Please ignore the first post. This is the improved version:
Upon entering through the turnstiles, visitors like yourself are welcomed into the Main Plaza. This is the zoo's entry area. Picturesque clusters of bamboo grow in isolated patches, separated by paths of pale sand, with some weathered stones among them. There is also a pond, framed by an aged Japanese Maple. Inside the pond, is a large group of Koi(cyprinus rubrofuscus). In this tranquil area, the accommodations for visitors are situated, should they book a room. I will go into more detail later, but rest assured it would be quite interesting.
Upon tearing your eyes away from the Zen Garden, you are given the option to take two paths. One will lead to the Africa Loop, while the other will lead to ទន្លេនៃជីវិត(tonle nei chivit), or the Mekong exhibit. The name of the exhibit in Khmer means River of Life, as countless people depend on the Mekong for sustenance, income and even electricity, while the river is also home to countless endangered species. The path leading towards the exhibits is flanked with dirt, and occasionally, you may encounter a roadsign in Khmer, which is there purely for immersion.
Finally, after a five-minute stroll, you will encounter a building. This building is the aquarium building for the Mekong area, and it contains a selection of fish native to the Mekong River. It is adorned with models of fishing nets, traditional fishing traps, and canoes. Signage at the entrance explains the concept of overfishing and other threats to the native fish like dams and pollution.
Upon entering the building, you will first encounter a long fish tank, with plants growing in a riparian way upon the shore. The hardscape comprises round river stones, sand and deadfall. Otherwise, there is little in the way of botanical life in the aquarium, not least due to its powerful flow, which happens to benefit its inhabitants, a large school of multiple loaches. Within the mix, there is a massive school of Tiger Hillstream Loach, which are also mixed in with Stripey eel-loach. Following the visitor pathway, which is lined with bamboo for theming, you will also come across a fishtank, which is smaller, but rather densely planted with ferns on the riparian sections. In this rather beautiful setup, there is a pair of Channa Gaucha. Signage describes the ability of the snakeheads of breathing air, as well as their other adaptations.
Leaving the foothills behind, we begin our journey towards the marshlands. However, while making your way to the next set of fishtanks, you first encounter an aviary. The roof is meshed over, and is fully exposed to the sky, allowing the birds to receive natural sunlight. The aviary is well-planted and has a water area, but is mostly marshy ground, allowing our breeding pair of Grey-Headed Swamphen to nest. There are a few similar aviaries on this row, each housing an individual species of waterbird. They have more water room, however. These aviaries are home to breeding groups of White-winged Duck, Baer’s pochard and Little Grebe. After tearing yourself away from the antics of the Grebes, which have underwater viewing, you can continue walking down the corridor, reaching the first fishtank in this area. The tank has a blackwater aesthetic, with branches and plenty of cryptocoryne. It happens to house the following species of smaller tropical fish:
Least Rasbora
Parambassis siamensis
Threespot Gourami
Blue Panchax
Moving on from there is a decent sized fishtank with a small group of Pao Abei pufferfish. This tank is decently furnished, with functional deadfall and planting of epiphytes. Finally, a triptych of 25 gallon aquariums, furnished with cryptocoryne and rotala, showcase a series of the more interesting specimens. Hardscape is used liberally to give security, and also for aesthetics. The first tank showcases the Croaking Gourami, while the second showcases the Emerald Betta. Finally, the third houses Sparkling Gourami. The final tank before the main aquarium is less aesthetics oriented, and houses Cambodian Tigerfish. This aquarium is rather empty, with a gravel bed and a few large pieces of driftwood. Even so, there is a breeding colony offshow, to allow the breeding pairs more privacy. Finally, you reach the main tank. The first viewing panel is a wide panel, measuring about 20X8 meters. The aesthetics of this area are rather exciting, with much deadfall, and a sand substrate. This exhibit houses the following species:
Asian arowana
Dolphin barb
Giant freshwater stingray
Giant pangasius
Giant siamese carp
Golden mahseer
Iridescent shark
Jullien's golden carp
Mekong giant catfish
Red cheek barb
Siamese tigerfish
Clown Featherback
Upon walking through another corridor, there is a decent aquarium with a Yarrelli Goonch Catfish, resting under a cork bark log. This setup is reminiscent of the silty riverbed, and is rather fittingly located near the lowest viewing area of the main tank. Finally, as you ascend the stairway leading up to the surface, you can see the more of the main tank, and soon reach the rest of the zoo.
