Heiko Blessin (Germany): The level of all entries has gone up. Beside 2 entries, all set ups are real Biotope Aquariums! All glasses have been cleaned and almost no technical items can be seen within the tanks. Most participants added a lot of specific information to the biotope and they really tried to follow the nature. "Lake Xochimilco in Mexico City" North America and "Backwater in the rainforest in the lower Ogun River in Nigeria" Africa are my favourites of all.

Heiko Bleher (Italy): I must first of all say that I am sorry for this delay, but I was on 2 fantastic Amazon expeditions, and also since my return swamped with printing of my new Biotope Book and the new aqua issue as well as conferences, judging (4 Biotope and 2 Discus contests) until last weekend (and again this week all the way to January). But I must also say that the standard of biotope-correct (or near to correct), has gone up very much in comparing to the previous 3 contests, and not only at this contest, but worldwide (even in India). What is still missing in some, very well written by Alexey, is the exact location of the biotope in the majority of entries, as a “Congo” (one of the 10 largest Rivers), “Amazon” or “Amazon basin” (over 7000 km long), “New Guinea” (second largest island in the world), “Rio Negro” (world’s largest black water river), “Wild River in the Forest” (there are over 100,000 in S.A.), or even “South America” or “Coastal Zone of Africa” (which are continents and not biotopes), and even similar wrong is just to say “Lake Tanganyika”, or “Malawi”, these and other such general texts on biotopes are simply wrong and make the best decoration loose many points, as these have really nothing to do with a small biotope, which is the essence of any aquarium.

Alexey Malyshev (Russia): This year there were less entries in the quality test than the last one, but their quality was much higher. There were just a few of entries that were not biotopes with fishes and plants from all around the world. I was pleased that the authors of the entries began to leave scapes for the biotope side. Yes, in nature there are places looking like scapes at first sight, but in the world there are million different habitats and most of them are simple and at the same time beautiful in their simplicity. Because they were made by the nature. An important omission of some authors is a short or a bad description of their entry, and sometimes a mismatch of what is described with what the jury can see in the pictures. This includes uncertain title: Congo, Amazon and others. Particular attention I paid to the behavior and condition of fish in the aquaria. If the fish behave abnormally (schooling fishes are dispersed to the corners, bottom ones are hidden in plants, fishes of the upper layers of water are hidden under rocks), then no design, no external beauty cannot make your entry a biotope and there will be no hope to a high place. Special thanks to the organizers and sponsors of the contest!

Ivan Mikolji (Venezuela): I really have to congratulate the contestants, organizers and everybody involved in bringing us this Biotope Aquarium Contest. The aquarium setups this year impressed me, again. I have been sitting in front of my PC for days and days looking at the entries. I think I scrolled all the aquariums about 20 times before I even started judging them. If you are one of the contestants, feel proud of your entry (I felt proud just when looking at them) and if you are a curious hobbyist observing them, enjoy what I consider “the best aquarium contest”. I feel biotope recreation is a growing trend which makes a lot of sense to me as a freshwater underwater explorer. I always admire or think highly of people in the aquarium hobby. In some way they are all nature lovers. The aquarium hobby is probably the maximum exponent of a continuous connection with nature from all around the world. When you keep African cichlids and simulate their habitat, you have a little piece of Africa at home, when you have a ram cichlid, discus or Apistogramma you have a little piece of the Amazon jungle in your house. We need more nature loving people like you in the world today. Biotope aquariums have brought me much closer to the hobby and made me fall in love with it all over again.

COMMENTS TO THE ENTRIES

North America

Heiko Blessin (Germany): "Everglades National Park, Florida" and "Lake Xochimilco in Mexico City" look better than others, because it's a combination of plants and decoration. Others show a real natural biotope but we have to admit, that not all natural biotopes look beautiful. Most biotopes just show leaves, some wood and that's it. The art of biotope-scaping should be to use the original sources of the biotope and create a scape, which shows the natural beauty of the nature. And that is not easy. "Rio Hondo" is a nice set up but the number of adult cichlids is too much for that tank. They will never survive!

1. Profundulus oaxacae habitat

Heiko Bleher (Italy): Although the Profundulus biotope aquarium has also won 1st place at the Croatian Biotope Contest (voted by me), in this JBL-contest it became my second placed with 2 points behind, my 1st was The Everglades National Park (which I see Jeremy also agreed). The problem I have, is that I have been to both places (and I guess almost all other biotopes from this contest), and the Profundulus lives among roundish rocks, in fast flowing habitats, not pointed rocks and not so much submerse vegetation.

Jeremy Gay (Great Britain): Complex but well thought out aquascape that combines good hardscape and planting with a natural look and what is sure to be a great habitat for the fish residing there.

Benjamin Hamann (Germany): It’s a great layout of a natural biotope. The setup is a nearly perfect imitation of the original. Plants, fishes and the decoration represent a wonderful part of nature. Really special about this tank is the muddy ground and shoreline. It looks like it’s cut out of the real biotope. All in all the perfect enviroment for an endangered species.

Alexey Malyshev (Russia): It is a leader, without a doubt. Its design is complex in technical terms, but there is nothing excessive here. Attention is paid to every detail. I am sure that the fish taken from their native habitat to this biotope aquarium, did not even noticed that they were moved from their native environment to this aquarium.

Victor Mihai (Romania): This is one of the most beautiful in the Biotope Contest. Everything from the arrangement of stones, plants and leaves inspires authentic biotope and is also seeking the preservation of an endangered endemic species. Congratulations!

Ivan Mikolji (Venezuela): Extremely sophisticated biotope aquarium. The substrate, plants and other “décor” are covered in junk, just like in the biotope. The “periphyton covered look” is hard to recreate and it makes an aquarium look so natural.

