Mangrove Environments

[maurizio]

Time ago it has been asked in this forum to show pictures of F8 puffers environments, and I had posted some of mangrove swamps I took in Brazil. I decided now to make it a bit more systematic, so I collected what I have from different places in the world. Hopefully it may turn useful as inspiration for scaping.

Most pictures haven't been postprocessed, but quality is not the aim. Feel free to use for any purpose.

Cheers

Mangrove environments

 

[ZoddyZod]

thanks for posting this, I'm sure it will provide some great ideas for brackish and also freshwater scapes.

 

[nmonks]

Some nice pictures. Thank you! Mangroves aren't a well-known habitat, but as your pictures show, they're full of interest and beauty. I think because we often call them "mangrove swamps" there's an idea they're often dark and gloomy places, so people don't care to find out more about them.

Cheers, Neale

 

[maurizio]

Totally agreed Neale,
and I'm so glad i could show a different environment such as the river estuary, where the water was very clear. A pleasure to snorkel in there. I have more from Australia, but still in good, old slides. It Will take some time to convert to digital, but i'll do it. Will keep updating with the next trips, also with my New underwater little camera.

 

[maurizio]

Just updated with another site in Brazil. Water visibility was just zero, so no underwater photos, as I hoped, but at least a couple of nice movies of crabs showing off.
Enjoy!

 

[maurizio]

...and more, this time from Fiji! A few underwater pics, although in poor visibility (tide was going down).

 

[Mads]

It looks very nice on Mau and lost island! Did you see any fish?

 

[maurizio]

Hej Mads,
in ONE of those pics you can see some 4-5 fish hiding in the muddy waters amongst the roots. But apart from that, most of the time I've been diving, so PLENTY of fish!
 
And, forgot to mention: the mangrove seedlings there were way to big to consider bringing some back home... Sorry.

 

[Mads]

Hey Maurizio
 
Didn't see your reply before now. Nice dragon fish! I love to check out the local fish life when travelling too Thanks for trying to get seedling home to me.
 
I can see the fish in your mangrove pictures, they are hiding. Are the many fish in the mangrove environments?
 
Regards

 

[maurizio]

Dav Mads,
well, the only fish I've personally seen among mangroves are the ones you've seen in my photo (Fiji; no idea what they are), and some species of puffer (in Brazil). The rest of the occasions, visibility was zero. Plus, they hide very well, in that mess! Lots of crabs, of course! Still looking forward to see mudskipper in their environment (by the way, the new aquarium in Copenhagen has them with a few desperate mangroves and some Toxotes! I had some 8 hours of stopover recently, so I spent a good time in there

). I'm going to Kuwait in two weeks, and the local aquarium has a famous biotope with skippers and mangroves!
 
Planning my next travel(s) to Brazil, will let you know. February/march is the right season for seedlings, and if I'm going to the North-East I may have good change of grabbing a few directly from the trees, which is the best option.
 
Cheers

 

[HX67]

Unbelievably nice coverage on mangroves, M.
Thank you.

 

[maurizio]

Hi HX67,
how's your paludarium doing?
 
My mangroves have lost most of their leaves in a matter of a few weeks, a total disaster.

  Still wondering what's happening. Just now that I am increasing the height of the aerial part, to give them more room...
 
Cheers!

 

[HX67]

Hello there.
 
The mudskipperarium is still under attack by the bugs, haven't had time to tear apart, treating all flora with pesticide and restarting the whole thing yet.
Black mangroves are suffering and losing leaves and looking sad.
But at least I know the reason for it.
 
Have your reds grown roots down to the bottom, yet?

 

[maurizio]

Hi,
I have one with a single, impressive root of 30 cm, thick about 0.8 cm, strongly rooted onto the substrate; until 2 weeks ago she had like 10 big, thick and robust leaves. Down to 4 sad ones, now...

The others all have some roots, 10 to 15 cm long, but none thicker than a few mm, and all still hanging in the water (meaning, prone to die).

 

[HX67]

I'm not at all certain about it, but I have a feeling reds have enough energy in the pod only to grow roots down to the substrate.
And if they don't reach it, they don't get enough nutrition from water to grow.
I know, some people seem to be able to do it, but still...
 
I killed ten of these trying to grow them in a paludarium and finally moving them as they started to lose leaves.
 
I hope you will do better!