Introducing World Ranking #1 in International Aquatic Plants Layout Contest 2010! Grand Prize World Ranking #1 Pavel Bautin RUSSIA Title: Forest Scent   Dimensions: W150 x D50 x H60 cm (W60 x D20 x H24 inches) Aquatic Plants: Eleocharis acicularis, Fontinalis antipyretica, Glossostigma elatinoides, Micranthemum umbrosum “Cuba,” Hemianthus micranthemoides, Hydrocotyle leucocephala, Micranthemum umbrosum, Microsorum pteropus, Myriophyllum elatinoides, Myriophyllum mattogrossense “green,” Myriophyllum pinnatum, Rotala sp.“nanjenshan,” Rotala rotundifolia “green” Fish & Invertebrates: Boraras maculatus, Caridina japonica, Neocaridina denticulata Evaluation: This year’s grand-prize... Read more»

Introducing World Ranking #2 in International Aquatic Plants Layout Contest 2010. Gold Prize World Ranking #2 Zhang Jian Feng MACAU Title: Loess Plateau   Dimensions: W90 x D45 x H45 cm (W35 x D20 x H20 inches) Aquatic Plants: Rotala sp.“nanjenshan,” Riccardia chamedryfolia Fish & Invertebrates: Trigonostigma espei, Caridina japonica Evaluation: The gold-prize winning layout sent from Macau had a strong color impact. Riccardia chamedryfolia was attached on red table rocks, and it attracted people’s attention. Mr. Zhang made use of those unique table rocks and expressed a plateau. But all of the rocks are leveled at the same height, and it is regrettable for lacking the power and... Read more»

Introducing World Ranking #3 in International Aquatic Plants Layout Contest 2010. Silver Prize World Ranking #3 Xuan Thuy Nguyen Thi VIETNAM Title: Colour of Life   Dimensions: W120 x D45 x H40 cm (W50 x D20 x H15 inches) Aquatic Plants: Glossostigma elatinoides, Hemianthus micranthemoides, Limnophila sp. “Vietnam,” Marsilea hirsuta, Rotala rotundifolia, Rotala sp. “red,” Echinodorus tenellus, Vesicularia sp. Fish & Invertebrates: Paracheirodon axelrodi, Otocinclus sp., Caridina japonica Evaluation: The silver prize winner is from Vietnam, and the creator made a good arrangement of rocks and stemmed plants. The rocks are all the same texture, and unique, which gives the layout a... Read more»

Introducing World Ranking #4 in International Aquatic Plants Layout Contest 2010. Silver Prize World Ranking #4 Yutaka Kanno JAPAN Title: The View Dimensions: W120 x D45 x H45 cm (W50 x D20 x H20 inches) Aquatic Plants: Fontinalis antipyretica, Vesicularia sp., Amblystegiaceae sp. “São Paulo” Fish & Invertebrates: Paracheirodon simulans, Caridina japonica, Neocaridina denticulata Evaluation: Another silver-prize winner is from Japan. The layout looks like a piece of modern art, expressing a space in the cave with the dynamic arrangement of driftwood. Some kinds of willow moss are used, but it gives too much of a monotone impression. The layout could have been completely different if... Read more»

Introducing World Ranking #5 in International Aquatic Plants Layout Contest 2010. Bronze Prize World Ranking #5 Zeng Qing Jun CHINA Title: Karst   Dimensions: W150 x D60 x H60 cm (W60 x D25 x H25 inches) Aquatic Plants: Fontinalis antipyretica, Pogostemon helferi, Glossostigma elatinoides Fish & Invertebrates: Paracheirodon axelrodi Evaluation: The first bronze-prize winner is from China. The creator used uniquely shaped stones and expressed famous karst landscape of Guilin. The moss attached on the stones looks natural, but the plants in the foreground do not look nice. Many plants with different leaf shapes were planted in small amounts, which gave an impression of lacking unity. Those... Read more»

Introducing World Ranking #6 in International Aquatic Plants Layout Contest 2010. Bronze Prize World Ranking #6 Chen I Sheng TAIWAN Title: A Day When Walk on a Jungle Trail   Dimensions: W210 x D60 x H60 cm (W80 x D25 x H25 inches) Aquatic Plants: Riccardia chamedryfolia, Vesicularia sp., Taxiphyllum barbieri, Fissidens fontanus, Pellia endiviifolia, Micranthemum umbrosum, Echinodorus quadricostatus, Sagittaria subulata, Glossostigma elatinoides, Eleocharis vivipara, Eleocharis sp., Microsorum pteropus “Windelov,” Microsorum pteropus, Microsorium pteropus var., Anubias barteri var. “nana petite,” Anubias barteri var. “nana,” Bolbitis heudelotii,Vallisneria nana, Cryptocoryne beckettii,... Read more»

