# Planning a "Biotope"



## Skyewillow

I always love to see things in their natural habitats, and it's been a dream of mine for the last few years to build a Biotope tank for my bettas.

I only have one problem:
I can't seem to find any pictures of a betta's natural habitat, and which kinds of plants (beyond rice lol) would be growing there. I know it's a blackwater habitat, and would like to follow that. I'm planning for a few smaller tanks to pull this off in, I'd like to try it in my 5.5 at first. Once I can ensure that I'm not a plant killer, I plan on upgrading the set up to my 10 also.

If I can get it down pat, then eventually, I'll set up my 50 gal in the biotope theme with a sorority.

Pictures and suggestions on the plants and other defining characteristics of the natural habitat of bettas would be appreciated.


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## waterdog

Bettas are not only found in rice fields. They live in shallow streams. Often they get in the rice fields when they are flooded using water from these streams. Blackwater is made from an excess of leaf buildup along with decaying plant matter.


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## Olympia

I don't think bettas live in the amazon. :/
LittleBettaFish has lots of natural looking tanks for her wild bettas.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Skyewillow

Blackwater isn't only found in the Amazon. It's any river, lake, stream, or pond that has a lot of decaying plant matter. The tannins from the driftwood or leaves turn the water into tea. The two biggest areas known for blackwater are the Amazon, and Southeast Asia. That's why IAL help the bettas.

Waterdog, your post DID give the me the idea to look up "Southeast Asian Blackwater Biotope", hopefully I can get some more conclusive information! Thanks


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## Skyewillow

I've found this, just in case anyone else was interested. The website is URL'd at the bottom. ^_^

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Southeast Asian Blackwater Pool
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Southeast Asian Biotope Aquarium
Click to enlarge

>
Borneo pool
Click to enlarge

>
Kinabalu, Malaysia
Click to enlarge

>
Kinabalu, Malaysia
Click to enlarge



Creeks and streams originating from deep in the rainforest are often blackwater.
With decaying plant vegetation and few, if any, mineral sources, the water is acidic and very soft.
This environment provides a home to many species of plants and fish.

WATER:
pH 5.5-6.5, 0-4 dH, 81-84 F (27-29 C)

TANK:
The tank should be densely planted with a fine gravel or clay substrate.
Use wood to create hiding places and use peat filtration.
There should be little surface current.

PLANTS:
Cryptocoryne, Nymphaea, Eleocharis

FISH:
Gouramis, Bettas, Rasboras, Loaches, Glass Catfish, Cyprind sharks, Flying Fox

PHOTOS:
Blackwater creek: Borneo creek, Borneo creek
Clearwater forest pool Borneo
Read more at http://fish.mongabay.com/biotope_se_asia_pool.htm#36E4wAuwZPrXKGTr.99


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## Olympia

Just so you know waterdog's original post said the are found in the amazon. It was edited out. ;-)
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Skyewillow

(I didn't see that part lol I fixed mine as a little informative blurb for those who didn't know about blackwater)


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## eatmice2010




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## Skyewillow

Thank you, Eatmice!! That first tank is awesome. And that irrigation ditch shows just how DARK the water is where they're from!

I think it's important to remind people that this is where they come from. Not perfectly crystal clear waters (as attractive as colorless water in a tank can be).


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## Skyewillow

Quick question, does anyone know if a small school of glass cats would be compatible with a sorority of bettas? or even just one betta? They're from the same area.


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## Fenghuang

I made a list of some (supposedly) low maintenance easy to grow Asian/Southeast Asian plants because I want to do the same thing for a sorority time in the future:

Chinese Ivy (_Cardamine lyrata_)
_Cryptocorynes lucens_
_Cryptocorynes pontederiifolia_
_Cryptocorynes wendtii_
Dwarf Hygrophila (_Hygrophila polysperma_
Java Fern (_Microsorum pteropus_)
Java Moss (_Taxiphyllum barbieri_)
_Limnophila gigantea_
_Monoselenium tenerum_
_Rotala rotundifolia_
Water Sprite (_Ceratopteris thalictroides_)
Water Wisteria (_Hygrophila difformis_)
Willow Hygro (_Hygrophilia augustifolia_)
Vallisneria (_Vallisneria spiralis_)


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## Skyewillow

Thanks for sharing! Maybe we could bounce some ideas off of each other.


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## Fenghuang

No problem. 

I never kept glass cats myself, but there are two species; _Kryptopterus minor_ stay at around 2.5 inches and _Kryptopterus bichirris_ that get larger. I've heard they are pretty peaceful fish and good tankmates for bettas, but they're extremely sensitive to changes in water condition.


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## Skyewillow

When I was little, and my mom thought it was a great idea to give a 5 yr old a fish tank, I'd had one all by itself with a slew of unsuitable fish. >_< Fortunately, it still around when my mom decided to rehome all of the fish.

I've thought about them a lot since then, and would like to have them again, only the RIGHT way this time around! I think the only place that has either species only carries K. minor.


