Do you prefer to keep a biotope set up, or just what you like? And how much do you think it affects the fish, obviously things like rock, wood, plants etc, have an effect on water quality/condition to some extent, do you think it's fair then to keep a fish that does better in an Amazon type of set up that also houses fish from the Rift Valley?

Discuss and knock yourself dead Chillinator

Don't mind if I do...

From an aesthetic point of view, I've always preferred biotopes due to the challenges they present in trying to replicate them as accurately as possible, whilst keeping them practical. Often biotope specialists use ordinary household materials to achieve the desired effect. I certainly don't dig resin castles and garish flourescent gravel. Bright decor can make fish feel less at ease and as a result stress is higher, leading to washed out colours. To appreciate the true beauty of the fish in our aquariums I firmly believe the environment in which they are kept plays a crucial part.

Many fishkeepers (myself included) have a love of aquascaping, which is steadily being recognized as an underwater art form. Different styles convey different feelings and effects and show the personality of the aquascaper. Often aquascapes appear to be very stringent affairs and their somewhat bland and 'smoothed out' appearances doesn't always appeal to everyone. For show standards there are certain aquascaping guidelines in place to please the critics.

It wouldn't be very logical to keep an Amazonian species in a tank designed to house East African Rift Valley cichlids, not only due to differences in water quality, but also due to dietary differences and the somewhat territorial (often bordering on nutcase aggressive) behaviour of many Rift Valley species. Needless to say species originating from the acidic and often murky waters of the Amazon and its many tributaries wouldn't be very happy in a rocky environment packed to the gunnels with boisterous cichlids.

I prefer biotopes too, but have, in the past, kept discus and a red tailed black shark together and they have thrived. So although I know from experience that it is possible to keep two very different species together, from what would appear to be very different environments, they can and do sometimes work.

Having said that, the red tailed black shark I had was one in a million, he was a great big wuss, and, when I eventually had to give up fish keeping because I was getting an allergic reaction to all the water changes, he was taken on the son of the people who owned the aquarium shop I used to go to, and shown with some success I believe. A lovely, lovely example.

I also had a hoplo catfish who used to sit in my hand, she was in with the discus and shark, and all existed peacefully together.

Having said that, if I ever get into fishkeeping again I would opt for a biotope, I think it's the best environment for the fish. And I'd go for another Amazon related tank......