1 comments about Aquariums: The Complete Guide to Freshwater and Saltwater Aquariums.

1. My favorite librarian saved this book for me when it first came in! I must say I was a little disappointed. The pictures seem to have a cast over them, as though they are older pictures that were re-integrated into this newish book. I can prove it - on pg. 38 on the bottom left is an aquarium stand with an ANCIENT sound system below it! (Who would put a sound system below their aquarium anyhow?) The sectional furniture is telling too.
   
   In spite of this, the book is fine for an all purpose intro to aquariums. It has basic information and outlines common species with specifications and requirements. The section on breeding would probably be helpful, as it uses some older but tried and tested techniques. (I'm not a breeder, btw.)
   
   The translations are a little strained sometimes, e.g. "Impatience and urgency are two words that are utterly incompatible with the set up of an aquarium!" The book is originally in French. But what I find most jarring are the "An aquarium of..." sections which are these two page spreads...
   
   Basically, they're photomontages of different species over 2D backgrounds. It looks like someone literally "cut" the pictures of the livestock out and "pasted" them onto a background, with a rather incongruous effect. Cardinal tetras next to an Australian blue crayfish in "A Freshwater Invertebrate Aquarium"? I don't think so.
   
   For a list price of $39.95, you can find a better book. My recommendation is "Encyclopedia of Aquarium & Pond Fish" by David Alderton, which lists $5 cheaper. Much better photography (looks like they actually used editing, Photoshop-type software!) and denser information. It is a reference book I have referred to again and again, and it's a pleasure to browse, too.
   
   My personal suggestion, with any of these books, is to either choose a Freshwater or Marine book and go with that. Each deserves its own encyclopedia. But if you must have the best of both worlds, this book is okay...but the book I mentioned is better. How much better? Well...lots!

4 comments about North American Native Fishes for the Home Aquarium.

1. I was originally given an expected delivery time of 3-4 weeks. The book arrived in just over a week. It was packed well and arrived in pristine shape.
   Overall - an excellent experience that I'll be willing to repeat.



2. 5 stars for a beginner who has never kept an aquarium, 3 stars for everyone else. The first half of this book covers the basics, which was of no use to me. The second half of the book covers the fish, and is pure gold, I just wish there was more of it.

   This is not a book to buy for the pictures, the photography is nothing to get excited about. Most of the pictures are small with poor color reproduction.




3. Dave Schelser has done it again. His "Native Fish" book covers just about everything the enthusiast could want to know. Schelser describes everything from setting up the aquarium, to collection, feeding, and disease. A worthy sequel to his book "Pirahna: A Complete Pet Owner's Manual," also published by Barron's. All 133 photographs are taken by Schelser himself, whether in the wild or in the lab. One would never guess there were so many small but amazingly attractive fish native to North America without reading this book. Bravo Dave!!



4. this book is a throw back in many ways. Much like the old Innes books , Schleser's book starts out with the fundamentals. Topics like why to keep natives, fish taxonomy, conservation issues, collecting information, aquarium keeping tips and such cover the first 8 chapters. I like that. It starts the reader off right with a good foundation. Instead of just dumping you into a glossy book of pretty pictures of fish , this book starts you off with the how's and the why's of native fish keeping. This old fashioned nuts and bolts approach gives the reader a better chance to become a conservation minded Aquarist instead of just a pet store consumer. For Conservation efforts to be a success it must reach the grassroots level. The average person must be able to apply in a practical way, learned conservation ethics. I like to apply my housewife from Dubuque Iowa test to any book about collecting and keeping fish. If a housewife (or hubby) can read this book and apply it to activities with their local youth group, school or their own children then this book is a success. Well following my Dubuque test , this book is winner.

   After 8 chapters of the basics , chapter 9 is all about fish. It breaks the fish down into basic types and goes into excellent detail about suitable aquarium species within each genus. Almost 100 pages is spent highlighting North America's unique aquatic heritage. Beautiful and obscure fish like the banded pygmy sunfish, dollar sunfish, gulf darter , Flagfin shiner , Fundulus Chrysotus , brindeled madtom and scores of other unloved North American fishes get the exposure they deserve . Full color photo's , range maps and rearing information follow each species. If you are interested in Longear Sunfish for example (page 139) you get 2 pages of great information , 3 photo's of the various strains out there and the basic information to keep , rear and enjoy this temperate fish. That's the kind of stuff anyone interested in Native Fish wants needs and got's to have. Get this book it's a winner.