Michael Salter (Canada): Outstanding example of what first-hand research and attention to detail can yield! Based on personal observations, the bank of this small, specific stream in Oaxaca is recreated as though a memory has come to life. It has a rough and wild look, a bit “wooly”. What is perhaps most impressive is that it looks mature, as though it has been growing and developing just as in nature: the leaves are partially decayed and distributed according to the current, stones are partly exposed above the substrate and coated with a fuzz of algae, the plants grow in zones according to the proximity to the bank, coming out from between the rocks. The bank extends above the surface, with mosses partially submerged, and very naturally sloping into deeper water with stones and roots providing the framework to support it. From close-up photos, you would not know this is an aquarium! And the fish are schooling and foraging just as they would in the wild. The great art of this tank is the way the aesthetics have been maintained without sacrificing the authenticity of this particular biotope. Photos of this biotope in the wild are quite consistent with what is represented here.

2. Río Guarumo - Panama

Heiko Bleher (Italy): This was my 4th place, together with Rio Hondo (see below). Although it has been decorated very well and has correct fishes, the plants are not, e.g. E. subocellatus, Cabomba aquatica are not found there (as already Alexey pointed out).

Alexey Malyshev (Russia): It is biotope correct, but in its description the author mentioned six species of plants, which I did not see in the photos. Therefore, according to my estimation this entry was not included to the top three, though it took the 2nd place.

3. Everglades National Park, Florida

Heiko Bleher (Italy): Even if some judges feel that it is somewhat stylish, I have seen such habitats with the biotope and aquatic vegetation correctly selected, the décor and fishes are 100% correct and as Heiko Blessin’s judgement, it was also my best one: I gave 2 points more for the Everglades National Park, Florida than for Profundulus oaxacae habitat, which was my 2nd.

Jeremy Gay (Great Britain): Love the wild but appealing look of this biotope and it contains some of my favourite fish, which I’m sure would be very happy living in there. Well balanced, well thought-out layout.

André Longarço (Brazil): This work is a pity, because the autor have much sense of layout and aquascaping, but for a Biotope contest, what really matter is the recreation of the natural environment. I think that he was very concerned about the composition and aesthetics and forgot about the natural atmosphere. But this work is still very impressive.

Victor Mihai (Romania): A beautiful biotope with an interesting decorative arrangement and plants. Too bad the water is turbid and side windows are dirty.

Ivan Mikolji (Venezuela): I just envision the fish breeding between the aquatic plants, just like I have seen them in situ. I have been to the Everglades many times and find them very interesting. I loved the sideways slope look in this aquarium.

Michael Salter (Canada): This is a beautiful and accurate biotope overall. The plants and fish are biotope-correct for Florida, and the arrangement mimics a tangle of roots and twigs among the stones near the river bank quite well. The tank is lightly stocked, and the plants arranged as they would be found in nature (towards the banks, densely planted). The impression is a snapshot of what one might see snorkeling in a creek in the Everglades close to the bank! The inhabitants look at home in this slice of habitat. One criticism is that the look is slightly stylized as a “Nature Aquarium” would be, giving some impression of “idealized nature”.

4. Lake Xochimilco in Mexico City

Heiko Bleher (Italy): The Xochimilco was my 5th place, because it should have also some fishes (e.g. Poecilia spp. live with it).

Alexey Malyshev (Russia): It is a very nice entry. Firstly, it is original in that the author used not fish and not even crustaceans, but amphibians. Secondly, I have nothing against the decor. And thirdly, most importantly, the description of the biotope corresponds to what is shown in the photos.

Victor Mihai (Romania): An interesting biotope seeking the preservation of an endangered endemic species. Congratulations!

Michael Salter (Canada): This is a portrait of a degraded habitat with invasive and endemic species represented. The feathery roots of the Pistia plants, ragged-edged fallen leaves, and  bushy branches of the wood mirror the structures of the fluffy external gills of the Axolotl. The stark tones of black, brown, and white lend the whole thing an air of shadowy mystery. It is not exactly pretty, but it has a chaotic beauty in its strangeness. One can easily imagine such a scene below the surface of the canal, along the banks. I was also impressed by the amount of background research in the description.

5. Lagoon Ocotal, Blue lagoon

Heiko Bleher (Italy): The Lagoon Ocotal, with my judging, came at the 7th place, because it has fishes only found in extreme southern South America (H. anisitsi), and the plants are not planted according to a real biotope (too far apart). This one and all others are missing biotope correct décor and fishes, as well as descriptions.

André Longarço (Brazil): I liked the environment recreated in this layout. The representation of the blue water of this lake is very impressive without to be artificial. I like the natural sensation of this work. Nice job.

Alexey Malyshev (Russia): A good combination of natural background in the twilight. Sufficient but not excessive amount of organic matter on the bottom. Fishes feel fine.

7. Rio Hondo

Heiko Bleher (Italy): The Rio Hondo was my 4th Place (together with Río Guarumo), as it was perfectly done with correct décor and fishes, and contrary to some arguments that the cichlids were too large, is not true, 4 cichlids for 300 litres is perfectly alright, each one has more than 70 litres (max needed is 50 per cichlid that size).

Jeremy Gay (Great Britain): Stunning, very colourful cichlid specimens which aren’t given the biotope treatment often enough. Judging by their colours and condition this replication of their natural habitat is suiting them very well.

André Longarço (Brazil): I think that if you want to reproduce a Paratheraps melanurus' habitat you need a huge aquarium. In my opinion, the fishes are very well, but they look like so tight in this 300 liters tank.

