4 comments about Dwarf Cichlids (American Cichlids).

1. After purusing the book, and noticing the detailed information submitted by the authors I'd say this book is a must for South American Dwarf Cichlid lovers.



2. The book is entitled American Cichlids I - Dwarf Cichlids. You won't find any African cichlids here, but you will find an in-depth useable reference for Apistos, the various dwarf acaras and checkerboard cichlids, etc. Much easier to read than the Mayland & Bork book, although that one is slightly newer and covers more Apistos, more in depth.



3. This is a book to own. It has many dwarf species info. from South America. And it gives very useful care and breeding guide for people who want to take care of these fishes. Beautiful pics and printing are very readable. Try to get one !!



4. This is a beautifully illustrated book with great information, if you are interested in American cichlids only. It is clearly stated on the front cover and spine that this book covers American Cichlids, but that fact is not mentioned anywhere in Amazons info. The book is worthless for what I wanted.

1 comments about Freshwater Aquarium Problem Solver (Animal Planet Pet Care Library).

1. Every aquarium will have a problem at some point, so any aquarium owner and many a library catering to them needs Freshwater Aquarium Problem Solver. It provides detailed information on everything from balancing water chemistry and understanding equipment problems to fish health and diseases. Chapters pair color photos with sidebars of at-a-glance information and plenty of easy tips.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch

5 comments about Angelfish (Complete Pet Owner's Manual).

1. As I read the summary of the book it states that angelfish don't attack gourami's etc. NOT TRUE! I have an orange veiled angelfish for about 5 years now and they get very territorial as adults at around 2 years old. She will beat another fish down just for raising it's head up. My angel and the gourami grew up together. When they both got to be the same size. She beat him with her nose. But to be fair he chased her also. Fish I would put with angels are catfish, clown loaches and red barbs or mollies. These fish don't try to occupy the same tank depth as angels. They congregate on the bottom to mid tank. Angels like mid to top, but you may find them resting on the bottom when they are not feeling well. So, though I was hopeful about the book I did not purchase it.



2. This book is totally not for those who aren't into breeding Angelfish. It is not in basic termonology in some areas. Very brief in areas you want more information on. If you want a book about Angelfish that is helpful to anyone wanting to know more than how to breed them and worth your time, look beyond this one.



3. The book is small, but very informative, and you feel you KNOW a lot about angelfish after reading it. I recommend this book highly to all angelfish lovers! A "must have"!



4. As a previous reviewer noted, the editorial review is incorrect -- this is a book about freshwater angelfish, not reef-dwelling saltwater angelfish. Whoever submitted the editorial review is a doofus, but that shouldn't be held against the book or its author.

   For a small, inexpensive book Angelfish: Everything About... provides a tremendous amount of information.

   The sections I found most valuable were those on selecting and purchasing angelfish (appropriate size and age, how to maximize chances of a breeding pair), genetic traits of fancy angelfish (veiltail, black, black lace, marble, new gold, commercial darks and marbles, non-allelic gold, smokey, chocolate, ghost, blushing, zebra, half-black, and pearly), breeding angelfish, and raising fry.

   While I'm not interested in angelfish genetics per se, the descriptions of the fancy traits are very helpful when browsing the sites of angel breeders like Angels Plus. It also explains why some fish are so much more expensive than others.

   History, tank selection (for show or breeding), feeding (the section on live food is better and more comprehensive than most I've seen in general aquarium books), diseases and treatment, and water quality are all well covered. The book has an index, glossary, and dozens of color photographs.




5. I have not read this book, and based on the book description I would not buy it:
   "Editorial Reviews
   Book Description
   These tropical reef-dwellers make beautiful additions to any tank, "

   The fish pictured on the cover is a freshwater angelfish, pterophyllum scalare. "Reef-dweller" refers to the marine angelfish, a completely unrelated species. Freshwater and marine aquaria are wholly different fields, and whoever wrote this blurb had clearly not even looked at the book. It doesn't bode well.

No comments about Saltwater Aquarium Problem Solver (Animal Planet Pet Care Library).

5 comments about Dr. Burgess's Mini-Atlas of Marine Aquarium Fishes.

1. This book is an excellent tool for Specie reference.But iam disapointed with the setup section.This could have been a bit more comprehensive with more quality diagrams and more aquascaping options.



2. The strength of this book is the number of color photographs identifying an amazing number of fishes. The shots are clear and well taken. It is a strong, thick, well illustrated reference book. However, I believe this book is difficult to use for someone who just starts saltwater tank. First, all the fishes are listed in their scientific names (not the names given in the store). Therefore, you first have to look at an index table of "store names" which translates into scientific names, then look into the scientfic names' index table to find the page. It can take lots of time at first. Not very convenient. Second, there is absolutely no text about any fish - only symbols that give you information about food, environment... I guess that's why this work is called the "mini-atlas". The problem of using only symbols is that the information can be subjective and lack context. For example, the book does not recommend any trigger for a novice. If you have only fishes and no corals in the tank, why not? They are the least likely to die and will live long as long as you get other fishes they can get along with. In summary, this is a good reference book but do not expect to find much specific information in it.



