Barcelona Science Museum Amazon Biotope

I had the pleasure of visiting Barcelona science museums Amazon biotope yesterday… thought I would share here. It has definitely inspired me with what to do with the next steps for my tank now that the population of most species is dwindling.

Video here
https://www.instagram.com/p/CtrwFYNoJE0/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

It’s not something I really managed to capture in a photo but it was the mixture of cichlid species which I think I liked the most - probably other things like the floor which wasn’t flat and therefore so much mor natural looking, the root from trees, the mixture of different sizes of fish, the rain from above etc etc but I now want to try and recreate a more natural feel for my aquarium and to mix cichlids … off to do some research.

Anyway let me know your thoughts… it’s not really a famous aquarium but I kinda think it should be!

So inspired by the biotope in Barcelona  and a love for cichlids/South American fish generally… I think I’d like to give Bolivian rams a go because they can be kept in a small group rather than just in pairs.

So to my existing Julli Cory and Angelfish I would increase my number of Otocinclus, Ember Tetra and Rummynose Tetra and add X5 Bolivian Ram.

I’m also considering Rosy Tetra (does anyone have experience with these? They are sort of my South American harlequin rasbora alternative!) and would like a surface dweller like dwarf Pencilfish/hatchetfish.

Think I’ll rescape a bit too to get more floor area as such as the current scape take up a lot of the tank

The false ones in fairness @Hampalong - excuse my inaccuracy!!

So glad you mentioned they stay near the bottom - I need something tetra for the  top half - any recommendations?

Oooh Congo tetras - I’ve always liked them in person. Gone off the idea of a surface dweller a bit which is good because it means I can get these guys without increasing stocking

Sorry I forgot it was a South American theme.

Pencilfish like plant thickets to live in, and leaf litter. They’re not open water shoalers like the other tetras you’re considering. They’re not particularly upper level either ime, although if the bushes are near the top they’ll stay there.

Edit… I haven’t kept pencils often and it was a long time ago so I checked my facts, and apparently some species do hang out near the surface if it’s covered in floating plants (being blackwater fish, they don’t like bright lights).

I think fish (excuse the pun ) can often change their position in the tank depending on the other species, and when they get older.

For more tetra suggestions, x-rays were lovely (but a bit boisterous), and I recall being tempted by kitty tetras and lemon tetras in the past when visiting my LFS.