5 comments about Baensch Aquarium Atlas (Vol. 1, 6th Edition).

1. This is the best book about fish and plant species that I know. Good stats and very extensive book every way. Pictures are good or at least ok.



2. A really nice reference with lots of useful stats.



3. Anyone looking for a handy reference for freshwater aquarium fish would do well to buy this book. Its small size aids in its active usage, and its index of common and scientific names helps in locating the species you are curious about. It has good pictures and descriptions for all the fish contained within, and you would do well to follow the indications given, as in many cases one is hard-pressed to find any alternate sources of information on rare fish.

   For the most part, the translation from German is without error. It is understandable in all cases, slightly awkward in a few. However, there are certain instances where data is incorrect, or pictures switched or missing. These are few, but notably occur with the Siamese Algae Eater and Corydoras julii entries, where there is an incorrect and missing picture, respectively.

   Overall, a great fishkeeping resource.




4. This is a wonderful and consise guide to the amazing variety of tropical fresh water fish. The photographs are clear and descriptions of the various species are informative and helpful. This is the only book I've found helped me identify a previously purchased fish that had been wrongly identified. Information on various plants and diseases are very helpful as well. Everyone with a freshwater aquarium needs this book!



5. The Axelrod atlas was the standard for years, but this one makes that book look bad. The reason: Every fish has a detailed description including origin location, maintenance, food, and breeding. Plus, it lists synonyms and erroneous names the species is sold under.

   This is probably the most in-depth, relevant, high-quality single-volume reference book I have found in any field that I have personally researched. Just buy it.

5 comments about Rainbowfish Complete Owner's Manual.

1. As a new fan and keeper of rainbowfish, I am eager to learn as much as I can about these very lovely creatures. Whereas I found Gerald Allen's book interesting, it is geared more towards the scientific community than the home aquarist who aims to provide her or his fish the best possible care. Derek Lambert's Rainbowfishes book is also good but, in my opinion, this title by Gunther Schmida for Barron's fits my needs much better.
   
   Mr. Schmida describes many species, including some I have not encountered even in the more specialized shops or online. The color photos, including a nice series of shots showing Red Rainbowfish spawning and the males of other species displaying, are exciting. The information is written in a knowledgeable yet approachable style, as if the author truly wants to share with the reader. At the end is an index which includes both the popular and scientific names of the fish included. (Note to reviewer wass29 in Moline, IL: see p.22 for information on M. praecox "dwarf neon rainbowfish," the fish you are seeking.) All in all, there is much to like about this small but useful book!
   
   However, there is inconsistency in how quantities are presented. For instance, lengths of fish and recommended tanks are given in both metric and English measurements, very useful for those of us in the US. However, temperatures are given only in Celsius and that is an obstacle to my immediate understanding as I read. Given that this book was translated for the American audience by an American publisher, it is only reasonable to expect it to use the form of measurements we use in the US. If it were published in Europe or Australia, certainly I would not complain.
   
   Also, in the species' descriptions, Mr. Schmida recommends tanks of at least 157 gallons (an uncommon size) to hold certain species, even M. boesemani. However, for other species of the same size or larger he does not make such detailed recommendations. He does not explain why this unusually-sized tank is needed. Could it be because of the individual fish's size or because a school of a certain number is recommended or perhaps for some other reason? I take his tank specifications with a grain of salt.
   
   Even with these concerns of mine, I find this to be an excellent resource for those of us who are enthralled with these beauties from Australasia. I have been using a copy from my local library and now I am ready to purchase my own, I like it so well.



