Sumatra Swamp Biotope

Hey guys! Ive been planning a 75 gallon and have been looking for ideas for weeks now and have decided to do a biotope as I would rather not put species together that don’t live together naturally in the wild. I have been leaning towards doing an asian biotope with Pearl Gourami Harlequin Rasbora and possibly Kuhli Loaches. I would be willing to cheat and little and not have rocks and driftwood specific to the area but i would like all the animals to be from Sumatra and plants to be from there as well for the most part. My ph is around 8ish so I know it wouldn’t be an exact biotope but i would like it to be fairly similar. I was wondering if any of you guys had any experience doing something similar or could give me any guidance. I saw one like what i wanted to do on a website called biotope aquarium.

 

Your water is begging for an African lake or an Australian creek but sure, why not Strictly speaking, biotopes may differ from locality to locality within the region, but I suppose we could generalize it to a recognizable region at least.

I tried a similar "biotope" but it didn't last long due to needs to shuffle things around. Before I knew it, South American tetras were hanging out with barbs and cories with loaches. That doesn't mean it will happen to you. I think with your goal, all you have to do is to find compatible critters found in the region you like to create in your tank.

 

Your water is begging for an African lake or an Australian creek but sure, why not Strictly speaking, biotopes may differ from locality to locality within the region, but I suppose we could generalize it to a recognizable region at least.

I tried a similar "biotope" but it didn't last long due to needs to shuffle things around. Before I knew it, South American tetras were hanging out with barbs and cories with loaches. That doesn't mean it will happen to you. I think with your goal, all you have to do is to find compatible critters found in the region you like to create in your tank.

I know my water is perfect for african cichlids I just cant convince myself that it would be a peaceful tank to watch. I also wanted to do a planted tank and i know that they would destroy the plants.

 

I ran a Rio Negro blackwater biotope for a few years. It was a great experiment (first experience with blackwater, too). I have to do things intentionally now to not fall back in to that "can only come from" mentality.

 

I think biotope tanks are great, if you can resist the urge to get something that doesn't belong. Once I tried to calculate how many biotopes I would like to keep, and the number was around 30 for even a modest consideration of biotopes. I always start out with a biotope in mind, and they all become Deep Space 9 in no time

 

I would like to do the biotope but the temptation to switch out the kuhli loaches for cory cats is strong. Would it be bad if I did that?
Stocking would then be 3 pearls, 15 harlequins and like 10 corys

 

My other stocking idea was 12 black neons, 8 serpaes, 2 bolivian rams, and 10 bronze corys

 

I would like to do the biotope but the temptation to switch out the kuhli loaches for cory cats is strong. Would it be bad if I did that?
Stocking would then be 3 pearls, 15 harlequins and like 10 corys

Nothing wrong whatsoever. It wouldn't be a biotope anymore, though. I've got one now that all of the fish are SA (Apistos / Cory's) and the plants are from everywhere (Crypts, Tiger Lotus, Banana plants, dwarf water lily's) that I call my blackwater inspired community tank. That sounds like a different version of what you're considering.

 

My other stocking idea was 12 black neons, 8 serpaes, 2 bolivian rams, and 10 bronze corys

This sounds reasonable.
And no, it is not bad if you get out of the biotope idea.

 

Hey guys! Ive been planning a 75 gallon and have been looking for ideas for weeks now and have decided to do a biotope as I would rather not put species together that don’t live together naturally in the wild. I have been leaning towards doing an asian biotope with Pearl Gourami Harlequin Rasbora and possibly Kuhli Loaches. I would be willing to cheat and little and not have rocks and driftwood specific to the area but i would like all the animals to be from Sumatra and plants to be from there as well for the most part. My ph is around 8ish so I know it wouldn’t be an exact biotope but i would like it to be fairly similar. I was wondering if any of you guys had any experience doing something similar or could give me any guidance. I saw one like what i wanted to do on a website called biotope aquarium.

This one ?
Southeast Asian Blackwater Pool Biotope Aquarium Setup

 

This one ?
Southeast Asian Blackwater Pool Biotope Aquarium Setup

Sumatra swamp, 120 L • Biotope Aquarium
it was this one

 

If i were to do a african cichlid tank because of my tap water parameters would it be as like relaxing to watch? Ive just heard that african cichlids would like always be bickering. Could I do live plants with them?