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#11127 Rio Negro tributary, Amazonas, Brazil

Brazil, Amazonas

The aquarium recreates the natural landscape of a riverbed within a tributary of the Negro River using a 300-liter aquarium and natural materials. Inspired by habitat footage from the native environment, this biotope was designed to capture the natural behaviour of small schooling fish and the feeling of free movement within a freshwater ecosystem.

The layout focuses on recreating the structure and atmosphere of the original habitat, using natural elements to represent the riverbed environment and provide a realistic setting for the inhabitants.

Submitted by: Zhang PengFei

Geographical region: South America
Drainage Basin: Rio Amazonas
River catchment: Rio Negro
Water body type: River
Water body name: Rio Negro
Water body part: Open water
Water body course: Lower course
Water body: tributary of
Tributary name

Videos above and below water

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Water Chemistry

Water information

Water type: Freshwater
Water color: Black water
Water transparency: Medium
Concentration of sediments: High
Water temperature: 26-28 °C
Water flow/curent: Slow

Chemical parameters

pH
Conductivity
GH
dGH
KH
dKH
Dissolved Oxygen

Aquarium information

Aquarium description

Set-up date

December, 2025

Aquarium decoration

Branches from fruit trees collected in the wild and stones from the river were used to create the basic framework of the aquarium layout. A layer of pond mud was added to the bottom substrate, followed by decorative sand to shape the landscape. Branches of different sizes and thicknesses were then arranged to create depth and replicate natural riverbed complexity.

Finally, leaves, fine branches, and a small amount of dried moss were added to the substrate. Over time, the accumulation of organic material developed into a natural, humus-rich environment that recreates the appearance and ecological character of a wild river habitat.

Aquarium equipment

Filtration and lighting: The filtration system consists of a filter tank connected to two pre-filters, with a total flow capacity of 1.300L/h. The system includes two aquarium-specific downlights, each with a power output of 100W. The filter tank has a volume of 10L and is equipped with four layers of filter baskets containing different types of filtration media. The bottom layer consists of filter floss, helping to maintain efficient mechanical filtration and stable water circulation.

Fish care

The water temperature is maintained between 24-26°C. During the aquascaping process, the layout was designed to recreate structures found in the natural habitat, with numerous natural hiding places and complex arrangements of roots and branches. These features provide shelter and allow the fish to display natural behaviours while swimming and interacting within the aquarium.

The fish are provided with a nutritious daily diet, including specialized food for small characins and Artemia nauplii. Water parameters are monitored during each water change to maintain stable and healthy conditions suitable for the inhabitants.

Fish:

Apistogramma sp. “Breitbinden” (Cichlidae) – 6
Hemigrammus bellottii (Characidae) – 10
Dicrossus filamentosus (Cichlidae) – 9
Hemigrammus stictus (Characidae) – 10
Apistogramma diplotaenia (Cichlidae) – 4

Aquatic plants:

Helanthium tenellum (Alismataceae) – 10
Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani (Cyperaceae) – 30

Plant care

Helanthium tenellum and Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani in the aquarium require minimal maintenance. Specialized aquarium LED lighting is used to simulate natural sunlight patterns, supporting photosynthesis and promoting healthy plant growth.

Water care

One-third of the aquarium water is replaced weekly, and the filtration system is cleaned every three months to maintain stable water quality and efficient biological filtration.