2 comments about Wild-Caught Discus.

1. I was finding more professional books about discus raising and curing. This book provides much of good knowledge about wild discus. But it has small amount of disease preventing method.



2. This book contains almost every piece of information needed to keep and breed discus. It is usefull for the beginner as well as for the more experienced. Although the title indicate it's only about wild caught discus, it is useful for the purpose of keeping captive breed discus as well. Lots of beautiful pictures.

3 comments about Live Foods for Aquarium Fishes (Practical Fishkeeping).

1. I felt that this book was ,altogether, too basic. It discussed only the most coomon food sources for a hobbyist. I was left wanting for more. It is a very small, very limited resource. It does discuss how to culture a few types of live foods, but I have found the same information in several other aquarium books, in their fish food sections. Your better off buying an aquarium encyclopedia, with a section on live foods.



2. This small book was full of information for tropical fish keepers that desire to know more about feeding live foods.



3. This is the better of my two Practical Fishkeeping books. This book is also 64 pages, but doesn't need anymore. It discusses ways of gathering and/or culturing all the various live foods, including white worms, grindal worms, microworms, brine shrimp, infusoria, daphnia, bloodworms, gnat larvae, gammarus, and earthworms. It has very specific recipes for culturing some of these live foods, and it also helps you to plan a "menu" for your particular fish based on its needs by explaining the nutritional pros and cons of each of the live foods. For example, it states that you shouldn't feed adult fish microworms too heavily because they are very fatty, instead, you want to feed them to your young fry or your pregnant mother fish which require the additional fat.

4 comments about South American Dwarf Cichlids (Aqualog Book, Vol. 1).

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 book form is an expensive process. Whether they are about Dwarf Cichlids 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. Either the book itself is updated or there are additional supplements that can be added.
   
   The books are primarily for the specialist hobbyist rather than one who has a community tank in his or her living room. There is certainly nothing wrong with that scenario, but the Aqualog books are geared towards the hobbyist with a fish house who specialises in a particular species of fish. Having said all that I am sure anyone interested in tropical fish would love town and look at the Aqualog books and if they can afford them why not?



2. To be considered an updated version of Linke & Staeck. This book coves all Apistogramma species covered in the former book plus many more, but Linke & Staeck cover a wider range of genus' (Crenicichla, Laetacara, Nannacara, etc). This book has an excellent introduction on keeping, history, physiology, reproduction, etc. Many species include a very useful chemical analysis of the natural water. The english translation is almost painful at times.



3. I have enjoyed breeding various dwarf cichlids for last ten years (from Dicrossus filamentosus to Apistogramma iniridae) and this is by far the best reference guide on South American dwarf cichlids since Link and Staek's "American Cichlids I." The number and quality of photographs are excellent. I appreciated having several pictures of a single species to refer to for identification since most books only offer one picture of a male and female representative of the species. It is a very comprehensive work and I would call it a "MUST" for anyone who is interested in the proper identification of South American dwarf cichlids.



4. It's not only a good book but also a necessory book for all dwarf cichlids' breeders. Important information in this book can be found and it's useful for you keeping and breeding your dwarf cichlids.

5 comments about Reef Life: Natural History & Behaviors of Marine Fishes & Invertebrates.

1. What a delightful and informative book! As I've been able to do more diving and snorkling in SE Asia the past couple of years, identifying the underwater life has become a hobby as much as my love of birding. But I wanted to know more than just identification. This book is very readable and informative, suitable for adults and older children. The photographs are gorgeous and very clear. I'm reading it cover to cover. Many thanks to the Tacketts!



2. I have the complete set of books now and I really enjoy having the infromation so when I go diving in Cozumel each year it really helps me identify the different species. This really helps when you are one of the few that does not know it all.



3. This is a beautiful book with incredible pictures. Additionally it has very informative text. It is a great book for anyone with a serious interest in reefs & reef life.



4. I have been waiting for this book! Burt Jones got me focused on the 'one metre' dive a few years back and I've been enjoying macro critters and muck diving ever since. In this awsome new book, the Tacketts bring you their personal experiences with the macro world and incorportate a great deal of useful information which can help all of us better understand the interrelationships amongst all the critters. That understanding is one of the keys to making better images of the critters.

   If you are a diver and you really want to get acquainted with the underwater world, stop swimming and start looking. And this book gives you step by step pointers on how to go about looking and helps you understand what you are seeing.




