Black Neon Tetra Habitat

Exploring a creek within the Taquari river basin in the north of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, which is home to the famous Black Neon Tetra, Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi. The habitat has been degraded thanks to the dumping of rubbish and construction materials after a bridge was rebuilt over the creek. The habitat is also surrounded by encroaching cattle ranches and soy farms, which contribute to the destruction of waterways through nutrient inflow, agrotoxins, the trampling of riverbanks, sedimentation and water extraction and diversion. Thanks to recent rains, the water was at times cloudy, but still an an amazing place to be. The fishes I managed to ID here include: Aequidens cf. plagiozonatus Ancestrorhynchus pantaneiro Aphyocharax rathbuni Apistogramma trifasciata Astyanax lacustris Brycon hilarii Cichla sp. (introduced invasive) Corydoras polystictus Crenicichla lepidota Cyphocharax cf. gillii Hemigrammus cf. lunatus Hemigrammus machadoi Hemigrammus neptunus Hemigrammus ulreyi Hoplias cf. malabaricus Hyphessobrycon eques Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi Hypostomus cochliodon Jupiaba acanthogaster Leporinus sp. Moenkahausa bonita Moenkhausia foresti Moenkhausia oligolepis Myloplus sp. Phenacogaster tegatus Platydoras armatulus Poptella paraguayensis Potamorrhpahis eigenmanni Psalidodon marionae Satanoperca pappaterra Serrapinnus caliurus Serrapinnus kriegi Steindachnerin cf. brevipinna Steindachnerina cf. conspersa Tetragonopterus argenteus Trachelyopterus cf. galeatus Aquatic plants found in this creek include: Cabomba furcata Eleocharis sp. Ludwigia inclinata Music: Ocea - Valante