomy, overgrown section of rainforest with a small, sandy backwater, featuring over-hanging branches and strewn with leaf litter. Like a new relationship yet to blossom, told myself to take it slow... but, as is my character,  I got way too excited, and numerous impulse buys later I found myself with almost the exact opposite of what I wanted: plain brown gravel as substrate, an overgrown mess of plants from all parts of the world, and one big fat piece of wood sitting smack bang in the middle of the tank.

Before: an overgrown, tangled mess.

Fortunately, with a little bit more patience and a long time to mull over my original layout, the tank is now looking far more like the one I dreamed of 18 months ago. 

The best change I made was getting rid of the brown gravel substrate, and changing to sand. I love the sand, I don't know why I didn't swap to it sooner! I guess I was frightened of the unknown, having only used gravel in aquariums in the past. As it turns out, sand is cheap (Richgro play sand - $8 a bag from Bunnings), easy to clean, far more natural looking for my biotope, and most importantly, the fish and plants seem to really enjoy it. The hoplo catfish especially love foraging and playing around in the softer substrate, and the amazon sword plants are growing out nicely.

After: Sand substrate, gold vine, and some serious weeding; the tank is now looking something like how I imagined it to be.

Secondly, I ripped up all of the Vallisneria plants (the tall reedy weeds), which were going nuts and taking over the whole tank, making it look like an absolute mess. I hate mess. I bought them as a "beginner" plant because they are so easy to grow, and I just assumed that I would fail at growing any other plants. As luck would have it, I managed to grow all of the other species of plant successfully, and "Vallis" is nowhere near native to the Amazon River. They simply had to go.

The third change I made was to the hardscape, which was lacking a certain naturalness to it. Eventually, I found that City Farmers sold gold vine, the kind of branchy looking wood which I always planned on using. It's kind of tangled looking and almost resembles mangrove roots. So, instead of the big hunk of driftwood I had sitting at the bottom (I impulse bought the biggest piece I could find in Pet Magic for some reason), I now have two lovely pieces of gold vine hanging from the top, imitating some overgrown branches hanging down into the rainforest creek - or something to that effect.

New addition: a beautiful male gold marble

Unfortunately, I lost two small angelfish midway through last year, when my girlfriend and I went on five and a half week holiday to the USA. The losses proved to me the importance of good water quality and consistent water changes; the fish were healthy when I left, and were well fed while I was away, but even in the most heavily planted aquariums, ammonia and nitrate build-up can definitely take a heavy toll on the health of your fish. Moral of the story: do your water changes! I change approximately 25% of the water in my tanks every fortnight, which is far below what many people in aquarium circles would recommend (25-50% once or twice a week). However, with the current water shortages in Australia and my responsibility as a so called "enviro", I think my regime is appropriate, and it still seems to keep the fish healthy. Fortunately, I managed to replace my lost angels with two more, which I bought off a lady who was moving house and couldn't keep them. At time of purchase they were huge - the fattest I have ever seen - but since then they have lost a bit of weight, and now look much healthier. 

It's so nice to be able to sit here on our comfy couch, and watch my fish as I laze around in the living room of our lovely new place. Even though I know my Amazon biotope is far from perfect, our guests seem to really enjoy watching the goings on in the tank, and more importantly talking about the fish. Although moving the thing was a marathon effort, the reward of being able to set it up as a centrepiece in our loungeroom, and the interest it sparks in the aquarium hobby far outweighs the stress and the strain of that Saturday afternoon.

Tank specs: 200L Amazon River biotope

Equipment: 

- 2 x AquaOne Heaters (1  x 200w, 1 x 150w)

- 1 x Eheim 2213 Canister Filter

- 1 x AquaOne internal power filter

- 2 x 30 watt fluorescent tubes

Plants:

- Amazon sword (Echinodorus amazonicus, Echinodorus tenellus)

- Crypts (Cryptocoryne spp.)

- Java fern (Microsorum pteropus)

Fish: 

- Angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare)

- Pristella (X-ray) tetra (Pristella maxillaris)

- Glass bloodfin tetra (Prionobrama filigera)

- Hoplo catfish (Hoplosternum thoracatum)

- Bristlenose plec. (Ancistrus sp.)

- Neon tetra (Paracheirodon innesi)