Aquascaping style
Biotope Aquarium
Conservation movement20-150 gallonsIntermediate to Advanced$400-2,000
Key elements of Biotope Aquarium
- ALL species from one biome
- ALL plants endemic to the biome
- Hardscape matches natural environment
- Water chemistry replicates biome (soft acidic for Amazon, hard alkaline for Tanganyika)
- Conservation focus - educates visitors
Best fish + livestock for Biotope Aquarium
- Amazon: cardinal tetras + apistos + corys + Amazon swords
- Lake Tanganyika: shell-dwellers + rockwork + aragonite
- Asian peat: licorice gouramis + chili rasbora + Indian almond leaves
- African river: mbuna NOT (mbuna are lake-only)
Notes + tips
Educational + conservation-aligned. Annual Biotope Aquarium Design Contest awards. Requires research into specific ecosystem before setup.