REALISTIC Fahaka habitat?

[Bawb2u]

To make a short story long, I decided to get another Fahaka. I had one couple of years ago and loved it but I put it up for adoption because I felt my 60"x18"x26" tank really wasn't big enough for it at 16" and it went to a good home in a 180 gallon tank.
Fast forward on now and I've finally gotten a 180 for myself, 72"x24"x24" and figured it's time. So now to the questions: I'd like to do the tank as a biotope, with the correct locality plants, substrate, etc., and am looking for suggestions on plant types, would driftwood be appropriate, sand or clay/leaf-litter substrate, rocks or not and possibly what type of rock or any other suggestions to make the tank look essentially as if a small chunk of it's actual habitat was magically lifted up and set down in my tank.

Just for the heck of it, here's a picture of my previous Fahaka, affectionately named Mother.

 

[Pufferpunk]

I remember Mother. What happened to her?

 

[Bawb2u]

I remember Mother. What happened to her?

She went to a friend with a larger tank, she's still fat and happy. Just waiting for my new one to be shipped to me. I'm thinking about calling the new one N'ting, as in Fahaka'n ting!

 

[btmachone]

Did you ever get any information on the natural habitat for fahakas?

 

[hybridtheoryd16]

i would like to know this as well.

 

[r3d]

I know they are found in African lakes and rivers
I found this page on African driftwood so Im sure this would be in his habitat http://www.azgardens.com/Driftwood.php

as for plants
African Tiger Lotus
African Water Fern
Anubius
Red Ammannia
Wavy Edged Swordplant

 

[freshienow]

When you do it I would love to see pics

 

[Bawb2u]

I kind of wimped out on doing a totally realistic habitat. After doing some thinking about how messy feeding would be I decided that keeping the tank clean and healthy would be easier if I were more flexible in my aqua-scaping approach. I sort of went generic with a sand substrate, slate caves, african driftwood and the fake plants that are set in gravel and silicone. The tank looks *fairly* real, everybody that sees it compliments it, and it makes for an easier cleanup. Everything is sort of modular and can be taken out and cleaned and put back. I have a bunch of extra wood and the plant modules, so I rotate different wood and plant modules in and out to change things around both for looks and mental stimulation for the fish.

 

[btmachone]

Would love to see pictures if you have any. How often do you change things around?

 

[cambo01]

I'm thinking about calling the new one N'ting, as in Fahaka'n ting!