bam Demanding level

Antón River, Coclé, Panamá

Sponsored by
Educated by Nature

Panama, Cocle

This aquarium is inspired by the natural habitat of shallow areas of the Anton River. Many Poeciliidae species such as Poecilia mexicana and juvenile Cichlidae Andinoacara coeruleopunctatus are found swimming together around stones. Other Poeciliidae such as Brachyrhaphys terrabensis and Xiphophorus helleri are found swimming between slow and fast moving waters.

Submitted by
Juan Medina
Approved by
Juan M. A. Azas & Jairo Arroyave
GPS
8.6107855, -80.1369705
Geographical region
Central America
Drainage Basin
Pacific Ocean
River catchment
Anton Basin (Basin #136)
Water body type
River
Water body name
Río Antón
Water body part
Water body course
Middle course
Water body: tributary of
Tributary name

Videos above and below water

Water Chemistry

Water information

Water type
Fresh water
Water color
Clear water
Water transparency
High
Concentration of sediments
No
Water temperature
26 °C
Water flow/curent
None

Chemical parameters

pH
7.0
Conductivity
GH
KH
Dissolved Oxygen

Aquarium information

Aquarium description

Set-up date
June, 2022
Aquarium decoration

Sand, stones and plants were collected from nature. Stones were sorted by size and arranged to create the illusion of perspective and deep. Hygrophila costata was placed to create a refuge for fishes. Aquarium was filled up to 30 cm to let Hygrophila grow and mimic natural water deep. Blue background was used to simulate the color of the water in nature.

Aquarium equipment
  • LED lights
  • External filtration
Fish care

Medication was used to prevent illness due stress when first adding the fishes to the aquarium. Fishes are feed with granuled and flakes dried food because Poeciliidae species rather eating in the top and Andinoacara coeruleopunctatus tends to spend more time at the bottom searching between the stones and sand.

Plant care

Stones are periodically clean to prevent algae overgrow. Some small stones remain untouched to keep algae growing since it’s a dietary source for Xiphophorus hellerii and Poecilia mexicana.

Water care

About 30% of the water in the aquarium is changed every week.

Dimensions

Length
92 cm
Depth
30 cm
High
32 cm
Volume
88 L

Substrate in aquarium

Sand
White
Pebble/Gravel
Mixed
Stone
Mixed
Stone form
Roundish
Silt/Mud
None
Leaves
Few
Driftwood
None
Submerged terrestrial vegetation
No

Bibliography

  • Parivivos de la familia Poeciliidae de Panamá - Guía de identificación by Samuel Valdés Díaz
    ISBN 978-962-13-484-8

Sitography

→ iNaturalist

Comment by the expert

Juan M. A. Azas: Beautiful aquarium! However, the aquarium cannot be sustainable per se because the Brachyraphis terrabensis and Andinoacara coeruleopunctatus will most likely eat the fry of the Poeciliids, which can of course be bred separately and introduce when a little later. I hope this would have been mentioned in the description.

Jairo Arroyave: The BAM is beautiful and it is a fair representation of the BIN. Like the previous entry, this one was certainly less challenging because of the moderate complexity of the habitat.