1 comments about Aquariology: Fish Breeding and Genetics.

1. Breeding fish is not a simple prossess. If you are not experienced enough you can cause a change on the genetics of the fish. This will cause new hybrids. But this book teaches a lot about this subject. Lots of information about efficient breeding your fish.

5 comments about Cichlids: The Pictorial Guide Volume 1 (Cichlids).

1. solely a pictural guide but if you looking to learn the different species of cichlids this could certainly be of some help.



2. Oddly enough, it appears only 1 of the cichlids on the cover is an actul Mbuna, the rest being Haps.



3. Best Malawi pictorial reference, the photos are first rate with an example of male and female photos for each species. Don't buy another Malawi Cichlid without it!



4. An excellent book, with crisp clear photos in a simple reader friendly format. Great for seeing what those plain Fry are going to grow to look like. Also useful in seperating breeds with similiarly marked females and juveniles. You can take this one off the bookshelf and leave it on the coffee table.



5. I have rated this book a 5-star book based only on the photographs in the book. Easy species of fish is shown in brilliant color against black backgrounds on every page. Teh fish are large pictures too so you can view a lot of detail. The other portion of this book has common names and scientific nomenclature for each species.

   The book will give some brief lines of information regarding habits of the fish but it is very limited. A great book for choosing fish you would like to obtain and contacting your local pet stores to then purchase for you. If you are looking for breeding, diseases, feeding, etc, then you would do best to find another reference.

5 comments about Marine Reef Aquarium Handbook.

1. The was is a great over veiw for people just getting started with the reef hobby. However if you are an intermediate hobbiest the book is very basic and you will most likely not learn anything that you do not know. If your new its a good book to start with.



2. This book was thoroughly disappointing. Provided OK information, but was entirely too technical in its approach. If you do not have a Ph.D. in biology then do not bother with this book, you will not understand it.



3. It should be rated at 5 stars but I give only 4 stars because of its technical nature and my beginner's comprehension. After that, it is a compact guide full of useful, hands-on info that helps the hobbyist create their own ideal aquarium environment.



4. Don't get me wrong, this book is good, however... while reading the book, it uses mostly the scientific names for everything. It would be nice if after the scientific name, it has a common name in parenthesis, you know, using the names the fish stores use. Other than that, it is a decent book.



5. Yes, 5 stars! Pound for pound (and dollar for dollar) this is one of the best books on marine reef keeping you can buy.

   I own several reef and aquarium books. They range from the brilliant, to the not-so-swift-waste-of-money types. The "Marine Reef Aquarium Handbook" by Robert J. Goldstein ranks waaaay up the list, kept from the top only because of its brevity.

   This book touches on a LOT of topics, and it covers them in enough detail to really help you understand and apply what you need to keep your reef (or any aquarium) running well. Due to its (somewhat) small size, it does not cover topics in great detail. Depending on what you want, that may or may not be a good thing. There is however, enough information, written in plain English, for any aquarium keeper--from rank beginner, to the Old Man in the Sea--to learn something new.

   No, this book doesn't contain the depth of information that one of those $80 marine reef books does. But it contains a wealth of information and will send you well on your way to starting up a reef or maintaining your current reef. Even if you're just looking for an interesting read, you can't go wrong with the "Marine Reef Aquarium Handbook" by Robert J. Goldstein.

2 comments about Aqualog Special: Shrimps, Crayfishes, and Crabs in the Freshwater Aquarium, New Revised Edition.

1. All of the Aqualog books are excellent value, although they are not particularly cheap. They are full to the brim with first class colour photographs and to reproduce these in a book is an expensive process. Whether they are about Shrimps and other crustaceans, or some other species of fish they are the most comprehensive identification books you can buy. They never become dated because as new fish become available to the aquarist trade the books are updated.
   
   They do not deal with the basics of fish keeping, there are many and varied books that do that. They are in the main a fish identification encyclopaedia and nothing more. But for those aquarists who are particularly interested in a single species they are indispensable.



2. I would have liked to have stories about illnesses also in the book. Also couple mistakes found. But still good value for money.

2 comments about The Super Simple Guide To Common Fish Diseases.

1. This is a nice book on pond and aquarium fish diseases. Lots of color photographs to help identify diseases, and suggestions for treatment.
   Written with a slight British flavor and point of view, it still
   gives a great deal of information. While not as in-depth as Untergasser's
   treatise on fish disease, it is a good first choice to look up your ailing fish's symptoms and treatment.