8. Swamps of Louisiana

Heiko Bleher (Italy): My 3rd place was Swamps of Louisiana, which was not only beautifully reproduced, but also had correct fishes and plants according to that biotope.

Ivan Mikolji (Venezuela): This aquarium drew my attention because it gave me a sensation of deep swamp water. The crayfish was an excellent addition combined with small fish.

South America

Heiko Blessin (Germany): On the first view, the picture of "Rio Nanay, Fallen Tree" looks great. But it's due to the fish and not to the decoration. "Rio Shanushi tributary near Yurimaguas, Peru" looks very natural but unfortunately the owner used oak leaves and you will never find oak trees in south america. "Flooded forest in the bend of Rio Tapajos" and "Rio Tapajos Biotope" are my favorites.

Heiko Bleher (Italy): Amazing that the biotopes of South America, although in numbers the most (which is normal, as most aquarium fishes and plants come from that continent), they were the poorest represented/shown/decorated. I was disappointed, except for a few, and unfortunately judged by the other judges except for the 4th place; as we seem to all agree on that, the Rio Abacaxís. Most South American biotopes have the problem as mentioned at the beginning: locations are too superficial (e.g. “Wild River Forest”; “South America”, “Amazon basin”, etc.); wrong fish community (not living together e.g. “Archipelago”, not ever P. scalare with Paracheirodon axelrodi – they would all be eaten fast); wrong plants (e.g. “Rio Negro”); décor is too artificial (e.g. “Rio Churun”).

1. Flooded forest in the bend of Rio Tapajos

Heiko Bleher (Italy): It is my 7th place because it has tank bred angelfishes, which have nothing to do with that biotope, also not the plant, and it is a “river bend”, but where on this large river? I am amazed how some others overlooked this! Michael said it correctly: “staged for photography”?

Jeremy Gay (Great Britain): The use of terrestrial branches and leaves definitely sets the scene for a flooded forest and the aquascape is well balanced and appealing from top to bottom and a great biotope representation.

André Longarço (Brazil): Particularly this is my favourite layout, but the only fault was to use too much plants. But the natural sensation is superb. For me it is like to take a swim into Tapajos River. Excelent!

Michael Salter (Canada): A stunning and accurate representation of flooded forest with “living trees”. The placement of stones and woodwork on the bottom gives a realistic appearance of roots growing over stone, and the leaf litter on the bottom resembles the leaf-covered forest floor. The lighting has been done carefully to suggest sunlight penetrating a shady forest canopy, lending it a theatrical quality. Although not practical of course to keep fresh branches submerged, this is precisely what one would see during the rainy season before tannins stained the water. There is a strong impression that a section of fully terrestrial forest has been recently flooded, and fish have invaded the trees! All fish look healthy and perfectly at home, are biotope-correct, and can coexist. The biotope has also been thoughtfully set up and beautifully photographed. I am very curious how the other judges will respond – is this too “staged for photography”? Or is it “too authentic to be practical”?

2. Rio Tapajos Biotope

Heiko Bleher (Italy): 2nd placed Tapajós biotope has very little to do with anywhere in that River, because: a) Corydoras panda live only in the upper Amazon (Peru); b) H. herbertaxelrodi are ONLY found in the Paraguay basin; c) E. tenellus never in a Geophagus habitat (cannot survive in such depth). But because it was nicely decorated I gave it the 6th place.

Alexey Malyshev (Russia): The design of this entry is not complicated, but look at the behavior of the fish. It is clear that they feel at home. Good quality of the photos makes a nice impression of peace and quiet in the underwater kingdom.

Victor Mihai (Romania): A very nice biotope, arranging of the elements is done very well, light and well clean designed aquarium. Unfortunately the space is small and fauna is poor.

3. Rio Shanushi tributary near Yurimaguas, Peru

Heiko Bleher (Italy): My 2nd place was Rio Shanushi, as it was well done, according to the A. baenschi biotope, and correctly described.

Jeremy Gay (Great Britain): One of the best twig and leaf litter aquascapes I’ve ever seen, and one which is repeated in nature the world over with many of our aquarium favourites adapted to live in such a habitat.

4. Rio Abacaxis, shore of the lake Lago Glemende

Alexey Malyshev (Russia): It is a bright, positive entry. Randomly growing moss and long roots of Pistia make the biotope aquarium look natural. Oak leaves on the bottom should be replaced by willow or alder ones.

Victor Mihai (Romania): A nice biotope with an interesting impression.

6. São Gabriel da Cachoeira do Rio Negro

Ivan Mikolji (Venezuela): Dark waters and what seemed to me as plant roots made me feel at home. The water color, leaf litter and what seems an absence of rocks just make it a great representation of the habitat!

7. Archipelago

Alexey Malyshev (Russia): This entry can be called an episode of the life of uaru, guarding their fry. Alder cones and oak leaves on the bottom are excessive, but I like a piece of the cichlid family life.

Ivan Mikolji (Venezuela): Monochromatic brown darkness filled with tree branches. This is Uaru land! This is exactly what I expect to see in their habitat.

8. Rio Negro - Dark Forest

Ivan Mikolji (Venezuela): Wow, what a great representation of the Rio Negro. It really looks like the real thing! This aquarium makes me want to setup one just like it at home. Superb.

Michael Salter (Canada): Although the name is far too general, the description does suggest a more specific biotope of marginal flooded swamplands. It is a really striking and bold design, with the starkness of the empty branches and the deep reddish tint of the water, just as one would expect to find in such a swamp. Yet it is also subtle: the inhabitants are all biotope-correct, and match perfectly with the surroundings. It is well balanced, and the criss-crossing branches projecting above the surface give it a wild appearance, as do the scattered leaves and debris on the bottom – some decayed to the point of transparency. Minor points would be the fact that alder cones (especially those still clinging to the branches) are very temperate-looking, and would not occur in this habitat, and some of the branches look sharply “clipped”, which interrupts the natural continuity of the biotope. It also looks slightly stylized. However, it has been very well-photographed, shows a great deal of attention and effort, and is indeed a work of art.