3. This is one of my favorite books. It provides information and more importantly photos on nearly 2000 fish. The information gives you the basics about each fish, how big they get, what they eat, are they agressive, etc. But the best aspect is the photos. With over 1900 photos it is the first book I go to when I want to look up a fish. Or when I'm thinking of what to put in that empty tank I'll often browse through this book looking for neat fish.

   This book gives you the most for your money!




4. This is one of my favorite books. It provides information and more importantly photos on nearly 2000 fish. The information gives you the basics about each fish, how big they get, what they eat, are they agressive, etc.

   But the best aspect is the photos. With over 1900 photos it is the first book I go to when I want to look up a fish. Or when I'm thinking of what to put in that empty tank I'll often browse through this book looking for neat fish.

   This book gives you the most for your money!




5. This reference allowed me to find compatible species for my reef tank. Many aquarium stores have staff that aren't as informed as they should be. This reference saved me from a potential disaster in choosing the wrong species of fish.

2 comments about Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes: Reef Fishes Series.

1. No question about it. It is the greatest book on angelfish and butterfly fish. It is full of the photos for the identification.



2. As yet another in his series of reef fishes this one does not disappoint. Another great book with fantastic photos and info, a definite must-have for the serious saltwater hobbyist.

5 comments about Goldfish (Complete Pet Owner's Manual).

1. I found this book to be very useful in preparing me to get my first goldfish. I would recommend reading it before you go out and buy your aquarium and fish, because it has lots of information about selecting an aquarium and setting it up. It also describes some of the different types of goldfish, so you can determine what type would be best for you (some are not as hardy as others and so are not good for beginners).
   
   The book is rather short, but it's meant as more of a basic informative guide for the beginning goldfish keeper rather than as a detailed manual for advanced raising/breeding of goldfish. It's full of useful tips on everything from how to make your aquarium aesthetically pleasing, to what types of goldfish are best kept together. It also talks a little bit about the history of the goldfish species and about goldfish anatomy, and why some types are more prone to problems than others. The author stresses the importance of maintaining a clean aquarium and preventing health problems before they start.
   
   I own several of the Barron's line of pet-keeping manuals, and I've found it to be a very good series. I would recommend this book to someone who's thinking about getting their first goldfish; it's a fun and informative read.



2. This is a very basic beginners book. It is not well versed on disease and treatment. However, my 2 year old likes the photos!



3. Very informative. This book had some information that I was looking for. I especially found the section on goldfish varieties helpful.



4. Overall this is a good beginners book. Lots of helpfull information on the more common types of goldfish both flat and eggshaped, setting up your aquarium and maintaining it, common diseases, diet, ponds, breeding and plants.



5. A good book for begginers. The title misguides the reader into thinking it is a complete reference for goldfish. The author briefly touches many of the topics. I regret buying this book because it did not solve my questions about diseases, plant care, water quality, and nutrition. A good book for kids. Nice photographs.

No comments about Clownfishes in the Aquarium.

5 comments about American Aquarium Fishes (W L Moody, Jr, Natural History Series).

1. Great book fo native fishes written for the beginner and advanced hobbiest alike. Easy reading with many color photos.



2. I recently managed to buy a copy of this book and from what I have read so far it is a book that should be on the shelves of fishophiles everywhere, aquarist or not. The book covers a wide range of species, mostly darters and cyprinids and goes into good detail on how to keep and breed them. With native fish keeping resources being rare this book may very well be the best of it's kind. One feature I really liked was the chapter covering the laws and regulations of various states, something that many people are curious about when out collecting. About the only thing I didn't like was that it neglected to mention many of the larger species. Bullheads, perch, bass, trout and many others are not given a lot of attension if any at all. The author deems them either to large or to dificult to breed in captivity so he leave them out.



3. The book in its entirety is fairly good. The authors tried to cover a broad scope. This book may be useful for the breeder in that there is specific information on each species. Please note that you may need to combine the information in this text with information from other sources (print, web, etc.) to take complete care of your native fishes.



4. This comprehensive reference volume will appeal to both specialty and general-interest libraries: American Aquarium Fishes provides over 118 color and over 200 black and white photos of various species of aquarium fish, providing detailed discussions on where to find native fishes, how to collect and transport them around the globe, and regional rules of collecting. The depth and detail and the vivid photos are impressive.



5. It's about time that a talented group of aquarium hobbyist (who are also biologists I believe) got together to write a book that the layman can understand and appreciate. You will not find convuluted passages common in the scientific literature. Each species account is well written and contains the information that the hobbyist wants.

   Goldstein, Harper, and Edwards are well known hobbyist and if there are any real experts in the field, it's these guys.

   This is an all around great reference for the North American native fish hobbyist.

No comments about Wrasses & Parrotfishes: The Complete Illustrated Guide to Their Identification, Behaviors, and Captive Care (Reef Fishes).