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## waterdog

Yes I originally had a senior moment and put in amazon. Sometimes I forget which board I'm in as I also work on one for Angelfish and Discus. I raise Angelfish, tetras, and plecos (bristlenose, clown and rubberlip) in my 75. Been doing that for over 10 years so when I talk about blackwater my mind goes to the Amazon. Sorry.


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## Olympia

No worries! xD
Glass cats, how big of a tank are you planning? I feel like a school of them might "steal the show" so to speak, though.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Skyewillow

Olympia, a 50 or 55 gal. The "show" would be the whole biotope, not just the bettas or the glass cats. I wish I could get some splendens that are really close to the wild type though. I have no clue where to find captive born "wild" B. splendens.

Waterdog, I started out with red bellied piranhas in blackwater, I know how that goes. lol


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## Skyewillow

So, I have another question. I would like to have a small school of 5-10 glass cats, maybe one or two local bottom feeders (which I have to figure out what species those are). All of this in either my 55 or my 50. How many female bettas should be in my sorority? Can I do 5 or 6?


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## Olympia

Yea that'd be fine. You could go up to 10 easily though.


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## Skyewillow

Olympia said:


> Yea that'd be fine. You could go up to 10 easily though.


even with the glass cats and some bottom feeders? I don't want to overload.


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## Olympia

Yep, the tank will be densely planted, at that point they usually become pretty hard to overload. 

For bottom dwellers I'd look into kuhli loaches, they are the only Asian bottom dweller I can think of.


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## Skyewillow

Olympia said:


> Yep, the tank will be densely planted, at that point they usually become pretty hard to overload.
> 
> For bottom dwellers I'd look into kuhli loaches, they are the only Asian bottom dweller I can think of.


oooh, I like Kuhlis!! Thanks for the suggestion!!

This tank is going to take a bit to set up, since the plants are all going in first.

What do you think the would be the best substrate for my plants?

EDIT:
I think we just found a way to get my fiance excited about this biotope tank! He squeed when I showed him the Kuhli loaches, he's been wanting some for his 30 gal, but didn't know if they'd eat his shrimp.


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## Skyewillow

I know it's been a bit since I've paid any attention to this thread, but since there are members who have mentioned doing a biotope for splendens, I figured I'd come dig it up and see if we can't all add something to it!


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## Jexx

Hopefully we can get some of our wild keepers up in here to share their expertise ^_^


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## Skyewillow

maybe we should bug them? lol

I've been spending some time trying to find bottom dwellers for a S/E Asian biotope and almost everything has been a bust.

Botia loaches are ok, which is great (and progress)

The other indigenous bottom feeders are:
Chinese Algae Eaters (aggressive)
Siamese Algae Eaters - AKA Flying Fox (aggressive)
Red tailed Shark (aggressive)


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## LittleBettaFish

Just remember that if you are using an ample amount of tannins in your water, even low light plants may struggle without adequate lighting. I think in a lot of the places where the water is extremely dark and is very acidic with a low mineral content, you don't see many plants. You could use hardscape (or even leaf litter which bottom dwellers will love) along the bottom of the tank to provide cover, and then use plants such as watersprite floating at the surface. 

The habitats of wild bettas are varied depending on the species. Some live in a few inches of water and leaf litter, while others inhabit clearwater streams. Unless you are doing actual wild bettas, you don't need to drop your pH massively for domestic splendens to be happy.


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## Skyewillow

LittleBettaFish said:


> Just remember that if you are using an ample amount of tannins in your water, even low light plants may struggle without adequate lighting. I think in a lot of the places where the water is extremely dark and is very acidic with a low mineral content, you don't see many plants. You could use hardscape (or even leaf litter which bottom dwellers will love) along the bottom of the tank to provide cover, and then use plants such as watersprite floating at the surface.
> 
> The habitats of wild bettas are varied depending on the species. Some live in a few inches of water and leaf litter, while others inhabit clearwater streams. Unless you are doing actual wild bettas, you don't need to drop your pH massively for domestic splendens to be happy.


I don't plan on going too majorly dark with it, I still like to see the fish from time to time. lol The eventual goal is a few wild splendens girls, some glass cats, and some Kuhlis. I may try to find some replicas of some of the plants, if I can't master not killing them. blargh.

The input is awesome though, and much appreciated! Thank you!


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## LittleBettaFish

Kuhlis would love if you put in some leaf litter. I had one that my brother gave me in a native biotope tank and it spent all its time hunting through the leaf litter and picking up the food the other fish had missed.


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## Skyewillow

I was planning on doing the leaf litter, I'm pleased to know that the kuhlis will be happier with it!

I'm thinking about inverts too. I know Kuhlis will eat snails, but I would like to have some shrimp in that tank. Snails won't be a huge deal, since we're planning a live food production tank (some shrimp, and some ramshorn snails) if I run out, I can always throw some ponds in there, they'll probably keep up! LOL


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## LittleBettaFish

Yeah even in my extremely soft water tanks I have a massive amount of pond snails. I thought their shells would have eroded by now, but they are tough as nails. I have to do some culling every so often just to keep their numbers in check.


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## Skyewillow

I may just stock them to that tank for the kuhlis to munch as they find them.


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