I absolutely loved this biotope setup, which looks exactly like a slow flowing, rocky river habitat. One of the details that drew my attention was the similarity between the substrate and the bigger rocks. Many aquarists which try to recreate a habitat sometimes forget that the substrate in a river is usually eroded from the larger boulders or mother rock found in the same body of water. I also liked the filamentous green algae attached to the rocks which adds a natural look to the setup.

This display certainly reminds the judge that a biotope can be effective, natural and faithful and not be beautiful! Algae is very much part of nature and has its own beauty. The black background is a bit simplistic and the lack of a sense of flow (which these fishes appreciate) does render the display a little static. While the layout is clearly a good representation of the habitat, I am again minded to point out ethical elements. The tank used is only 60cm and not much swimming space has been left for the fishes. R. argyotaenia can reach 14cm and B. binotatus can reach up to 20cm in captivity. As last year, I find myself constantly downgrading scores of otherwise great displays due to the fish choices/tank sizes. The tank must be suitable for the fishes used when considering their maximum adult size. This is the only fair and ethical approach.