bam Demanding level

Small Stream in Mandor Town, West Kalimantan, Indonesia

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Indonesia, West Kalimantan, Mandor

It is a tank inspired by the area where Betta mandor live. My interest in blackwater habitats and wild bettas was my motivation for researching this region. A social media friend of mine who caught fish in the region gave me a lot of data about the region.

Thanks to the images and videos I acquired, I simulated an underwater landscape where young tree trunks were submerged and dry and live botanicals covered the bottom. I designed this aquarium for a pair of wild Betta mandor, considering every detail and display esthetics.

Submitted by
Arif Hikmet Başeğmez
Approved by
Heiko Blessin, Heok Hee Ng & Greg Martin
GPS
0.3190727, 109.3809967
Geographical region
Southeastern Asia
Drainage Basin
Kapuas River
River catchment
Kapuas River
Water body type
Creek
Water body name
An unnamed stream in the Province of Mandor
Water body part
Flood plain
Water body course
Water body: tributary of
River
Tributary name
Kapuas

Videos above and below water


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Water Chemistry

Water information

Water type
fresh-water
Water color
Black water
Water transparency
High
Concentration of sediments
Low
Water temperature
27 °C
Water flow/curent
Slow

Chemical parameters

pH
5.8
Conductivity
20
GH
0
dGH
KH
-1 mg/l
dKH
Dissolved Oxygen

Aquarium information

Aquarium description

Set-up date
June, 2024
Aquarium decoration

I used 03-05mm white silica sand for the white sand look on the ground. In order to place the composition, I created elevations and slopes on the left and right sides. I placed young tree trunks vertically on these elevations and added fine root details to the slope parts.

Young tree trunks under water narrow from front to back, increasing the depth effect. I completed the installation by adding dry botanicals to the bottom and live plants between the vertical tree trunks and at the back of the tank.

Aquarium equipment
  • Filtration: oase filtosmart 60, contains aquario neo soft filter media and biological sponge.
  • Lighting: Luminie Asta20 freshwater full spectrum spot light 15w 6000k.
  • Since it was summer, I did not use a heater.
Fish care

I feed the fish daily with the live and high-quality ready-made food they need. There are materials (dry leaves, driftwood and live plants) in the tank where they can hide and stay away from stress and problems. Fish have every opportunity to feel themselves in the natural environment.

Plant care

Nutrients and water parameters obtained from fish food and feces, dried plant particles constitute natural nutrients for plants. Lighting also encourages plant growth.

Water care

I use fully deionized water to create water parameters close to the biotope in nature. I routinely measure nitrogen load weekly and if I see a nitrate level of 10mg or more, I do a water change. I use dry botanicals to give tannin and humic acid to the water and to change the color of the water to blackwater.

Dimensions

Length
50 cm
Depth
35 cm
High
33 cm
Volume
60 L

Substrate in aquarium

Sand
White
Pebble/Gravel
None
Stone
None
Stone form
Silt/Mud
Leaves
Many
Driftwood
Many
Submerged terrestrial vegetation

Bibliography

  • Exploration of Freshwaters 17(2): 97-114 - Six new species of fighting fish (Teleostei: Osphronemidae: Betta) from Borneo. by Tan, H. H. and P. K. L. Ng, 2006

Sitography

→ Seriously Fish
→ YouTube
→ Cryptocoryne World

Comment by the expert

Heiko Blessin:

Heok Hee Ng: Reasonably accurate reconstruction. Could do with a little more diversity in biotic fauna, perhaps adding aquatic invertebrates.

Greg Martin: An effective representation of this biotope.