Introducing World Ranking #7 in International Aquatic Plants Layout Contest 2010. Bronze Prize World Ranking #7 Grigoriy Polishchuk UKRAINE Title: Forest Silent   Dimensions: W120 x D50 x H50 cm (W50 x D20 x H20 inches) Aquatic Plants: Cryptocoryne wendtii, Cryptocoryne beckettii, Cryptocoryne lutea, Vesicularia dubyana, Anubias barteri var., Vallisneria nana, Hemianthus micranthemoides, Echinodorus tenellus, Microsorum pteropus Fish & Invertebrates: Tanichthys albonubes, Macrotocinclus (Otocinclus) affinis, Caridina japonica, Neocaridina denticulata Evaluation: A typical concave composition layout from Ukraine was selected for the bronze prize. Composition of the layout materials and balance... Read more»

Introducing World Ranking #8 in International Aquatic Plants Layout Contest 2010. World Ranking #8 Long Tran Hoang VIETNAM Title: Into the Green   Dimensions: W155 x D81 x H50 cm (W60 x D30 x H20 inches) Evaluation: This is a unique layout produced with characteristically shaped stones tied with ferns and mosses. The left and right balance is good, and the whole composition is organized well. But the white cosmetic sand seems unnaturally white. In order to enhance the natural look of stones, the cosmetic sand close to the natural color should have been used, or the foreground filled with aquatic plants. Original Author: Takashi Amano If you are interested to read more, you may subscribe for... Read more»

Introducing World Ranking #9 in International Aquatic Plants Layout Contest 2010. World Ranking #9 K. P. Wong HONG KONG Title: Infinite Wonder   Dimensions: W120 x D45 x H45 cm (W50 x D20 x H20 inches) Evaluation: The layout is composed with natural-looking, complex-shape stones. The composition is excellent, and it gives us an impression of seeing a magnificent scenic place. However, using too many colors of aquatic plans was disadvantageous. The bright red color stemmed plants especially do not match these stones. Mosses and Anubias were planted between the stones. This layout could have been better if planted only with green color plants. Original Author: Takashi Amano If you are interested... Read more»

Introducing World Ranking #10 in International Aquatic Plants Layout Contest 2010. World Ranking #10 Li Da Wei CHINA Title: Whitehead Gap   Dimensions: W120 x D50 x H50 cm (W50 x D20 x H20 inches) Evaluation: The distinctive texture of stones and nicely trimmed stemmed plants are perfectly matching. The use of cosmetic sand in the foreground also improves the natural look. It is very regrettable that the thicket of stemmed plants in the background was not filled completely to the right end. The layout could be more natural if they were taller and had more inclination at both sides so that they cover the joint part of the aquarium. Original Author: Takashi Amano If you are interested to read... Read more»

Introducing World Ranking #11 in International Aquatic Plants Layout Contest 2010. Wang Chao CHINA Title: Drizzle   Dimensions: W120 x D55 x H50 cm (W50 x D22 x H20 inches) Evaluation: The creator expressed a natural feeling well with stones, driftwood, cosmetic sand, and mosses. The way stemmed plants in the background grow also looks natural. The overall impression and natural look is very positive, but the arrangement of driftwood and its angles did not make a good impression. The layout could be different if driftwood angles were a bit lower, as they seem too wide. Original Author: Takashi Amano If you are interested to read more, you may subscribe for the digital version of Tropical Fish... Read more»

Introducing World Ranking #12 in International Aquatic Plants Layout Contest 2010. May Kwan HONG KONG Title: Shou Stone Ridge   Dimensions: W150 x D50 x H55 cm (W60 x D20 x H22 inches) Evaluation: The layout was composed by meticulously arranging perforated rocks. It gives us an impression the creator took time for planting between the rocks, and composing the whole layout well. It is very regrettable the black joint part of the back corner appeared very clearly, which limits the spatial width. It is an interesting layout, but this point became the subject of point loss. Original Author: Takashi Amano If you are interested to read more, you may subscribe for the digital version of Tropical Fish... Read more»