[AGA Contest] A straw dog

["roger" <roger@spinn.net>]

The letter includes at the end a few paragraphs that could be used or modified
and used as guidance for entrants in the biotope category.  I try to explain
what a biotope is, what a biotope aquarium is and where common inaccuracies
lie.  I also try to resolve the relative importance of accuracy and aquascaping.

Please comment, edit, rant, discard or abuse as you see fit.  Just don't
ignore it.  In particular, it might be good to include some of Steve's
discussion.  Simplifications to syntax and vocabulary are welcome.  I would
like it to stay as short as it can be and still cover the necessary material.

I think entrants in the biotope category should include a description of the
biotope represented on their entry form.  That instruction probably belongs on
the instructions for entering or on the entry form itself rather than in this
guidance.

If the Biotope/Natural Aquarium category is really intended for biotope tanks
then I would like to see the name changed to "Biotope Aquascapes" or something
similar.  That will avoid confusion with "Nature Aquariums".  It might also
discourage entries that are partly self-sustaining ecosystems (my concept of
"Natural Aquarium") but which are not biotopes.


Roger

On to the promised text...

A biotope is a region that has homogeneous environmental conditions and which
is populated by a homogeneous native population of plants and animals.  A
single stream or lake may include numerous biotopes.  For instance, a stony
riffle in a stream may be one biotope while a nearby silt-bottomed pool on the
same stream may be a different biotope.  On the other hand, the same biotope
may occur in numerous streams in a region where all stony riffles or
silt-bottomed pools support the same community of plants and animals.

A biotope aquarium models the physical conditions in a biotope and is
populated by plants and animals that are found together in that biotope.  In
an accurate biotope aquarium the water temperature, water movement, water
chemistry, color and turbidity mimic the natural habitat.  Stones, wood and
debris if present in the biotope are also present in the biotope aquarium. 
The substrate in the biotope aquarium is similar to the natural substrate. 
The aquarium would probably not include all of the plants and animals native
to the biotope but the only plants and animals in a biotope aquarium are
plants and animals found living together in the natural biotope.

Most biotope aquariums are not accurate.  The aquarist does not need to
slavishly reproduce every feature of a biotope in order to provide a natural
home for the inhabitants of a biotope aquarium.  Many features of natural
biotopes may be undesirable in an aquarium.  On the other hand, features that
distinguish a particular biotope from other biotopes should be represented in
the biotope aquarium.

Some typical inaccuracies are:
        Failing to represent the physical conditions of the biotope (for 
example,
water color in a blackwater stream biotope aquarium).
        Including species from different habitats in order to fulfill an 
aquaristic
need, such as algae eaters or plants that grow well in low light.
        Including species from a common region that do not inhabit the same 
biotope.
 These are regional theme tanks.
        Including specimens that are related to native plants or animals but
arehybrids, inbred strains or horicultural varieties not found in nature.

The AGA Aquascaping Contest is concerned with the design of the aquascape
shown in the biotope aquarium and much less with the accuracy of the
representation. However, the biotope category is for those aquascapers who
accept the challenges and limitations of a biotope aquarium.  

No entries will be disqualifed based on inaccuracies.  However, judges are
encouraged to give less accurate entries a lower score for selection and use
of materials.  An entry needs to score well on all judging criteria to place
well in the competition.  Aquascapers who are concerned with their placement
in the competition and who's aquariums show regional themes rather than
biotopes or who's aquariums may include species that are not native to the
same biotope are encouraged to enter their aquariums in one of the aquatic
garden categories.

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