# Malaysian biotope suggestions



## Jeffreyrichard1 (Oct 12, 2016)

I have a 55 gallon low tech aquarium; looking for suggestions to finish out aquascaping ... theme is (semi) Malaysian with Rasboras, loaches and gouramis. I have a dozen plus crypts (wendtii clumps, bananase) and java ferns, plus several barcalaya. I am looking for ideas or offers to sell some more plants to round out the tank, trying to keep as close to a Malaysian biotope as possible. Looking for easy-to-grow, inexpensive plants. I have a 48 inch T5/2 bulb light. Thanks


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## Opare (Sep 9, 2015)

When I saw the title first thing I was gonna say was Crypts, but I think you've got that down. If you wanna be more specific with the exact species that grow in Malaysia this is a good site to have a look. http://crypts.home.xs4all.nl/Cryptocoryne/index.html
Interestingly enough, eventhough I'm from Malaysia I actually do not know many plant species that are from here, just species from the region.
As for stems stuff like the cheap fast-growing Limnophila species (L. sessiliflora) would be good. Also Eleocharis species, and maybe Rotala rotundifolia.


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## John Wong (Dec 2, 2015)

I also from Malaysia, last time another forum member mentioned that bucephalandra all originated from Borneo island

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## Bananableps (Nov 6, 2013)

Mts!


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## John Wong (Dec 2, 2015)

Bananableps said:


> Mts!


???

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## Opare (Sep 9, 2015)

John Wong said:


> I also from Malaysia, last time another forum member mentioned that bucephalandra all originated from Borneo island
> 
> Sent from my MX4 using Tapatalk


Yup that is true, but the OP said he was looking for inexpensive plants, and Buceps can break the bank a bit. 


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## Bananableps (Nov 6, 2013)

John Wong said:


> ???
> 
> Sent from my MX4 using Tapatalk


Malaysian Trumpet Snails!


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## brwagur (Sep 26, 2015)

I had a Malaysian biotope-style aquarium before I moved to a different state this summer and had to dismantle it. I kind of based it around a shady lake or pond near peat forests. It had a big water lily that I had to periodically cut back (which you'll see in the pictures), vallisneria to give the appearance of reeds (though it likely wouldn't grow in that habitat), water lettuce, and a bunch of cryptocorynes. A couple other random plants in there too that never took off). Pretty pleased with it by the time I had to dismantle it. It was very low maintenance. My one regret is that I got a school of the lambchop rasbora which is from Thailand instead of the harlequin which is from Malaysia. I had them already before I decided on this biotope. The Planted Plus 24/7 lit the tank quite dramatically and gave me great light without out of control algae. Plus, the day/night cycles caused some cool behavior such as the loaches all coming out at sunset.


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