This lavish aquarium brings back memories of the coast of an uninhabited island. It exudes the exotic atmosphere of Southeast Asia and offers glimpses of warm tropical waters.
Because of the beautiful plants and animals that come from the coastal area of Thailand, this aquarium requires only a low water level. It is therefore easy to maintain. There is much more to see than on a normal holiday beach and your Thai beach aquarium will tempt you to dream about a warmer climate.
The decor
- Yellow aquarium rocks: Use 3 to 4 sand-colored aquarium stones to build the beach. The bricks should each be no longer than one fifth the length of the tank. Take bricks with holes to create pools and caves for your fish to hide in.
- Mopani wood: Mopani wood is harder and lighter in color than normal driftwood. Choose 2 pieces to put in the water and on the beach. Each piece should be about one-third the length of the bin.
- Green dracaena: This tall plant with its waxy leaves is excellent for giving the beach a tropical atmosphere. Use 4 plants.
- Syngonium podophyllum: A beautiful plant with three-pointed leaves that thrives in this environment. Use 2 to 3 plants.
- Shells: Use a selection of pretty little seashells such as cowrie shells and triton cones to create a beach atmosphere. Randomly sprinkle on the sand above the waterline. Use 20 to 25 shells.
- Gravel: Use a generous amount of sand-colored gravel to build the bottom layer behind the stones, shape the structure of the beach, and prevent the sand from washing into the water. Wash the gravel well before use. Use 15 kg of gravel for a medium sized container.
- River sand: Cover the gravel bottom layer completely with river sand. For a medium-sized aquarium you need 20 kg of sand. Pay attention when you put the sand in the bin, It can easily stick to the glass. Also be careful when you let the water run into the tank, otherwise the sand slope will wash away in the water.
Place the wood and stones on the center line of the box and use it to build a ‘wall’ that is one third of the way in height. (This is the target beach height.) Pour the gravel behind the stones and wood to secure it and make the base of the beach. Let the gravel gradually rise towards the back. Now carefully cover the pebbles, wood and stones with a layer of sand, covering all holes and openings. Let the sand slide over the stones to the front of the bin, creating the lowest point in the front center. Plant the dracaena on both sides of the beach and the syngonium around the dracaena on the right. Sprinkle the shells over the beach and let the water slowly run into the tank, until it is as high as the ‘wall’. Then carefully scoop it over the beach to smooth the slope.
The main characters
Red crab
It is always amusing to see this small, beautifully shaped crab at the bottom of the aquarium. They like to climb and prove their worth by cleaning up the food debris in the aquarium. Do not use more than 10 crabs in a medium container.
Dwarf gourami
A small, active fish from Southeast Asia, which is very different from other gouramis due to its natural habitat. Because it thrives in shallow water and rocky pools, it is a perfect fish for this aquarium. For the best visual effect, use 20 fish in a medium-sized aquarium.
Red crabs like to climb. Keep them from escaping by climbing up the air tube or thermometer. Since crabs can develop a strong territorial drive, it is better to leave them in the tank at the same time and make sure they are about the same size. Keep in mind that crabs like to root and dig, and they will likely make all kinds of attempts to change the arrangement of your plants!
Alternative fish
Sherry barbeque
The small and colorful sherry barbeque comes from Southeast Asia. Do not use more than 20 fish for a medium-sized aquarium.
You can change the appearance of this aquarium by adding more stones or plants, raising the beach or using other plant species. If you decide to raise the beach slightly, the water arrow in the aquarium will rise. Make sure that your plants still fit well in your aquarium and do not protrude above the edge!