IN THE AQUARIUM world, biotope tanks have never been more popular. Little slices of natural habitat recreated perfectly – or with a little artistic licence – to resemble everything from a fast-flowing Burmese mountain stream, a tannin-stained Colombian tributary or an Okavango Delta swamp. But such designs are not exclusively for freshwater aquarists. Caribbean reefs, dominated by staghorn and brain corals, or an Indo-Pacific zoanthid garden are all within the realms of a marine aquarist capabilities, too. Recreating nature is extremely rewarding, and replicating an animal's natural habitat can often entice out behaviours that get lost in an otherwise generic set-up. The internet is awash with information and inspiration, while physical print media, like dive books, aquarium guides, and this very magazine, are all valuable resources, too. But if you…
