I couldn't help but share these photos and videos. Some of you may have seen then, but some probably haven't.
Beautiful pictures and videos down below. I just want to talk about the waters themselves for a bit. All my information is from these two sites:
As I understand, these habitats are Karstic Springs, they are rivers that literally spring from the ground due to all the dissolvable limestone geology.
In general, these specific rivers (Rio Sucuri, Rio Formoso, Rio da Prata, Baia Bonita...) are very clear, ground fed water. The water is high in dissolved minerals and CO2 due to it coming from underground. The water is somewhat chilly at around 72 F (22 C)
A representative sample of general water parameters from the River Baia Bonita:
KH: 7
GH: 11
pH: 7.2
CO2: 13 ppm
PO4: <0.01
FE++: 0 ppm
CO2 levels fall the further downstream you get from the source springs
Common Plants:
Aquarium fish found in these waters:
NOW, ONTO THE PICTURES. Keep in mind these pictures are just a mix of my favorites chosen from both Aquamazon and Dennerle's websites, they represent about 3 different rivers. Each river had it's own unique characterstics. Read up about it on their website if you wish to learn more
Lots of Stargrass!
Naturally pearling Echinodorus macrophyllus
Some tetras, not sure which kind, the website Aquamazon ( I belive) did say which kind, I just forgot
Wild Serpae tetra and Stargrass
More Serpae tetras
Chara fibrosa algae
Chara fibrosa algae creating a bunch of oxygen
Nymphaea gardneriana
Nymphaea gardneriana on right, Hydrocotyle leucocephela on top and left, and a curious cichlid in the mid-left!
Hydrocotyle leucocephela
Bacopa australis
Above Water Photos:
AND NOW THE VIDEOS TO IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THE MOVEMENTS OF THE RIVER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8i6uE2AbI0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msqE5pCdKTY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ew8UQtcbcNk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ew8UQtcbcNk
The reason I posted this thread was because these pictures and videos absolutely make me happy. Something about the lush plants and the beautiful turqoise, blue, and green colors just make me happy to look at them.
These photos and videos and detailed journals from the websites where I found them have definitely inspired me to make a biotope type tank specifically based on these types of rivers.
I would have white sand, plants like stargrass, bacopa australis, hydrocotyle leucocephela, helanthium bolivianum, and a pair of Laetacara dorsigera or Laetacara araguaiae to breed.
Thanks to the fellows who went here and took these wonderful and skilled pictures and videos.
I hope that these photos and videos have either inspired you or made you happy.
These rivers can be swam through as Ecotourism is a big draw to the city of Bonito, Brazil. For now they take very good care of these rivers and access is somewhat restricted. If you pay to take a tour and swim here you are only allowed to stay for a couple hours (with a group guide), you cannot stand on the sediment bottom, and you cannot wear any sunscreen or lotion because it dissolves into the water.
I would absolutely looove to swim through these rivers one day.
Beautiful pictures and videos down below. I just want to talk about the waters themselves for a bit. All my information is from these two sites:
- http://www.aqua.mazon.com/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&id=8&Itemid=83(REMOVE THE "." between "aqua" and "mazon" because I'm not able to post a link to Aquamazon's site without getting a link to amazon.com)
- http://dennerle.com/en/service/travel-report/brazil-2010
As I understand, these habitats are Karstic Springs, they are rivers that literally spring from the ground due to all the dissolvable limestone geology.
In general, these specific rivers (Rio Sucuri, Rio Formoso, Rio da Prata, Baia Bonita...) are very clear, ground fed water. The water is high in dissolved minerals and CO2 due to it coming from underground. The water is somewhat chilly at around 72 F (22 C)
A representative sample of general water parameters from the River Baia Bonita:
KH: 7
GH: 11
pH: 7.2
CO2: 13 ppm
PO4: <0.01
FE++: 0 ppm
CO2 levels fall the further downstream you get from the source springs
Common Plants:
- Heteranthera zosterifolia (Stargrass)
- Echinodorus macrophyllus (A large swordplant)
- Potamogeton illinoiensis (Potamogetons also commonly go by pondweeds. This particular plant is actually native to the US. Potamogetons are widespread. Potamogeton gayi is a popular aquarium plant)
- Helanthium bolivianum (Previously Echinodorus bolivianus. Similar to Helanthium (prev. Echinodorus) tenellus. Pygmy chain sword. I believe it might be the same thing as Echinodorus quadricostatus. Not sure)
- Bacopa australis
- Hydrocotyle leucocephela
- Hydrocotyle verticillata
- Nymphaea gardneriana (water lily)
- Naja guadalupensis
- Chara fibrosa (a pretty type of algae)
- Myriophyllum aquaticum (Parrot's Feather)
Aquarium fish found in these waters:
- Corydoras aeneus (Bronze cory)
- Hyphessobrycon eques (Serpae tetra)
- Ancistrus genus (Bristlenose pleco)
- Other tetras Moenkhausia, Astyanax, etc...
- Laetacara genus (Neat looking dwarf cichlids)
- Leporinus
- Crenicichla (Pike cichlids)
NOW, ONTO THE PICTURES. Keep in mind these pictures are just a mix of my favorites chosen from both Aquamazon and Dennerle's websites, they represent about 3 different rivers. Each river had it's own unique characterstics. Read up about it on their website if you wish to learn more
Lots of Stargrass!
Naturally pearling Echinodorus macrophyllus
Some tetras, not sure which kind, the website Aquamazon ( I belive) did say which kind, I just forgot
Wild Serpae tetra and Stargrass
More Serpae tetras
Chara fibrosa algae
Chara fibrosa algae creating a bunch of oxygen
Nymphaea gardneriana
Nymphaea gardneriana on right, Hydrocotyle leucocephela on top and left, and a curious cichlid in the mid-left!
Hydrocotyle leucocephela
Bacopa australis
Above Water Photos:
AND NOW THE VIDEOS TO IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THE MOVEMENTS OF THE RIVER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8i6uE2AbI0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msqE5pCdKTY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ew8UQtcbcNk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ew8UQtcbcNk
The reason I posted this thread was because these pictures and videos absolutely make me happy. Something about the lush plants and the beautiful turqoise, blue, and green colors just make me happy to look at them.
These photos and videos and detailed journals from the websites where I found them have definitely inspired me to make a biotope type tank specifically based on these types of rivers.
I would have white sand, plants like stargrass, bacopa australis, hydrocotyle leucocephela, helanthium bolivianum, and a pair of Laetacara dorsigera or Laetacara araguaiae to breed.
Thanks to the fellows who went here and took these wonderful and skilled pictures and videos.
I hope that these photos and videos have either inspired you or made you happy.
These rivers can be swam through as Ecotourism is a big draw to the city of Bonito, Brazil. For now they take very good care of these rivers and access is somewhat restricted. If you pay to take a tour and swim here you are only allowed to stay for a couple hours (with a group guide), you cannot stand on the sediment bottom, and you cannot wear any sunscreen or lotion because it dissolves into the water.
I would absolutely looove to swim through these rivers one day.