Beautiful Biotope Aquariums

Amano style aquariums are beautiful to look at, but they are far different from the actual environments on which they are based. Although they are often referred to as nature aquariums, many incorporate plants and animals that would never be present together in the wild. Recreating a particular environment with native plants and animals, also called a biotope, can be as beautiful and challenging as creating a tranquil Amano aquascape. Through careful research and planning, it's possible to have an accurate piece of nature in your home. According to the AGA, a biotope aquarium

"models the physical conditions in a biotope and is populated by plants and animals that are found together in that biotope. In an accurate biotope aquarium, the water temperature, water movement, water chemistry, color and turbidity mimic the natural habitat. Stones, wood and debris, if present in the biotope, are also present in the biotope aquarium. The substrate in the biotope aquarium is similar to the natural substrate."

Despite the restrictions of a biotope aquarium, many hobbyists have been able to create spectacular masterpieces that rival the best Amano style aquascapes. After all, Amano style aquariums are inspired by nature, while biotope aquariums aim to mirror nature. There are also other reasons to set up a biotope aquarium. The natural habitats create different behavior in fish than seen in a community aquarium and make it much easier to get fish to spawn. Finally, the challenge of setting up a successful and true-to-nature biotope aquarium is certainly something to brag about. Here are some examples from the biotope category of the 2007 AGA Contest to get your creative juices flowing:



For more information on biotope aquariums and examples of freshwater biotopes, try Badman's biotope page.

Freshwater Biotope vs. Saltwater Reef

I've always thought that keeping a well balanced planted biotope tank is probably harder than any reef tank and takes more knowledge of ecosystems and the living things within them, but Matt Clarke put it beautifully in his article about freshwater biotope aquariums on Practical Fishkeeping's Blog:

Therefore, it has always struck me as a little odd that marines are considered the pinnacle of the hobby, yet many marine fishkeepers probably couldn't tell you where in the world their fish came from, let alone their corals.

Many (not all, I am sure) marine fishkeepers know little about the biology, taxonomy or reproduction of their fish. Ask the same questions to a freshwater enthusiast and they'll often be able to tell you about it in great detail.

Maybe the reefkeepers could do with learning a trick or two from the freshwater enthusiasts?

I think well thought-out planted biotope tanks are becoming the new reef-tank. True, the general public still doesn't know the difference. The last party I had, the guests kept asking me if my planted tank was saltwater. It's just reassuring to know that you can make a freshwater tank that rivals the beauty of a potentially much more expensive and flashy saltwater tank. Go freshies!