Biomes
Natural freshwater habitats shape how fish, plants, and hardscape behave in the wild—and in your tank. Understanding biomes helps you recreate authentic aquascapes, choose compatible species, and provide conditions that let your aquarium thrive. Explore below to discover rainforest rivers, blackwater streams, rift lakes, mountain streams, and more.
Amazon Basin
Vast tropical rainforest river system with tannin-stained waters, seasonal floods, and dense submerged and floating vegetation.
Orinoco
Major waterway winding through Colombian and Venezuelan rainforests and wetlands, with tea-colored waters and sandy, leaf-littered substrates.
Rio Negro
Famous blackwater tributary with dark, tea-colored waters, fine white sand, leaf litter, and seasonal flooding of the forest floor.
Paraná
River basin spanning Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina; sandy-muddy riverbeds, lush Vallisneria and Ludwigia, and distinct wet and dry seasons.
Borneo
Blackwater rivers and peat swamps beneath dense forest canopy; dark silt, leaf litter, and Cryptocoryne-dominated vegetation.
Mekong Delta
Vast network of rivers and wetlands flowing through Vietnam; nutrient-rich sediments, monsoon-driven seasons, and lush submerged and emergent plants.
Sumatra
Island rainforest streams and peat swamps with tannin-stained waters, decaying leaf litter, and abundant plants under filtered canopy light.
Thailand
Slow-moving rivers and densely vegetated swamps with sand and silt substrates; Cryptocoryne, Hygrophila, and home to Betta and Rasbora.
Lake Malawi
African Great Lake with rocky shorelines, sandy bottoms, clear alkaline waters, and a stunning diversity of endemic cichlids.
Lake Tanganyika
Ancient rift lake, second deepest in the world; sandy and rocky substrates, sparse vegetation, and unique endemic species.
West Africa
Slow-flowing rivers, floodplains, and swamps with sand-silt substrates and leaf litter; lush Anubias and Bolbitis under shaded forest.
Lake Victoria
Africa's largest lake; sandy and rocky substrates, sparse vegetation, and rich endemic cichlid diversity in the East African Rift.
Mexico
Rivers, streams, and lakes across tropical and subtropical Mexico; fine sand and gravel, diverse submerged and emergent plants.
Yucatán Cenotes
Natural limestone sinkholes revealing underground rivers; crystal-clear waters, crevices and caves, and endemic species in Central America.
Central American Rivers
Rivers flowing through Costa Rica, Panama, and Nicaragua; fine sand and pebbles, tropical forests, and varied submerged vegetation.
Chiapas
Southern Mexican rivers and streams through lush tropical forest; fine sand, pebbles, and abundant submerged and emergent plants.
Canadian Lakes
Glacial lakes across boreal forests and prairies; clean, clear waters, sand and gravel substrates, and water lilies and pondweeds.
Great Lakes
The largest freshwater lakes on Earth; sand, gravel, and rocky outcrops with reeds, sedges, and Vallisneria along the shores.
US Rivers
Diverse river systems from slow, plant-rich waters to fast-flowing rocky streams; varied substrates and submerged vegetation.
US Lakes
Varied lake habitats from sandy and muddy bottoms to rocky shores; water lilies, cattails, and diverse fish communities.
Appalachian Streams
Mountain streams from Alabama to Canada; gravel and stone substrates, dense forest shade, and flowing-water plants.
India
Diverse habitats from Himalayan rivers to Gangetic backwaters; pebbles and rocks in the north, fine silt and sand in the south.
Sri Lanka
Island rivers and lakes flowing through tropical forests and grasslands; fine sand, silt, and dense aquatic vegetation.
China
Diverse habitats from subtropical south to temperate north; slow rivers, streams, and lakes with Vallisneria and mosses.
Japan
Clear, gently flowing rivers and streams from subtropical islands to temperate regions; fine sand or gravel and Cryptocoryne.
Philippines
Rivers, streams, and lakes across 7,000+ islands; fine sand or silt, monsoon-fed ecosystems, and endemic plants.
Vietnam
From the Mekong Delta to the Red River; fine sand and silt, fallen leaves and driftwood, and lush aquatic plant growth.
Myanmar
Clear fast-flowing streams, slow rivers, and tranquil lakes; fine sand and mud with gravel, lush vegetation, and monsoon-driven seasons.
Indonesia
Diverse archipelago habitats from Sulawesi's alkaline waters to blackwater streams; fine sand, gravel, and endemic Cryptocoryne and Bucephalandra.
Danube
Europe's second-longest river flowing through ten countries; sand, gravel, and clay with submerged, floating, and emergent plants.
Rhine
Alpine to lowland river flowing to the North Sea; rocky and gravelly upper reaches, sandy and silty lowlands, reeds and water lilies.
Balkan Streams
Mountain streams across Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, and Bosnia; limestone bedrock, gravel and pebbles, mosses and aquatic grasses.
Iberian Peninsula
Spanish and Portuguese streams, rivers, and lakes; sand, gravel, and clay substrates with hardy, adaptable plant species.
UK Lakes & Rivers
Freshwater habitats from Scottish mountains to English valleys; sand, gravel, silt, and a mix of emergent, submerged, and floating plants.
Scandinavian Lakes
Glacial lakes in Sweden, Norway, and Finland; clear, soft water, sandy or rocky substrates, and reed grasses and mosses.