bam Demanding level

North-European brook pool, Sweden

Sponsored by
The Home Aquarium Brand

Sweden, Jämtland, Bräcke

The small nano tank – roughly 17 liters – replicates the rocky shore of the pool, the area where you would usually find my choice of fish, Phoxinus phoxinus wich covers the suface eater across the pool and the Cottus poecilopus that hides between the rocks awaiting insect larvae to pass by. On the contrary, species such as Perca fluviatilis prefer the rocky bottom of the center of the pool and for that reason would not suit the shallow shoreline. Since this is a smaller tank, it is only a temporary home since it would not be suitable for adult fish.

Submitted by
Karl Olsson
Approved by
Alexey Malyshev & Gireg Allain
GPS
63.0721626, 15.1854296
Geographical region
Northern Europe
Drainage Basin
Ismunden
River catchment
Ismunden
Water body type
Lake
Water body name
Ismunden
Water body part
Pool
Water body course
Water body: tributary of
Hill streams
Tributary name
Ismunden

Warning: Undefined variable $fish_parent in /home/biotopea/public_html/wp-content/themes/bap/content-bam.php on line 85

Warning: Undefined array key "additional_species" in /home/biotopea/public_html/wp-content/themes/bap/functions/bap-fields.php on line 349

Water Chemistry

Water information

Water type
fresh-water
Water color
Clear water
Water transparency
High
Concentration of sediments
Low
Water temperature
20 °C
Water flow/curent
Slow

Chemical parameters

pH
Conductivity
GH
dGH
KH
dKH
Dissolved Oxygen

Aquarium information

Aquarium description

Set-up date
August 2021
Aquarium decoration

The stones were collected from the shoreline of the biotope and placed tightly in the tank to cover the bottom. Only small areas in the back were left open for planting; a small pine root was placed on top of the rocks placed to catch the eye. A small amount of silt and derby was collected to cover the layer of normal aquarium gravel that I used to anchor the rocks but also as a food source, since a lot of small crustaceans lived in the substrate.

I also added a rock with a freshwater sponge growing on it, which not only was a natural part of the environment, but also a great gracing spot for the Minnows.

Aquarium equipment

The equipment is quite simple, consisting of a Sicca Moby Dick aquarium, so both the light and filter was built in to the hood of the aquarium. Luckily, the lighting replicated the natural one of the area, perfectly leaving strong shadows and as if the light was shining between the pines that lined the BIN.

Fish care

Fishes:

  • many Phoxinus phoxinus
  • few Cottus poecilopus

The aquarium is set up to make it a suitable home for the fish. The Cottus poecilopus is a bottom dwelling fish, so it likes rocky bottoms with crevices where it hides. The Phoxinus phoxinus, insteas, enjoys the mid water and gracing the freshwater sponge. Every other day or so, I would net small crustaceans and insect larvae to ensure the fish were well fed and got what they would feed on in the lake. Since it was a temporary home, I had no reason to try to get them too feed on artificial foods.

 

Plant care

Plants:

  • abundant Hippuris vulgaris
  • few Sparganium sp.
  • Spongilla lacustris

 

Water care

Since it is a small aquarium, I would do daily water changes with water from a local creek, which is clean enough to drink and feeds the lake. I used no chemicals in the tank, only naturally priming it  using sediment from the lake and plants to deal with the chemistry. Since the fish would get released back in the same water system, I did not want to use any artificial chemicals and only use what nature had to give.

Dimensions

Length
37 cm
Depth
21 cm
High
22 cm
Volume
17 L

Substrate in aquarium

Sand
None
Pebble/Gravel
Mixed
Stone
Grey
Stone form
Irregular
Silt/Mud
Orange
Leaves
no
Driftwood
Few
Submerged terrestrial vegetation
no