West Africa
Slow-flowing rivers, floodplains, and swamps with sand-silt substrates and leaf litter; lush Anubias and Bolbitis under shaded forest.
Natural Habitat & Origin
The jungle streams of West Africa are shadowed sanctuaries of calm, winding through dense tropical rainforests and hidden swamps. Beneath the emerald canopy, the water flows with a gentle, languid rhythm, often stained a subtle amber by the layers of fallen leaves and gnarled roots that line the banks. This is a soft-water world, where the filtered light creates a mood of serene mystery and quiet growth.
Underwater, the environment is defined by its resilience. Thick carpets of Anubias and the delicate fronds of African Water Fern cling to submerged wood and rocks, thriving in the shaded, nutrient-rich flow. The substrate is a soft blend of fine sand and organic silt, blanketed in forest debris that provides a complex playground for dwarf cichlids and killifish. It is a biome of intricate details and subtle beauty, where life moves at the pace of the forest itself, sheltered by the dense, protective greenery of the West African jungle.
Plants
Thriving in the shaded forest streams, these slow-growing wonders like Anubias and Bolbitis have mastered life in the low-light reaches of West Africa.
Hardscape
Ancient gnarled wood, smooth river stones, and layers of fallen leaves perfectly mirror the sheltered, shaded riverbeds of the West African jungle.
Fish & Invertebrates
The colorful Kribensis and radiant Killifish of West Africa find their home among the tangled roots and leaf-littered margins of their native streams.