2. Part Two of this book (98 pages) describes in detail the many diseases that can afflict fish, their causes, and what to do about them. Illustrated with small but clear photos of the ailments, along with "Diagnostic Pointers" and "Treatment," this section will be useful for the hobbyist at all levels of their expertise. The final chapter of Part Two also addresses "Medicines, Sedation, and Euthanasia", and how to best quarantine a new or ailing fish, so as not to infect the rest of an established collection in your pond or aquarium.
   
   For the beginner, Part One (58 pages) has invaluable information, and is titled "Learning the Basics". The chapter on water quality is superb, with an excellent description of the "Nitrate Cycle", which includes the ammonia/nitrite content, potentially deadly if not kept in check by testing, and especially necessary during the first few months of starting up an aquarium, sometimes referred to as "new tank syndrome." I wish I had read this book before setting up my tank, as I would have been more wary of the soaring nitrate level that caused a little fantail to depart for goldfish heaven.
   
   Jepson writes at length about "The Five Freedoms" (developed by John Webster in 1995), which are 1: Freedom from thirst, hunger, and malnutrition. 2: Freedom from discomfort. 3: Freedom from pain, injury, and disease. 4: Freedom to express most normal behavior. 5: Freedom from fear and distress. These principles apply to all living creatures, but for the beginner fish hobbyist, how to provide them is sometimes a complex mystery, as one has to learn how to set up an "ecosystem" that is foreign to us. Veterinarian Jepson, who is a member of the British Veterinary Society among other prestigious affiliations, tells us how to achieve these goals for our finned friends, and writes in a succinct, no-nonsense style, and though the information is sometimes quite technical, it is always easy to understand.

5 comments about A Practical Guide to Corals for the Reef Aquarium.

1. This book is excellently illustrated and very easy to use. It is a wonderful identifier reference book and contains basic lighting, ease of keeping and many other facts that people need to know when they are purchacing corals. I would highly recommend this book.



2. This is somewhat like a small encyclopedia of corals. I believe for the photos alone many would find the book enjoyable that are not practicing this hobby.  The photos are breath taking and helpful and does a very good job at providing information on the requirements for the coral types. Unfortunately it is lacking in more detailed information on each species.
   Certainly not definitive but very helpful. If you are a marine hobbiest I do not recommended it as the only book  you should own on corals but if you are a reef aquarist it should be in your library.



3. I've found this book to be, quite simply, the best, easiest-to-use reference guide for quickly identifying and getting essential information -FAST!- about most of the corals you'll find offered for sale in your local fish shops, and rank it right up there with Scott W. Michael's book "Marine Fishes, 500+ Essential-To-Know Aquarium Species" as the other must-have buying/reference guide for the saltwater aquarist. With its beautiful pictures, "A Practical Guide to Corals..." will also be an excellent addition to any coffee table!



4. A good starter guide for the novice reefer.I found lots of basic information,all care charts were to generalized.Good reading for identification yet lacks Big Time on care of each specific group. Look for the new release in March 2001 for hopefully a more detailed read.



5. This is one of the best books that I have seen on the description and care of the most common corals for the reef aquarium. It gives information on each coral such as Common name, Scientific name, Lighting needs, Water flow, Aggressiveness and Difficulty of care. This is not a book on "how to" setup a reef tank book but an excellent reference guide on corals and the proper care of these animals. Many great pictures and short but very informative descriptions make this a must have to the Reefkeeper. By the way, Eric Borneman (a.k.a. Eric Hugo) is one of the best known most knowledgable contributors on the Internet and reefkeeping Mail and Usenet Groups.

5 comments about The Tetra Encyclopedia of Koi.

1. This is one of the best books that I have found on Koi. Beautiful color
   photographs abound in this informative book. If you have to have only one book on Koi-this is the one. Lot of good advice on building a pond, what to do if there are problems such as illness, identifying fish pathogens and their treatment, different kinds of koi. I especially like the pictures of other people's ponds and landscaping-full of good ideas.



2. I lost half of my Koi in the space of 6 hours, because I was counting on this book, and it does not even mention the catastrophic disaster known as PH Crash. Unless you find out about that, and take preventative measures, this WILL happen to you!!

   This book fails to describe water chemistry in sufficient detail, and these days it's pretty outdated. However, it does have a fantastic photo catalogue of koi varieties, and a decent overview of health problems, pond construction, and seasonal care. If you have fish, make sure to get multiple books in case one is missing important information.