9. Rio Paracon - Amazon

Heiko Bleher (Italy): My 3rd place is Rio Paracon, as it was also done almost correctly, but Tom has to correct the following next time: a) Echinodorus bleherae (correct spelling), to be planted in small groups; b) give a better description (mainly better correct location, as I believe you have it out of my Bleher’s Discus, volume 1, and the river I found the Blue Discus is correctly Paraconí, or Pacoval); and c) void D. filamentosus, as they are not found with discus and not in the Paraconí, only north of the Amazon.

André Longarço (Brazil): This is the better biotope in my opinion, because the author represented unusual sensibility of the real atmosphere of the Amazon rivers. With no plants in excess, with black water, the right kind of driftwood, correct substrate and rocks... I think that this guy was born in Brazil... Congratulations.

10. At the bottom of the Amazon Basin

Jeremy Gay (Great Britain): Simplicity rules the day with this piranha biotope and combines both the less-is-more ethos with a very genuine looking underwater scene.

11. Rio Nanay, Fallen Tree

Michael Salter (Canada): It is great to see an explanation of the thinking behind this biotope, and thoughts as to what specific area it is meant to be based on – Iquitos.  Thought has gone into creating a credible narrative to support what we are seeing. Beyond this, the overall impression is very appealing. Nature is not always graceful, but sometimes it is! By selecting really nicely sculpted pieces of wood, and placing them so that it looks like they have split apart in the middle (and also that their orientation and pattern of wear reflect the flow of water over them) the creator has walked the thin line between aesthetics and patterns of nature, showing where they intersect perfectly. Everything about this biotope treads the line: the slight blackwater stain, scattered leaves, plain sand, and sprinkling of floating plants are all appropriate for the biotope as are the fish shown. It is simple and elegant, with a very nice contract between the angelfish, tetras, and Apistogramma. It is also a bit small for the number of angelfish though, and slightly too “tidy”. It seems a blend of Biotope and Nature Aquarium styles.

13. Rio Guapore

Heiko Bleher (Italy): My 1st place was definitely Rio Guaporé, the only South American biotope decoration completely correct to the nature (as Echinodorus grow there), correct décor and fishes. Was this overlooked by most (?), as it has been given by others a 13th place.

14. Rio Negro Biotope

Victor Mihai (Romania): A beautiful recreation. Arrangement of decorative items is done very well! Too bad the tank is not big enough and fauna is poor.

16. Rio Negro

André Longarço (Brazil): Well, as a Brazilian judge, I think that this tank is very well assembled, but does not look like the Rio Negro environment. In the most part of the river we don't find so many aquatic plants like in this layout, because the black water don't allow. Next time it is necessary to be focused in the representation of natural environment and not to build a beautiful aquarium like this. Actually, this aquarium is a very good Nature Aquarium layout.

17. Part of the flooded Amazon forest during the high water

André Longarço (Brazil): Particularly, I liked this aquarium so much, but I think that the blue light don't match this natural environment that the author propose. The concept was very interesting but the execution was not. One another thing, in this case, the wild Discus are more appropriated than Blue Diamond discus.

Ivan Mikolji (Venezuela): This is one of the aquariums that drew my attention a lot. I found myself going back to it quite often. The biotope concept is extraordinary. It reminded me of when I swim in the flooded Amazon. Polishing or fine tuning this biotope setup could create a minimalist, dream biotope aquarium.

Africa

Heiko Blessin (Germany): In Malawi and Tanganyika tanks the participants put just some rocks in the tank. But they don't reach the surface and they are decorated in a beautiful scaping way. "Stony-sandy biotope of Lake Malawi" is much too overcrowded and the airstone in tank "Lake Malawi, at the bottom" is a NO GO. "The coastal zone of the African river", "Backwater in the rainforest in the lower Ogun River in Nigeria" and "Banks of Malebo Pool or (Stanley Pool) Congo" are the best of the plant/deco tanks, "Green dream of Tanganyika", "Lake Malawi, Rocky Paradise" and "Lake Tanganyika" the best ones of the pure rocky tanks. "Congo" is a bit outstanding: It's really like a photo of the nature, but it doesn't look that beautiful. Very difficult to judge.

Heiko Bleher (Italy): I am pleased as it seems that all judges agreed that the 1st place is the Backwater of the lower Ogun, but unfortunately not the rest (at all). Most African biotopes are or poorly described (e.g. “African Biotope”, “Backwater Congo River”, “Lake Malawi”, “Lake Tanganyika”, etc.), or location is wrong (e.g. “Coastal Zone of African River”, although it was a beautiful decoration with excellent plants and Evgeniy has it very well done, there are no Anubias or similar plants growing anywhere near the African coast).

1. Backwater in the rainforest in the lower Ogun River in Nigeria

Heiko Bleher (Italy): 1st place: as mentioned all agreed, it was for me, together with only 3 others in the contest, the only one I gave the highest points. It was done very well, everything is correct to that river habitat, except some fine beige sand is missing. Remember next time, Svetlana.

Jeremy Gay (Great Britain): This biotope will make many an aquascaper sit up an take notice as it combines good hardscape, planting and composition with some very content looking fish specimens.

