2 comments about Dynamic Aquaria: Building Living Ecosystems.

1. While best known for describing the use of turf algae as a natural absorber of aquarium pollutants, the book 'Dynamic Aquaria' shines as a plea for the re-evaluation of how we appreciate aquarium systems and their micro-ecologies. Rather than the display of just a few select specimens, it proposes more emphasis on (and therefore replication of) the fascinating interactions between species and environment. It does a splendid job of discussing the difficulties in scaling down nature's beauty to fit an aquarium's limited volume.



2. This book explores aquarium systems as models of natural eco systems. Adey and Loveland's technique relies on algae scrubbers to reduce nitrate levels in the tank. By removing new growth of algae, one can avoid frequent water changes. The book includes extensive discussion of important aspects of marine eco systems, such as wave motion, light, and food chains, to name just a few.

   The book is more about the science of building marine microcosms than a cookbook for building home marine aquariums.

5 comments about Marine Atlas: The Joint Aquarium Care of Invertebrates and Tropical Marine Fishes.

1. I purchased this book as a reference for all marine fish and reef organisms only to find that the marine atlas has A LOT of invertibrates and fish but missing Clown fish. It never occurs to me that these popular fish are not included in the fish sections (although it is mentioned in the picture captions here and there, but no special fish section to describe such).

   As with one of the earlier reviewer commented, this was written and translated as a German book; maybe some fish types are not allowed to be sold in Germany but it is quite sad to see them selling the English version worldwide missing some of the most common species of fish that marine aquarist kept. Hopefully they will combine the entire volumne in the future for the worldwide market.




2. These reason Marine Angelfish and Butterflies are left out of this book and also the subsequent volumes, is that this is a German book written in English and the government of Germany banned the importation of all Angelfish and Buterflyfish. There is no point talking about how great Angelfish are if you cannot get them wheer you live. Also, I doubt the author has much pratical experience with them. That being said, it is still a great book that every serious hobbyist should have in their library. Volume Two covers sponges, soft corals, hard corals, and molluscs. Volume Three has more molluscs, worms, starfish, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers. There are even more volumes, I believe a total of five written now, but only these three in English.



3. This book is a great book if you wish to read up on a multitude of fish types, except angelfish, which are the most popular!

   I found it very frustrating when trying to decide on the last of seven fish to get for our aquarium, not to find the most popular in, what seemed to be, such a comprehensive book. There is also no clear indication of what follows in subsequent volumes so I don't even know if I buy those, whether I will find the missing chapter!

   The book also covers fish for both the diver and the aquarist and so as an aquarist I get very excited only to discover that most of the fish are not available at local pet/fish stores.

   Apart from these I was torn about my rating because it is a very well produced and thorough book except for those few foibles.




4. I started my first saltwater tank less than a month before I took this out from the library. I wanted to find a few "store bought" species I could mix with the ones I have captured on recent dives. This is an excellent book for anyone wanting a simple straight forward guide to the most commonly kept species. I have decided to buy this book, and the only thing bad which can be said about it is it doesn't include Octupi. (Only fish and invertebrates.) Since my library doesn't own volumes two or three I will take a chance and buy them to find out more about various mollusks I have collected.



5. Great set of pictures. The authors chose depth over breadth. The first volume covers several families, leaving others uncovered [or to be covered in the other volumes] - no angelfish, no damselfish, no porcupinefish, etc. I wish the publisher would have made this partial coverage more salient. On the other hand - you will find extensive coverage of surgeonfish, even those rare ones. Another bother is the not-so-detailed index. They either left out many items of interest or burried them deep in the book. Either way, the index can be improved. Bottom line: If you are just starting up, don't buy this book. As a supplemental reading, though, it's a good book.

4 comments about Brackish-Water Fishes: An Aquarist's Guide to Identification, Care & Husbandry.

1. This is a very good book. Very informative good pictures may need a few more on the less seen species. Overall Great book



2. Well written and organized book, great graphics, and loads of information.
   Very thorough in listing all the types of brackish fish and their requirements. Worth getting if you are setting up such a tank. Makes the task less challenging.



3. Compared to the Aqualog Brackish fish book which focused a lot on brackish water habitats and chemistry this book focused mostly on various brackish water fish. This book will tell you where the fish are from, what type of water conditions they need, and behavior of the species or the whole genus.
   
   So why buy this? As I said it focuses on different types of brackish water fish (and their salinity requirements) listing a lot more species than any other book I have read. This is why this book is a must have for the brackish water enthusiast who wants to know of species beyond the usual stock most books cover or list as brackish.
   
   I give the book 4 stars because I think there could have been more on brackish habitats and on the plants found in them. THis book does tend to focus on what you are mostly like to find in a petshop but I wish it had told of plants and substrates not found easily but could be found for the persistent hobbyist like myself.



4. Knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by zoologist and aquarium fish expert Neale Monks "Brackish-Water Fishes: An Aquarist's Guide To Identification, Care & Husbandry" is a complete, 384-page, authoritative and 'user friendly' guide to rare, common, and easy-to-obtain species of brackish-water fish species which would prove ideal for the home aquarium. In addition to full color photographically illustrated descriptions of each fish, "Brackish-Water Fishes also features sound recommendations for themed aquarium tank setups, and tankmates for each identified species. Very highly recommended and an indispensable reference, "Brackish-Water Fishes" is a specialized and core addition to any personal, professional, academic, and community library Pets/Wildlife collection in general, and aquarium fish reference shelf in particular.

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.

2 comments about The Official Guide to Goldfish.

1. A great majority of the book is on breeding. Only 29 pages of the book actually have information on general care, while 69 pages are devoted to breeding. In general, the whole book seems to have more pictures than actual information. This is really a book for those who are into taking care of high quality goldfish (those that are worth around 100 dollars that you can't buy at a pet store) and are interested in breeding the perfect goldfish. If you, like me, have no desire to breed goldfish and are happy enough with taking care of goldfish availabe at pet stores, this probably isn't the book for you. I expected to read lots of detailed information on goldfish and was disappointed when I discovered that almost all of the information was very general and that there wasn't much on general care. I was still able to pick up a few good things. But overall, I expected much more from a book by the Goldfish Society of America.



2. This is a great book for the beginning goldfish keeper. It gives detailed instructions for setting up your tank, tells what the best way to feed your goldfish is and provides general care tips for how to keep your goldfish healthy and happy. The pictures are full color and depict a wide range of excellent specimens of varying breeds. There is a large section devoted to the breeding of you goldfishes that provides a good base of information. (Although you might want to consult several sources before you start any breeding program to gain a better grasp of the details of the process.) And since it is put out by The Goldfish Society of America it gives you pictures and detailed descriptions of the standards that are used to judge the more exotic breeds of goldfish. The disease section is a little brief and should probably be expanded, but overall it is a well-rounded introduction to the goldfish as a pet. Again it is a must-have for the beginning goldfish keeper.

3 comments about Basslets, Dottybacks and Hawkfishes: Plus Seven More Aqarium Fish Families with Expert Captive Care Advice for the Marine Aquarist.

1. An in-depth book on the compatibility, care and behaviour on these selected species (only). Some of these species are so scares however that I doubt it if they will ever be found in a pet shop. If you are interested in keeping these species, this book is perfect.



2. Another great book on Reef Fishes by Scott Michael. He covers common as well as rarely seen fishes and tells all that is know about these guys including foods, reproduction, habitat and aquarium care. This is a must have for Marine Aquarists!! Great Book!!



3. Scott Michael continues his Reef Fishes series with this excellent book. The gorgeous photographs allow easy identification, often including multiple photos for color variations due to location, sex, etc. It also includes information on maximum length, distribution, and biology useful to both divers and aquarists, as well as captive care and aquarium suitability ratings. This volume along with the others in the series are a must have for any serious marine aquarist, as well as any diver interested in ID'ing and learning about coral reef fishes. Highly recommended!

   By the way, the initial Amazon pricing on this book is erroneously high. I have this information directly from the publisher, so you may want to wait for it to be corrected before purchasing.

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.

1 comments about The Bumper Book of Tropical Aquarium Fishes (Bumper Book Of...).

1. A very comprehensive and handy 320-page guidebook that covers the various aspects of tropical fishkeeping, including tank selection, heating, lighting, aeration, filtration, aquarium plants, feeding, maintenance, health care and breeding, as well as useful information (diet, water temperature, compatibility, etc.) about more than 250 fishes (including barbs, labyrinth fishes, cichlids, catfishes, loaches, characins and livebearers) with heaps of photographs in colour. An excellent book for the tropical fish enthusiast.

2 comments about Lake Tanganyika Cichlids (Barron's Complete Pet Owner's Manuals).

1. Barrons in general, does a great job in presenting thier information in a concise and clear manner. Even beginners will have no problem following along in this 'pocket reference' publication. Do not let the price or size of the book sway you. It is packed with all of the pertenent information. Tanganikan cichlids are wonderful fishes and barrons does an excellent job of intoducing all of the husbandry techniques needed to keep these fish happy and healthy. One drawback is that more experienced aquarists or ichthyologists might find the book lacking in some of the detailed areas. Although overall, you pretty much can't go wrong when purchasing this book



2. Mr. Smith covered all the bases with this book. From giving an educational step by step way to set up and maintain an African cichlid tank. he offers good quality pictures of a wide variety of fish with a very informational care and breeding for each fish. I recommend this book to all interested in keeping these fish.

No comments about What Invertebrates?: A Buyer's Guide for Marine Aquariums (What Pet? Books).