Morichal, Vichada, Colombia

Aquarium information

Aquarium description

Set-up date

January, 2024

Aquarium decoration

The aquarium has a substrate made of fine sand with a few leaves collected outside. The back of the tank is completely covered in dense aquatic vegetation. The vegetation in the back of the tank is Egeria najas, Heteranthera zoserifolia, Najas sp. and Eleocharis montevidensis. I mixed it a little bit so it looks more natural.

On the left of the aquarium, I planted a Nymphoides peltata. Nymphoides from the llanos are hard to find here where I live, so I went for a similar species. I left the front of the tank open so the corydoras can search there for food. There are a few bits of Sagittaria and a few leaves in the foreground.

I did not go for any hardscape in this tank except for a few twigs. I did this because the thing I find so amazing about morichals is their dense, biodiverse vegetation. I did not want wood to take the attention. It is a suitable habitat for all fish in the aquarium.

Hiding space among the plants for Apistogramma, the floating plants for the pencil fish and open space for the Corydoras to play in.

Aquarium equipment

The aquarium is filtered by a Tetra EX800. It is heated by a Sera 150W heater.

Fish care

I feed the fish twice a day. In the morning and in the evening. They are fed bloodworms, brine shrimp, tetra micro granules, hs artemia sinking wafers and sometimes some life tubifex. I try to give them a varied diet.

Fishlist:

• Apistogramma hongsloi (Cichlidae)
• Hoplisoma brevirostre (Callichthyidae)
• Corydoras septentrionalis (Callichthyidae)
• Nannostomus eques (Lebiasinidae)
  
• Farlowella vittata (Loricariidae)
  
• Otocynclus sp. (Loricariidae)

I am most proud of the Hoplisoma brevirostre since it took me a very long time to find the real ones and not species that they are commonly confused with, such as Brochis delphax.

Plant care

I add fertiliser for the plants every week and Colombo Flora Carbo as a CO2 replacement.

Plant list:

• Elodea najas (Hydrocharitaceae)
• Elodea densa (Hydrocharitaceae)
• Nymphoides sp. (Nymphaeaceae)
• Sagittaria subulata (Alismataceae)
• Eleocharis acicularis (Cyperaceae)
• Heteranthera zosterifolia (Pontederiaceae)

Water care

I do a 20% water change every week on this tank. I add Seachem Prime to make the water suitable for the fish.

Dimensions

Length

80 cm

Depth

40 cm

High

40 cm

Volume

128 L