André Longarço (Brazil): This layout was my second place in the list but my first choice in my heart. As an aquascaper, I was impressed with the sensibility and natural aesthetic of the way that the author placed the plants and driftwood. The great knowledge of how this kind of plants grow in nature, in bushes, not individually, and good representation of the margin of the river enchanted me. In natural environment, this zone of the river that was represented, is frequently soaked with a fine layer of crystal clear water, what permit that the aquatic plants grow luxuriantly. Good job, nice to see and feel the natural energy.

Alexey Malyshev (Russia): It is an undisputed leader in this category. In this aquarium we have everything (or almost everything): the complexity of the design and technology, healthy, well-fed fish and good quality of the pictures.

Victor Mihai (Romania): A nice biotope with a good layout and a rich flora. A more generous space is suitable for wildlife.

Michael Salter (Canada): It's a really splendid and wild-looking Nigerian biotope, and proof that West African biotopes do not have to be boring! The placement of the plants among the roots cascading down from one side near the surface is accurate and makes for a plausible and attractive shoreline effect. There is an impression of wild growth exploding out from the shadows. All plants are biotope-correct, although they might not be found in such close proximity. The gravelly, leaf-litter strewn floor enhances the realism of this biotope, and the placement of the roots in ascending layers towards the back increases the sense of depth. All fish are species that would be found together in nature, and correct for the biotope. They look healthy and very active. However, there is one thing I am surprised by - why hasn't the Pantodon buchholzi eaten any of the Chromaphyosemion bitaeniatum? Perhaps it is well-fed? Nevertheless it is certainly capable of doing so, as I have personally witnessed. The biotope is very nicely presented and photographed.

2. Lake Tanganyika

Heiko Bleher (Italy): It was naturally the best of the Rift-lake biotopes, but still for me only the 5th place, as it had a) very poor description; b) no precise location on this gigantic lake (as Alexey comments correctly); c) not decorated according to nature (missing rocks in the back).

Victor Mihai (Romania): One of the most beautiful African biotopes that I have seen. Arrangement of stones is fantastic and a fauna is beautiful. Pity the aquarium is small and have dirty sides with the uninspired backgroung.

3. Congo

Heiko Bleher (Italy): I really do not know why this became the 3rd. It is my 15th place! Simply because too many things are not at all biotope-correct: a) I discovered Ps. nicholsi and therefore know very well no P. interruptus do live anywhere near (only below the rapids at Kisangani), and not in the Lualaba, nor Lindi; b) correct location should be in the topic (Lindi); c) sand is wrong, is white.

Jeremy Gay (Great Britain): Superbly lifelike in its looks this biotope helps the viewer to realise that most aquatic vegetation in nature breaks the surface, providing a very natural, but unconventional aquarium scene.

Benjamin Hamann (Germany): This tank is a great example for a nice balanced decoration that represents the real biotope nearly exactly. The used grass generates the natural look of the edge found in the habitat. The color and structure of the ground is also a great copy of the natural enviroment. That’s how Pseudocrenilabrus should be maintained.

Alexey Malyshev (Russia): It's hard to recreate the biotope of lakes Malawi and Tanganyika (their rocky areas), but the author of this entry manage to do it. In the composition stones of different sizes are used, that is correct. They are naturally positioned. There is, however, an omission: it is almost a complete lack of description of the biotope. In Tanganyika, as in any other lake, there are several biotope areas: rocky, sandy, transitional, marginal with muddy bottom and thickets of papyrus and others.

Ivan Mikolji (Venezuela): If you want to know what you will see most of the time when you snorkel underwater in the wild, look at this aquarium! It is quite impressive to see it.

Michael Salter (Canada): While not the most attractive African biotope presented, the authenticity of this Lindi River biotope wins me over. It is truly a cross-section of the marginal zone with the half-emersed grasses and Nymphaea, a microhabitat that is rarely attempted in aquaria. The dark, fine substrate and smooth, round-edged stones set into the the shoreline around the grass adds to the illusion that a box has been put around a genuine piece of the river shore. The effect is subtle but decisive: this does not look like an aquarium, it looks like the real thing. Its simplicity is the key here, there is nothing contrived or strained about this attempt. Furthermore, all fish seem at home and look very natural swimming among the grass blades. My only criticism would be that it would be nice to see bait more clearly beneath the surface (since it is very dark), maybe with a couple of well-placed rays of sunlight produced by LED lights. Also, a larger aquarium with an open area for the Phenacogrammus interrupts would be better suited to them.

4. Green dream of Tanganyika

Heiko Bleher (Italy): Was the title important for judging? I gave it the 12th position, because: a) it has no precise location; b) albino fishes will never live in the biotope (get eaten immediately); c) rocks are never that “green” in nature.

Jeremy Gay (Great Britain): The best of the African lake rockscapes in the competition, this biotope combines excellent fish specimens of appealing species with very good overall composition.

Victor Mihai (Romania): A very nice biotope with exceptional arrangement of stones. A more generous space is suitable for fauna.

Michael Salter (Canada): It is a shame that the biotope description is so brief and non-specific, because this is a very attractive and natural-looking representation of a Tanganyika biotope. The considered placement of rockwork with larger, imposing pieces surrounded by progressively smaller ones resembles real patterns of wear and fracturing in the wild habitat, and there are no unnatural structures like "rock piles". Likewise the arrangement is without obvious symmetry or organisation, a challenging balance to achieve. The type of stone is also realistic, as each one is quite angular yet slightly eroded as one sees in Lake Tanganyika. Bright green algae covering the "sunlit" faces of the rocks is a critical detail, providing not only a beautiful and mature appearance, but also giving the Tropheus natural grazing areas so that they may exhibit their instinctual behaviour. It is a real pleasure to see a Rift tank that is this well planned and aesthetic. However, the albino cichlids look out of place (they would not survive long in the wild) and it seems that some of the cichlids come from different areas of Lake Tanganyika.

