#biotope

[niqvassieart]

I was helping observe and tidy some biotopes in Shibuya yesterday and found this tiny fish. Even the tiniest little living things can be so strikingly beautiful, i was very moved by it.

(Sorry for the lack of art, i have been working very hard on client work and sadly haven't had much energy for my own work. <3 )

[prinsomnia]

biotope teapot ✶ 4/12 of a special set 🌿💫🫖

[sunfish-exotics]

My little slice of Peru

[iridescentclouds29]

Monday panorama

[ughfuckingbiotypical]

Paraguana peninsula Biotope

Target Species: Green Bottle Blue Tarantula (Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens)

Location: Paraguana peninsula, Northern Venezuela, South America

Habitat Type: Desert

I know this blog's been quiet, since I started it, but I'm finally back with my first biotope summary and its even one I've recently built! It was finally time for me to upgrade my Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens Vlad into her adult enclosure.

This is not a care guide, if you are looking for information on care for this species there are sources at the bottom of this post written by tarantula keepers much more experienced than me. I used many of them when I was originally deciding if this was a species I would like to keep.

The target species of this enclosure is a docile species of new world tarantula. They boast dark blue and rusty orange coloration, and once settled into an enclosure, are typically outgoing enough for you to see and enjoy them. They are a burrowing species that will build a thick web around the entrance, so providing plenty of substrate and structure to anchor to is key. They also don't require conditions that are terribly difficult to maintain. Unfortunately they are classified as critically endangered in the wild, potentially making the captive bred population of this species an important resource.

Original Photos: young specimen with juvenile coloration, 21 Mar. 2023 (Left). Vlad almost fully transitioned to the adult coloration, 14 Feb. 2024 (Right).

The setup I built is very simple. The only animals are the target species and cleanup crew (isopods, not habitat accurate). All foliage is artificial, as I didn't want to potentially stress her with a grow light to maintain plants that she will likely web over anyway (the LED above her cage will only be turned on for viewing). So this outline will have much less specific information on the flora and fauna that occur in this habitat outside of the target species than future outlines will.

I had some trouble finding photos I was sure were habitat from Paraguana that weren't wide shots, let alone photos of C. cyaneopubescens in its natural environment, but based on photos like this one:

Cerro Santa Ana, Paraguaná Peninsula, Venezuela - by Jujovar2010.

And a couple of short descriptions, this habitat seems to be characterized by dense shrubs and barrel cacti. The deserts of this region are also characterized by sand dunes, but C. cyaneopubescens reportedly (and in my experience) likes to anchor their webs around plants. So It is unlikely one would willingly spend much of its time out on open sand dunes.

Desert on the Way to Paraguaná- by R, Frank Morales, 12 Oct. 2009. Flickr

With that information, my observations on Vlad's habits, and the materials available, this is the setup I've put together.

Original Photo, 9 Sept. 2024.

I kept things simple, as this is one of my smaller terrariums inhabited by an animal, and much of it will eventually be covered by webbing as well. I included branches of various sizes to simulate the underbrush and a hollow piece of cholla wood mounted in a vertical position. The cholla wood is not a biotypically accurate variety of cactus, but it provides a convenient naturalistic hide for the tarantula. I also chose faux grass that would mimic the look of dormant desert grass. I may make some adjustments when I get the chance, specifically replacing the current water bowl with one that fits into the scape better.

Bonus cryptid spotting:

Original Photo, 12 Sept. 2024.

Image Descriptions in Alt

Sources under cut

David, Zach. “Chromatopelma Cyaneopubescens 101: Care, Enclosure, Temperament & More.” Beyond The Treat, 22 Aug. 2019, https://beyondthetreat.com/chromatopelma-cyaneopubescens/.

“Green Bottle Blue Tarantula Care.” The Tarantula Collective, https://www.thetarantulacollective.com/caresheets/chromatopelma-cyaneopubescens. Accessed 23 July 2024.

Greenbottle Blue Care Sheet | Tarantula Husbandry | TARANTULAS.Com. http://tarantulas.com/caresheets/C_cyaneopubescens.html. Accessed 12 Sept. 2024.

“Greenbottle Blue Tarantula.” Wikipedia, 25 Feb. 2024. Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Greenbottle_blue_tarantula&oldid=1210157315.

Greenbottle Blue Tarantula: GBB Care, Facts & Species - More Reptiles. https://www.morereptiles.com/greenbottle-blue-tarantula/. Accessed 12 Sept. 2024.

Klich, Szymon. “Chromatopelma Cyaneopubescens: Green Bottle Blue Tarantula.” Spiders World, 18 Dec. 2023, https://spiderswrld.com/chromatopelma-cyaneopubescens-description/.

Paraguaná & Médanos de Coro: Where Desert Meets the Caribbean | LAC Geo. https://lacgeo.com/paraguana-peninsula-medanos-coro. Accessed 12 Sept. 2024.

Paraguaná Peninsula | Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Venezuela, Araya Peninsula | Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Paraguana-Peninsula. Accessed 12 Sept. 2024.