3. I have kept koi and bred them for around 5 years now. And when I pick up a koi book this always seems to be the first one I go to. As far as I'm concerned, if I had only one koi book this would be the one. If you're about to get into koi don't do it without the Tetra Encyclopedia of Koi.



4. Amazing. The only problem I had with this book is getting it out of my wife's hands. It covers EVERYTHING. Sections on Filtration, Pond design, Feeding (listing alternative foods that Koi enjoy), Anatomy (first rate), Selecting & showing your koi, a detail listing on the different patterns and scale formation and probably the best ( in my opinion) Parasites and Diseases, what they are, were they come from and how to destroy them.

   This could be and should be renamed to "The koi instruction manual". If you are a koi breeders, I highly recommend this book, after reading it, I would wager that it would be THE book to recommend to your customers. The reason being that they would have less problems and get better enjoyment out of their hobby. It truly would be hard to go wrong with this book.




5. This book is as easy to read as any grade school book and as indepth as books which I have read that cost 5 times as much. I have enjoyed reading it so much that the day after I was done reading it, I started reading it again. I own a nursery for watergardening plants, fish and supplies, and I highly recommend it.

5 comments about Reef Invertebrates: An Essential Guide to Selection, Care and Compatibility.

1. I've been reading information penned by Mr. Calfo and Mr. Fenner online and was hoping this book would reflect the same wealth of knowledge and sense of humor I've come to expect. I wasn't dissapointed. If you're looking for information on selection, compatibility and geographical origin of many invertabrates for the reef aquarium this is the book to buy. As an added bonus there is a chapter dedicated to refugiums.



2. This book is awesome. Covers everything from basic waterflow and setup through animal interactions and suggestions. Lots to be learned from both novice and experienced.



3. I'm on a tight budget, so usually try to get a book through the library rather than buying, if possible. This one was not available, so I took a chance buying it. I'm soooo glad I did. There's an enormous amount of information. I will be referencing this book for years. I'm interested in raising macroalgae and dwarf seahorses, and compatible invertebrates. Everything is geared toward corals nowadays and live rock, neither of which are necessarily safe for 1 inch seahorses. I was thrilled to find a large section on macroalgae in this book. The focus is on using them for refugiums, but I easily adapted the techniques, including a deep sand bed, to my 2.5 gallon dwarf seahorse tanks. Start here for the easiest way to get incredible water quality in your tanks. The live deep sand bed with macroalgae technique in this book, keeps the approx 1.5 gallons of water in my tanks ammonia-free. Amazing. Also, explains which macroalgae go "sexual," so you can avoid purchasing the ones that may foul the tank (and which are often promoted and sold as the best to buy!). Thanks so much to Anthony Calfo & Bob Fenner - and for their website, too ([...]).



4. I have an extensive library of reef aquarium books, including all Sprung & Delbeek series. This book is beyond doubt the very best guide to reef inverts. It does not cover corals, anemones or, of course, fish. There will be future volumes for those topics. The authors provide extremely thorough coverage of the topic in an entertaining writing style. I anxiously await future volumes in this series. Highest recommendation.



5. If you're thinking of starting a marine aquarium or already have one this book is for you. Not only do the authors describe a plethora of invertebrates but there's a chapter on refugiums that is the most informative source on the subject that I've seen up to this point.

1 comments about Livebearers: Understanding Guppies, Mollies, Swordtails and Others (Fishkeeping Made Easy).

1. Good starting point if you are into livebeares.
   The issues are not dealt with in depth. There is somehow a disconect between the title of the sections and their content, which makes it hard to find things that you read afterwards.
   The style is more romantic than scientific.
   If you are looking for specific, advanced info, look elsewhere.
   The pictures are very nice!

3 comments about Encyclopedia of Fishes, Second Edition (Natural World).

1. It is an excellent educational book with lots of clear and beautiful photos.



2. This book was extremely helpful to me while I learned all about the fishes at the Aquarium of the Pacific. It is very concise and yet includes every order and family that I ever encountered during my studies. I recommend it wholeheartedly!



3. This 1995 copyright date assures the reader s/he is getting the latest in deep-sea discoveries. Scientists can gather more information with the latest, quieter cameras. It has photos from the most beautiful to the most grotesque fishes. The text is organized, readable & enjoyable