6. Banks of Malebo Pool or (Stanley Pool) Congo

Heiko Bleher (Italy): My 3rd place is Banks of Malebo Pool, as it is very well done, a real bank of that area (although could be more precise location), fishes and plants correct to the biotope.

André Longarço (Brazil): Great work, my second choice in this category, but with some mistakes. 1. This lagoon doesn’t have black water like Amazon's rivers. 2. The leaves on the bottom must be the same of the plants who live in the same margin. 3. This kind of plants live in clear water and in bushes more dense. But the high point in this work is the great perception of natural position of the woods and plants.

Alexey Malyshev (Russia): It is a classical technique of making a marginal area. Everything is good, nothing is excessive. Tetras swim freely. But Pantodon feels uncomfortable in this design. There should be more floating plants or Nymphea with large leaves on the surface.

9. Underwater forest of Congo river - Yangambi population

Heiko Bleher (Italy): My 4th place was Underwater forest of Congo River – Yangambi Population. Simply as it was an exact Ps. nicholsi habitat (and not as the 3rd place), besides had an excellent description of the biotope and area, very well done. Unfortunately others placed it in the 9th position, definitely incorrect placement. Naturally as hardly any one of the judges knew where and how this beauty lives. Sorry Emil Visan, but you did a great job. Thanks for reminding me of that biotope.

10. West Africa

Heiko Bleher (Italy): My 2nd place is West Africa. I cannot understand why it came at this contest in the 10th position, it was although simple, but nicely done with the correct plants and fishes, as well as décor. Very poor was the description and also the location was poorly described.

Eurasia

Heiko Blessin (Germany): "A mountain stream in southern Primorye" and "Magic Dream" are my favourites. "Indus River - a large river in South Asia", "Narmada - India", "Inle Lake, Burma", "Sreng River" are the worst ones: Just a few leaves, some roots and the biotope is ready. The participants didn't understand that you should not only copy a biotope but create a nice picture of the biotope. "Colosus" is the worst of the competition: Fish and plants are from all over the world. It's a world biotope aquarium and doesn't even look nice.

Heiko Bleher (Italy): The Eurasian biotopes this time were among some of the best overall, really very difficult to judge, but is seems that here the judges were all very close (maybe because habitats and locations are better known?). The number 1 placed was agreed by all judges, as it seemed, also number 3 placed, and the 5th was agreed on too. The other Eurasian biotopes are, or poorly done (e.g. “Narmada River”, “Sreng River”), or have a very poor description (eg. “Eurasia”, “Indus River”), or just over-done with plants, such as “Demonic Eurasia”, or “Colosus”.

1. A mountain stream in southern Primorye

Heiko Bleher (Italy): It was so perfectly done, really astonishing and I believe no one could have done it better, and as everything is 100% correct, even the flow of the mountain stream and accordingly the plants and decoration, that it received my highest points in all this contest. Congratulations to Vyacheslav and I am very happy to find so far on the other end of Russia such a great biotope-person.

Jeremy Gay (Great Britain): Although a bit large, the Phoxinus featured are stunning fish and the décor and aspect ratio of the tank do set a mountain stream scene.

André Longarço (Brazil): This layout reminds me the Congo's rivers, but I liked the sense of flow and the aquatic plants arrangement. The fishes feel comfortable, but I think that the aquarium could be a little bit bigger.

Alexey Malyshev (Russia): It is an undisputed leader. Here there is everything: plants and fish, decorative technique, beauty of perception. I can guess even the direction of the flow, and the minnow males looking like they usually do when breeding are a delight.

Victor Mihai (Romania): An interesting arrangement, unfortunately the fish population is too high in contrast to the volume of the aquarium.

Ivan Mikolji (Venezuela): I seldom see cold water river biotope setups, I wish there were more, they are so amazing. The rocks placed high, at or past the middle of the aquarium represent mountain river riffles perfectly. This is a biotope aquarium example to follow.

Michael Salter (Canada): A biotope aquarium in the true sense of the word, this tank demonstrates a the results of diligent research and personal experience. All inhabitants are exactly those found together in nature, and of course these fish are not purchased from any aquarium shop! Neither is the moss commonly available, it is just what appears in the wild biotope. A strong current mimics the unidirectional flow of the stream and allows the fish to engage in their natural behaviour swimming against the current in a school or sheltering among the rocks. The type of river stones and gravel are right for the biotope, as is the growth pattern of moss on top of the stones (though I would have preferred more variety in the size of the stones) and the fern extending underwater from the "shore" is a nice touch. More effort could have been expended to create a "bank" with some sloping and terracing of gravel with different-sized stones. All fish look vigorously healthy and are courting, displaying, and schooling just as they would in the wild.

2. Stream near Lake Biwa

Heiko Bleher (Italy): This is my 4th place, although it is very well done, and practically as I have encountered it in affluent creeks of this large Japanese lake, some fishes living here endemic in these streams are missing in this biotope, e.g. the Ko-Ayu (Plecoglossus altivelis) is in every stream, also the bottom dwelling Sarcocheilichthys biwaensis, Rhinogobius spp., etc.

Jeremy Gay (Great Britain): Although not terribly complex the décor, planting, livestock choice, lighting and photography do set the biotope scene for the viewer and offers a view of an underwater world.

Alexey Malyshev (Russia): In this entry there are only shrimps. But they are large and many. Technically the biotope is set up correctly: it is a creek that is shown in cross section. In the center there is a channel without plants, and on the edges there is Vallisneria, where shrimp live and can hide.