5. The Tacketts have achieved something remarkable with this book. Not only is the quality of the photographs consistently high, but the detailed information within the text is logical and accessible to any diver whether they be experts in marine biology or simply curious fish watchers.
   This American husband and wife team seem to have lived many divers dream existence. Travelling the Indo Pacific for 13 years, they would camp on a beach with their own compressor and make three dives a day collecting sponge specimens for medical research.
   The scientific information is clear and broken down into digestible chunks, enlivened by well annotated pictures - everything from mantis shrimps eating coral shrimps, to frogfish camouflaged against cup corals. Predation, reproduction, camouflage, feeding and mimicry are all wonderfully explained. And, in keeping with the mood of the times there is a final section on reefs in danger - overfishing, cyanide, pollution etc, complete with appropriate photos including a poignant shot of an octopus trying to cover itself with a piece of broken plastic audio-cassette.
   A substantial glossary at the end of the book covers everything from allelopathy to zooxanthellae.
   The strength and value of this book is that it is not just a collection of good underwater images, I suspect it will become an invaluable primer for any diver who wants to look at reefs in an intelligent way.

5 comments about Handbook of Fish Diseases.

1. I am very happy with this book, it helped me with a few things I was a little shaky on. It's well worth the money for adding to your library if you enjoy caring for your fish.



2. While this book was very detailed in the descriptions of the diseases, most of the diagnoses seemed to depend on autopsy of the victim after death. It also seemed that a microscope would be required to get full use from the book. I am not sorry that I bought the book, but I would not recommend it to most people looking for a reference on curing sick tropical fish.



3. I have been looking for a book like this one for a long time. Many books
   that I have seen previously were long on words, but short on actual photos
   of fish diseases. This is considered to be a classic book on aquarium fish diseases by many people who need to identify parasites through the microscope. I was able to save many of my fish in my pond by the use of
   this book, and the proper medications. Plenty of flow-charts and color photos to help step you through the process of disease identification.



4. I currently have six Betta Splendens Siamese fighting fish.
   Sadly, I've had two fish die last year and wanted as much
   help as possible to deal with health issues. This book helps
   with the often difficult diagnosis of illness. Without an
   accurate diagnosis it's hard to choose a medication and/or
   other treatment. I found the section on using a microscope
   and slides very intriguing, even if it is a bit advanced
   for most fish hobbyists.



5. I have several fish books and they offer very little as far as diagnosing the problem goes. This is an excellent book for getting right to the problem without having to second guess and improperly treat your aquarium fish. I love the charts and the pictures. It really simplifies things. It will be my number one book when it comes to keeping my fish healthy and happy. I give it 5 stars plus!

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.

1 comments about Majestic Discus (AQUALOG Special).

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 the beautiful L Number now coming into the aquarist trade or in this case arguably the most beautiful freshwater tropical fish species, 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. There is not a lot of literature on Discus so this book is invaluable.
   
   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 not a lot more. But for those aquarists who are particularly interested in a single species they are indispensable.

No comments about Aquarium Care of Livebearers (Animal Planet).

1 comments about Freshwater Aquariums (Aquamaster).

1. Though it doesn't cover some aspects in depth, it covers things overlooked by other books. Interesting descriptions and good recomendations: aquarium themes regarding fish and their natural enviroment, aquarium plants characteristics and needs (highly recommended to prevent algae when you place an aquarium near a window), notes on fish "hardness" and temper. Plenty of full color pictures all over the book. It worth the price. I also recommend Community Fish from the same author as a companion reading.

4 comments about The Ocean At Home: An Illustrated History of the Aquarium.

1. The origin of the aquarium, what a topic! This informative, entertaining and sometimes poetic text tells the whole story and is a joy to read. How it was invented in England and how the idea traveled to Germany and to the United States. By the way, a handsome book in unusual size, profusely illustrated. Where the hell did the author find all these cute illustrations of aquariums and stuff related to it?



2. ...but not real good either. Definitely not worth the full price. Short, light on details, and definitely euro-centric. It's not a bad little read, but don't expect a deep examination of aquarium history. Also, the physical construction of the book is curious...it's tall, thin and tightly bound, making it difficult to hold comfortably. The print isn't the darkest or the most legible, and most of the illustrations (which are the best part of the book) are small, although clearly reproduced. This would have made a perfect library book.



3. Excellent historial review of the origins of aquariums, public and private.



4. The Ocean at Home is a wonderful book that outlines the early history of the private and public aquariums. When I entered this hobby back in the mid 90's I had no idea that the origin of the aquarium had such a full history. The history of our hobby is one subject that seems to get overlooked in many of our aquatic publications to date. This book walks the reader thru the progression from keeping plants and snails in small jars to the appearance of the first public aquariums. In reading this book you become familiar with the 150+ years of development and discovery for the modern aquarium.
   
   There are so many illustrations in the book nearly every page has at least one illustration on it helping depict the aquarium or equipment of the given era. With the aid of the illustrations the reader has to wonder what aquariums 100 or even 150 years ago would have looked like. How where they heated? How was the water filtered? What a wondrous site it must have been to the children and adults of the 19th century to be able to observe the creatures from the deep as the book describes.
   
   I highly recommend this book to any aquarist that wishes to discover more about the origins of the modern aquarium as well as some of the early challenges that 19th century aquarists faced.