Switching to an Amazon River Basin Biotope

[fddlss]

Hi all! It's been a while, I had a kid (now he's 16 months) and I've recently moved, so I had my aquarium for sale, but I changed my mind and decided to keep it, but I'm making changes. I was really bored and jaded with my current 120 Gallon African Cichlids setup, in part due to lack of time and the fact that I didn't add any new fish for almost two years, so I've decided to finally keep the tank and go for something that I really like, an Amazon Biotope with some oddballs. My excitement is now back and I'm getting rid of my Africans in order to make the switch.

What I'm looking for is specifically a Peruvian Amazon River Basin Biotope and these are some of the fish I plan on getting:

Silver Arowana
Black Ghost Knife
Orange Pike Cichlid (Xingu I)
and I'm open to suggestions please!

I have a few questions, does anyone know what kind of substrate would I need for a Peruvian Amazon Basin biotope? Also, what plants are endemic to that region and of course feel free to suggest fish species. Also, does anyone know where I can get pictures of how the underwater world looks in that area, for aquascaping ideas, as far as how to place the driftwood, plants, rocks (if any), etc.

My tank is a 120 gallon 60" x 18" x 26" and I know that when some of the fish I want get big I will need to upgrade my tank or trade them for smaller ones, that's why I'm planning on buying them small.

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[bribo12]

Hi all! It's been a while, I had a kid (now he's 16 months) and I've recently moved, so I had my aquarium for sale, but I changed my mind and decided to keep it, but I'm making changes. I was really bored and jaded with my current 120 Gallon African Cichlids setup, in part due to lack of time and the fact that I didn't add any new fish for almost two years, so I've decided to finally keep the tank and go for something that I really like, an Amazon Biotope with some oddballs. My excitement is now back and I'm getting rid of my Africans in order to make the switch.

What I'm looking for is specifically a Peruvian Amazon River Basin Biotope and these are some of the fish I plan on getting:

Silver Arowana
Black Ghost Knife
Orange Pike Cichlid (Xingu I)
and I'm open to suggestions please!

I have a few questions, does anyone know what kind of substrate would I need for a Peruvian Amazon Basin biotope? Also, what plants are endemic to that region and of course feel free to suggest fish species. Also, does anyone know where I can get pictures of how the underwater world looks in that area, for aquascaping ideas, as far as how to place the driftwood, plants, rocks (if any), etc.

My tank is a 120 gallon 60" x 18" x 26" and I know that when some of the fish I want get big I will need to upgrade my tank or trade them for smaller ones, that's why I'm planning on buying them small.

Thanks in advance!!!

Hey there I love amazon river biotopes and it looks like you want a predatory one. The silver arrowana will outgrow that tank pretty quickly and id say you would need upwards of 300 gallons to house an adult. The pike and bgk should work given plenty of hiding areas for the knife. You could have a nice school of hoplo catfish for a larger bottom feeder.

 

[Kristian Tombs]

Some fish I like:
Angelfish
Rainbowfish
Corydoras
Farowella catfish
Rafael Catfish
Bristlenose Pleco

 

[Surfer]

If you want a truly Peruvian-specific bottom feeder go with a royal pleco. There are a few species but they're all from around that region and get nice and big.

 

[Kristian Tombs]

If you want a truly Peruvian-specific bottom feeder go with a royal pleco. There are a few species but they're all from around that region and get nice and big.

+1 they are gorgeous

 

[fddlss]

If you want a truly Peruvian-specific bottom feeder go with a royal pleco. There are a few species but they're all from around that region and get nice and big.

Thanks!!! What a beautiful pleco! I was looking at the L27 A.K.A. L190, but it seems that it is only native to Venezuela, Colombia and maybe Brazil, but not Peru, am I correct, or it is also found around the Peruvian area? I found a truly Peruvian royal pleco P. titan, known as L418, but that one is not as nice as the other one when it grows to be an adult. I also love the papa royal pleco L90, that can be a good option. At the same time, I'm thinking that I also want an Orange Pike Cichlid, which is found on the Xingu River, so that fish is also not Peruvian, maybe I forget about Peru and setup a general Amazon basin tank, what do you guys think? or I could get a Peruvian Crenicichla cincta, which grows a little bigger and is not as nice as the orange pike.

 

[fddlss]

Now, I need some help deciding on the substrate. I want a planted tank and I want it to look very natural. I've researched and it seems like Eco-Complete is the way to go? with a fine layer of sand or fine gravel on top? Some people recommend a layer dead leaves or silica, which is best and more natural for the Peruvian Amazon basin?

 

[Surfer]

Now, I need some help deciding on the substrate. I want a planted tank and I want it to look very natural. I've researched and it seems like Eco-Complete is the way to go? with a fine layer of sand or fine gravel on top? Some people recommend a layer dead leaves or silica, which is best and more natural for the Peruvian Amazon basin?

I'm not good with plants, but someone else can chime in. I have an amazon fauna-tope (plants and wood aren't region specific) and I'm sometimes restricted with what I'd like to put in. I think that with a Peruvian setup you'd feel even more restricted, so generalizing it a bit more would make you happier in the long run.

 

[fddlss]

I'm not good with plants, but someone else can chime in. I have an amazon fauna-tope (plants and wood aren't region specific) and I'm sometimes restricted with what I'd like to put in. I think that with a Peruvian setup you'd feel even more restricted, so generalizing it a bit more would make you happier in the long run.

Thank you. I totally agree, if I start being too specific I will be very restricted and might have trouble finding specific info, so I will generalize a little bit and keep it interesting. If I try to make it too perfect, not only it's not possible, but it will get boring quickly.

 

[bettaowner]

Pictus cats would be neat