Michael Salter (Canada): The concept for this biotope is sound, and it has been well-researched. From the front, the biotope appears quite natural with light imitating shafts of sunlight piercing the surface to illuminate tussocks of Vallisneria americana var. biwaensis and fallen twigs and leaves of bamboo, just as one would expect of this stream in the wild. The biotope-correct Macrobachrium nipponense appear active and healthy. Having a dark background provides a pleasant contrast with the bright green Vallisneria and pale bamboo leaves, and the rocks embedded in the sand look natural. However, on closer inspection there are a few issues - the larger, darker stones do not match the smaller, lighter ones in colour, texture, or contours and so look a bit artificial due to the discrepancy. Likewise, from another angle we can see a blue background and some kind of dark gravel in the plant sections that is in stark contrast to the lighter sand in the front, so the illusion breaks down here.

3. North Bengal Himalayan hill stream biotope

Heiko Bleher (Italy): This place is well chosen by all judges as it seems, and Sujoy, my dear Indian friend has done it correctly, as we have been together in this habitat, he saw the correct biotope and did it exactly the same, also the fishes are from this location. In addition he did the water flow of this hill stream as we saw it in nature.

Jeremy Gay (Great Britain): Not a pretty biotope representation but nevertheless its one which should serve its purpose for the residents and could feasibly represent a natural habitat.

Alexey Malyshev (Russia): Number of fish presented in this aquarium is impressive. However, in the pictures I saw only two species: Psilorhynchus and Balitora. The rest is apparently hidden. The presented biotope can be found anywhere in the world. I did not like the driftwood with visible cut, laid on top of the stones. In nature it will be carried away with strong flow. The stones are all of the same size and shape. The sand is not washed bythe flow. In technical terms the aquarium is not finished.

Ivan Mikolji (Venezuela): The bare out of the substrate round rocks are typical of a fast flowing mountain river. The yellow tinge in the water makes the aquarium stand out.

4. Chao Phraya river, flooded forests

Heiko Bleher (Italy): This is my 5th place, because although it is well done, the Betta looks like a breeding form, and one plant like Microsorum pteropus (better photos next time of fish and plant).

Victor Mihai (Romania): An interesting arrangement with good light. Unfortunately the fauna and the background are poor.

5. Magic Dream

Heiko Bleher (Italy): My 2nd place was Magic Dream (the 5th place by others, maybe because also above water beautiful?). It has a poor description, but a magnificent and correct décor – indeed very well done and beautiful. Also the Betta lives exactly in such a habitat, very well done, George, you can be proud, and all other Greek people, where I was happy to coordinate and judge the very 1st International Biotope Aquarium Contest some years ago.

6. Inle Lake, Burma

Heiko Bleher (Italy): I must say also that “Inle Lake” is not over done with plants, the lake where I collected the first Sawbwa resplendens alive, is really completely dense as shown with plants – throughout their habitat, Yuri has done it correctly.

Ivan Mikolji (Venezuela): I have swam in places like this one. A layer of large amount of aquatic plants cover the surface. Below the plants there is an empty dark space where fishes swim around. The gently sloping of the substrate breaks the monotony of the underworld.

Michael Salter (Canada): Any kind of description of the biotope would have been nice! However, it does approximate a shallow shoreline section of Lake Inle quite well. The emergent vegetation on the right side bank, and the sand sloping down into the weed-choked deeper waters looks correct for the biotope. Likewise, all plants and fish have been carefully selected from those that occur in Lake Inle, and would be found in the same area. The overall impression is of a lush, overgrown chunk of Lake Inle. Unfortunately the photographs are of somewhat poor quality, especially of the fish (which must have been difficult due to the darkness of the biotope), and not much attention was given to cleaning the glass before photographing either.

13. Colosus

André Longarço (Brazil): Beautiful work, but definitely, this is not a Nature Aquarium contest.

Victor Mihai (Romania): A nice arrangement with a rich flora, beautiful and healthy. Unfortunately hardskape's framing and population number were not inspired.

Australia & Oceania

Heiko Blessin (Germany): "Waterhole near Douglas Creek" is like a shot of the nature but is not as impressive as "Rainforest creek of Warey River, Batanta Island, New Guinea". Therefore the letter is my favourite. Crystal clear water, nice fish and a nice set up.

Heiko Bleher (Italy): These were almost all well made near to nature biotopes, but the placement except for the 2nd place and the 6th place were different by other judges in comparing to my placements, and this can only be because I was in each one of these places and often several times, therefore automatically must know the biotopes very well. All in this group did the closest to original biotopes of all groups, congratulations to all 6 participants.

1. Waterhole near Douglas Creek

Heiko Bleher (Italy): Petra, who has won last years competition very well deserved, has done again an excellent biotope, very simple, but almost close to the habitat of these tiny gobioids, but for instance there are no leave litter in the desert area where they live, not even close (maybe a few million years ago there were trees). Secondly there is no flow, no water flowing ever (unless it rains like every 10 years or so). This is my 3rd place, because of the mentioned facts (sorry Petra, but these are the facts you should know).

Jeremy Gay (Great Britain): One of the best biotope representations in this competition with a very different look and different inhabitants. This will inspire many fishkeepers for sure.

Benjamin Hamann (Germany): If you look at this tank you can feel the extreme conditions the gobies often have to cope with. It’s an unusual enviroment to recreate in aquaria but the result seen here is wonderful. The special character of the habitat is given back in a real good way. A simply nice tank to spend hours with interesting observations.

André Longarço (Brazil): This layout can be used to exemplify the famous phrase of Mies Van der Rohe, a renowned german architect. "Less is more". I was perplexed to see how simple a reproduction of a biotope can be. The author used great sensibility not to shock with the excess, but with the simplicity, by the way, mechanism that is used by Mother Nature very much. Know how to contemplate is the better way to really understand the nature. Well done, this type of work that encourages me to continue my crusade.

