bin

Unnamed forrest stream, west of the city of Coxim, Brazil

Sponsored by
The Aquarium Company

Brazil, Mato Grosso do Sul, Coxim

Mato Grosso do Sul state is a large area, covering the same size as Germany. The area is well known for its rich wildlife, and presents a variety of flora and fauna, with forests, natural sand banks, savannahs, open pasture, fields and bushes. Furthermore there is a rich and unique wetland area, The Pantanal, which is the world’s largest flooded grasslands.

In the countryside of the North of Mato Grosso do Sul state, just west of the city of Coxim, there is a little forrest stream. In this jungle terrain there is countless of small streams, water holes and flooded areas – due to the rain.

In this great and beautiful area there is a vast amount of unique fish species.

Submitted by
David Nørholm
Approved by
Roberto Reis, Francesco Denitto & Donald C. Taphorn
GPS
-18.0323315, -54.9099388
Geographical region
South America
Drainage Basin
Taquari river basin
River catchment
Rio Paraguay
Water body type
Stream
Water body name
Unnamed
Water body part
Flood plain
Water body course
Lower course
Water body: tributary of
Rio
Tributary name
Paraguay

Videos above and below water

Water Chemistry

Water information

Water type
Fresh water
Water color
Black water
Water transparency
Low
Concentration of sediments
Medium
Water temperature
27 °C
Water flow/curent
Slow

Chemical parameters

pH
6.5
Conductivity
70
GH
6 mg/l
KH
3 mg/l
Dissolved Oxygen

Substrate in nature

Sand
Beige
Pebble/Gravel
Mixed
Stone
Brown
Stone form
Roundish
Silt/Mud
Brown
Leaves
Many
Driftwood
Many
Submerged terrestrial vegetation
Yes

Aquatic Biotope

Date of collecting
15/12/2020
Collecting area
Side arm
Water depth
1,0m
Air temperature
Sunlight
Partial shade

Environment

Environment
Affected by human activity
Affected by human activity
Agriculture
Agriculture
Advanced
Surrounding area

The area is dominated by jungle and dense forrest, and in the rainy season theres also various types of water holes, small streams and flooded areas.

Primitive roads with potholes and red mud is the main access to this beautiful jungle landscape. Underneath a small wooden bridge, over a unnamed forrest stream, the biotope is located.

Crowded jungle surrounds each site of the stream, and grows from the banks of it, casting shadows over the water. The water has the same color as tee, the classic look af South American blackwater.

Underwater landscape

The substrate is primarily sand and gravel, which is covered by leaf litter, roots, fallen branches and sunken logs.

On this time of the season visibility is very low, only about 30-60 centimetres, due to rain stirring up the sediment. As a result of this the vegetation is sporadic, and only possible where the light actually do penetrate, except for a small amount of floating plants, hiding close to the banks of the stream, isolated by some fallen logs.

The banks of the stream is a maze of roots leaves and fallen branches that forms ideal hiding spots for different types of fish.

Fishes:

  • Moenkhausia dichroura (Characidae)
  • Moenkhausia forestii (Characidae)
  • Moenkhausia oligolepis (Characidae)
  • Jupiaba acanthogaster (Characidae)
  • Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi (Characidae)
  • Characidium af. zebra (Crenuchidae)
  • Characidium laterale (Crenuchidae)
  • Corydoras areio (Callichthyidae)
  • Satanoperca pappaterra (Cichlidae)
  • Apistogramma trifasciata (Cichlidae)

Aquatic plants:

  • Eleocharis minima (Cyperaceae)
  • Salvinia auriculata (Hydropteridales)
  • Nephrolepis exaltata (Nephrolepidaceae)
  • Chlorophytum comosum (Asparagaceae)
  • Pilea depressa (Urticaceae)
  • Philodendron scandens (Araceae)
Threats to ecology

Agricultural pollution, deforestation, habitat conversion for cattle ranching and forrest destruction/cutting along the river.

Riparian zone

Trees near the aquatic habitat
Many -

Bibliography

Sitography

→ YouTube

Comment by the expert

Roberto Reis: Very good, accurate description, good photos and videos.

Francesco Denitto: Well described. Many details supplied. The Youtube video helps a lot to well understand the BIN presented by the aquarium owner.

Donald C. Taphorn: Nice job of showing what this biotope is like in nature!