Has anyone ever researched/tried a biotype tank?

[ShadowRancher]

Hey everyone, I'm about to move and I plan on separating my male and female into two separate 40 gallons (and then possibly picking up more juvies). I'd like to do the new tanks as natural as possible. Obviously it would be hard to re create silty swamp mud in an aquarium but I was thinking I could make a go of it with some fine sand and Central American plants. Thoughts? Ideas? I'm not sure how to search for plants by region and my only other biotype tank is african (which is a bit easier to search for bc of cichlid popularity)

Thanks!

 

[Roygbiv]

There are lots of live Barrers in Mexico and a good selection of plants also, just look up the lake they are from it should be easy and fun sorry I can't think of exact species but it should be easy to find it for xolotles