Alexey Malyshev (Russia): Originality in technique puts this entry to the top three. Simplicity in design does not detract from its merits. Even one glance is enough to determine that it is the real biotope. The photos of fragments are made not very well. There should be more gobies in the pictures.

Ivan Mikolji (Venezuela): Loved this entry because of its minimalism yet it is incredibly interesting. Small amount of small fish of one species simulates the fish population in the habitat perfectly. The setup seems like the perfect balance between aquaristics and nature; something I would like to have myself in my living room.

Michael Salter (Canada): This may be the most unique and unusual biotope represented, and it has been executed extremely well. Dried grass sprouting from the shallows among rounded river stones embedded in fine sand, scattered with fallen leaves (all of consistent hue, texture, and shape) portray a desert waterhole scene where only one species of fish can survive - Chlamydogobius eremites. The effort put into recreating this extreme habitat with saline, alkaline water parameters is commendable. The gobies blend in with the surroundings perfectly, showing their excellent camouflage. Brighter lighting to imitate sunlit waters would have added to the desert atmosphere.

2. Tributary of the river Mamberamo

Heiko Bleher (Italy): This again my introduction and often published is done accordingly but wrong is the fact that they do NOT ever occur in fast flowing water, nor NEVER in the main stream and Vallisneria nana is not found there. Still a deserved 2nd place.

Jeremy Gay (Great Britain): Well lit, a with a nice combination of sand, wood and planting. Pulls the onlooker in to view more and study each part of the aquarium in more depth, searching out more livestock as one does so.

André Longarço (Brazil): This work is very simple and real. But the aquatic plants could be better positioned. In the nature the bushes are not too formal and separated.

Alexey Malyshev (Russia): This entry is worth its second place. It is almost all biotope correct in it. But a number of fish should be tripled. Then they would change their behavior. It would be natural.

Victor Mihai (Romania): A beautiful biotope, healthy flora and fauna.

Ivan Mikolji (Venezuela): Sand bottom with light amount of thin black root debris on it, long green plants; it is the habitat! Well balanced layout!

3. New Guinea

Heiko Bleher (Italy): This could simply not be the 3rd place, because of the name; of too many rocks; and again swiftly flowing stream is unknown to the species, unless it floods. My 5th place.

Jeremy Gay (Great Britain): A very natural looking water body which sets the scene for a natural habitat and biotope very well.

Victor Mihai (Romania): A beautiful biotope. Arrangement of stones and wood is very well, natural. Congratulations!

Ivan Mikolji (Venezuela): This entry reminded me of what you see underwater in the wild. The balance between the amount of “living volume and space” suits the scanty monospecies setup.

4. Rainforest creek of Warey River, Batanta Island, New Guinea

Heiko Bleher (Italy): My 1st place was The Rainforest Creek of Warey River on Batanta Island. Possibly also here the other judges did not read my extensive reports about this creek, already published in the early 1990, and again this millennium. It is, of all entries under Australasia, the most correct one, as I have encountered it when I discovered the species today called M. synergos. The description is near to perfect, also the fishes are those from the biotope, the plants as well as gravel and rocks, the Greek guy, Dimitris, did a perfect research and a beautiful biotope-correct aquarium in every sense of the word. Dimitris, I am sorry you were miss-judged by others.

Alexey Malyshev (Russia): Despite the simplicity in design and small errors in the technical execution (you cannot determine the direction of flow), this entry in my opinion is the best in its category. The decisive factor during evalating was the quality and behavior of fish in this biotope aquarium.

Victor Mihai (Romania): A biotope is very nice with a fresh appearance even if the flora is poor.

Michael Salter (Canada): A beautiful rendition of a fast-flowing rainforest creek. The substrate is noteworthy, as it accurately represents the description of sand and limestone cobbles with the mixture of light and dark coloured rounded stones. The organisation of stones looks natural as they smoothly transition from a hill on the left sloping down towards the right and towards the front, enhancing the appearance of depth. The placement of plants and wood  (which appears to represent tree roots extending into the stream) is balanced and realistic. Having a variable size distribution among the fish represents what would be found in nature with a mix of mature and juvenile fish. The tank has been beautifully photographed and is a credit to the hobby!

5. Coastal zone of Musa river in the Safia valley, Papua - New Guinea

Heiko Bleher (Italy): This was my 4th place, as it was done very well, very similar to what I encountered in this biotope when I found Ps. furcatus here (which should have been added), TOGETHER with Tateurndina ocellicauda, and also a Melanotaenia sp. Therefore the description is very poor, otherwise very good.

Michael Salter (Canada): The title more properly should be Marginal Zone or Shoreline, but we get the idea. There is little information in the description. This biotope evokes a spot near the bank where driftwood and palm fronds have snagged on the rocks and thickets of marginal plants have grown in the area sheltered from the current - and quite successfully. The arrangement of stones is true to nature, half buried in the gravel and providing support for the bank to slope up towards the back. The orientation of the palm frond and driftwood indicates the direction of the current and gives a sense of unidirectional movement. Gravel and stones are the right size, colour, and shape for a river. The fish are biotope-correct and seem well-acclimated. The tank looks very new however, since it has not had time to mature with algae and so on on the stones and wood.

6. River mouth in Lake Sentani

Heiko Bleher (Italy): Arseniy from Moscow, who got the last (6th place) by all judges, note that: a) Sentani lies in West Papua (former Irian Jaya), and not in Papua New Guinea; b) no “piles” of driftwood in the lake at all; c) hardly any rocks, otherwise not bad.