R, Frank Morales. Desert on the Way to Paraguaná. photo, 12 Oct. 2009. Flickr, https://www.flickr.com/photos/frankmorales/4006822182/.

Will. Green Bottle Blue Tarantula Care Guide and FAQs. 22 June 2022, https://thespiderblog.com/green-bottle-blue-tarantula-care-guide-and-faqs/.

big shout out to the Zotero extension for making compiling the sources for this thing I do in my free time MUCH easier

[chickendream235]

medaka - biotope

[illuminaryart]

Small update on both terrariums after some plant mail arrived yesterday.

[kirindensetsu]

Twice a year I have to pull all the big plants off the apartment balcony for ~fire escape inspection~ which is the only time I rotate the pots. Color me surprised that the bamboo is finally dense enough to make a screen.

My biotope is less lovely than in its first year but it's got tadpoles + birds n' bats come to drink from it so it's Doing Something. The exciting development of the year is that the haphazard tuber division I yoinked from an abandoned field has turned into a mature ヒメガマ cattail.

I didn't prune the grapes back to one cluster this year, so they're overcropped and not ripening evenly, but the ripe ones are delicious as they come in. Contrary to their American supermarket appearance this year they are black fox cultivar "Kyoho". I wish I could grow "Zante" but I think it's too mildew-y humid for them.

[thebiotope]

Sparkling gouarmi with chili rasbora?

Name suggestions and fish options for a 10 gallon with 6.0-7.0 pH and hard water (I can alter hardness of water if needed. Just say as such.)

[wildguppies]

[giovanniussi]

Swimmer dog - Photo by Giovanni Ussi @giovanniussi #giovanniussi #lake #giovanniussiphotos #nature #reflection #ussi #lakelife #lakes #green #photography #dog #swimmer #lago #aquaticplants #plantsphotography #water #biotope #dogs_of_instagram #doglovers #plant #aquaticplant #plants #wawes #dogswimmer #day #swimmerdog #color #photooftheday #naturecollection #waterreflections @giovanniussiphotos https://www.instagram.com/p/CBec5Z7CX5C/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[gutachter]

Nutzdächer als Klimaretter: Flächen effizient nutzen

„…In städtischen Gebieten sind viele Flächen stark versiegelt, was die Umgebung aufheizt und die Kanalisation belastet. Begrünte Dächer schaffen hier Abhilfe: Sie kühlen die Luft, speichern Regenwasser, binden CO₂ und verbessern die Luftqualität. Damit leisten sie einen aktiven Beitrag zum Klimaschutz. Je nach Bedarf lassen sich verschiedene Arten der Dachbegrünung umsetzen: Extensive Begrünungen…

[prinsomnia]

strawberry tea ✶ 5/12 of a special set 🍓💫🫖

[indefinite-pitch]

Aiôn Lazura - Biotope

Tracklist

01 Black Sand Wind

02 Monitored Ecosystem

03 Neon Forest

04 Fluorescent Lotus

05 Globalized Northern Lights

06 Hybrid Species

07 Cold Breeze Generator

08 Virtual Garden

09 Robotized Biodiversity

10 Synthetic Climax

music | Aiôn Lazura mastering | Brice Deloose at www.incidence.studio artwork | ambient matter distribution | Triple Vision AM001

[stardust-bridges]

Club Furies Premiere: Aiôn Lazura - Cold Breeze Generator [ambient matter]

What started as an idea and fructified as a first compilation on Indefinite Pitch was gaining importance to become his own label: ambient matter. The focus is mostly on those sweet ambient techno textures and downtempo beats. All releases will be in album format and will consist of about 60 minutes of music from each artist. And in times when the rising trend is hard techno, ambient matter goes…

[aquariuminfobureau]

Who would like to read the Aquarium Info Bureau book?

The idea is inspired by my childhood, as a kid obsessed with animals and zoos, discovering the world of tropical fish. Aquariums were an important gateway in my learning about wildlife, ecology, and evolution, and they are a great tool for science outreach.

Very fortunately, because aquarium management, depends upon chemistry and biology. So an interest in nature, fuels an interest in aquaria, which feeds back into learning about the natural world - its biology and hydrology.

Unlike most general aquarium books, it won't be an encyclopedic reference volume, per its intended scope. Nor will it be a mere pet care manual. Rather it will focus on a few organisms, that are likely of common or oddball interest to aquarists, in the style of a table book with care notes added.

Unlike conventional books on the subject, nothing will be 'covered' briefly, with the usual lazy, all too shallow summary. Living things have forms and functions, intricate ecological settings, and fascinating evolutionary back stories. They have thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to inspire us.

With explanations of aquatic environments, from coral reefs to blackwater streams. Naturally, those pragmatic matters of foods and filtration will be mentioned, but not in great detail, for the focus of the book will be firmly on our beloved animals and their natural contexts.

Is it not time to think about our aquarium pets, with all the dignity that all animals deserve?