2. This book is a great addition to any collection. It has valuable information about rainbowfish and some of the different varieties out there, it is a quick informative book to read. However I felt it did not have enough information on all of the different varieties of rainbowfish. I didn't see anything on Dwarf Neon Rainbofish (a very popular one at the fish store where I work part time), also it did not describe all of the fish very well and the info on tank sizes and fish recommendations was incorrect. Even with its shortcomings I own and enjoy it anyways



3. This book has wonderful pictures and information about the different kinds of rainbowfish.. For anyone that is trying to research which specific rainbowfish they should like to keep it's definately a good choice.. The drawbacks are that the pictures and grouped together on seperate pages from the actual information that pertains to the specific species.. It's only a small gripe however.. I also think that some of the information can be a bit sketchy and there is a portion of the book dedicated to standard aquarium set up which I don't feel should be included in a fish specific book.. That's just my opinion though and if you are new to aquarium keeping it can be very helpful..



4. If you are a beginner at keeping rainbows, this is a very commendable book. It covers all of the basics for keeping and breeding rainbows and you can't ask for more than that from a beginner's book. Also, it provides references for seeking further information. It is leagues above the stacks of picture postcard pamphlets being passed off as "informative" books in the hobby. Still, like most books targeted at a relatively small tropical fish market segment, it is filled with many pictures and few words. A 15 - 30 minute read and you will have digested most, if not all, of the information in this micro-tome. After that, it's an inexpensive reference to the names of many species of rainbow with many excellent photographs and drawings of many species.

   However, the editors seemed to have been rather overzealous. In places the text runs just short of the information you would expect, practically begging questions, and I suspect that the author's original text had the information and the editors decided to cut it to save pages. The information in aquarium set-up and maintenance sections is especially abrupt. It's not that the data is incorrect , but a little information can be dangerous. For example, it mentions that carbon is one of the things you can use in a filter but it doesn't discuss the reasons for, or virtues and problems of, using carbon in filters. It appears the editors allowed the author about one sentence for the topic of carbon -- not enough to do justice to the topic but it keeps down the price of a book with lots of color photographs.

   Did I mention the photographs and drawings are absolutely excellent?




5. As a rainbowfish enthusiast, I didn't expect much from this short book, but ordered it because it was the newest available book on the subject. I was delighted about the amount of information packed into its 64 pages.

   The authoritative reference on the subject is Gerald R. Allen's "Rainbowfish: in Nature and the Aquarium," but this book is nearly impossible to find lately. Derek Lambert's short 1998 book "Rainbow Fishes : Keeping & Breeding Them in Captivity" had wonderful photography, but little new species information.

   This new book by Gunther Schmida is similar in format and photography to Lambert's book, but unlike the Lambert book, this one includes lots of new rainbowfish information. The pictures and descriptions of dozens of new rainbowfish species (not described in the other works) make this book a must-have for serious rainbowfish enthusiasts. It also includes a number of tips and advice not found in other books on the subject.

   The photography in the book is top-notch, and the author includes a few tips about how he gets the pictures.

   I only have a few criticisms of the book. This book is translated from German and there are a number of editing mistakes and improper metric/english conversions. There is also a short sidebar discussing legal issues regarding keeping an aquarium, but no indication on what country's laws the advice is based upon. This is important because this is a book sold in America, written by a German living in Australia!

   But overall I recommend the book. If you could get only one book on Rainbowfish (and can find it!) get the Gerald Allen book. Otherwise get this one, or do what i did, and buy both!

1 comments about The Tanganyika Cichlid Aquarium.

1. This is a good book for learning about Tanganyikans...

   It has alot of useful information for such a small book. For someone unfamiliar with the habits of Shell-Dwellers this is very informative. It gives you recommended tank sizes for most of the popular Tangs (Neolamps, Frontosa, Calvus, Lamps) as well as a limited compatability between certain species.

   There is a section about which plants can survive in an African tank... this is hard info to find.

   The only think that I found lacking was a complete section of photos, descriptions, specs and stats of each species. This would've added alot to the book and made it into a true reference guide.

   In any case it is a very fun book to look at from time to time. There's always stuff in there to learn about.

2 comments about Corydoras Catfishes (Complete Authoritative Guide).

1. This book is not particularly well suited to the aquarium hobbyist. Its tone tends toward the academic side, with emphasis on classification of different corydoras species. Perhaps even more disappointing from the hobbyist perspective, though, was the organization. The chapters are organized around specific families of corydoras, rather than being topically organized (history, care and feeding, breeding, etc.). That means if you want to find, for example, information on general care and feeding, you can't just flip right to that chapter. Instead, you'll have to search through each page of the book and gather various bits of information as you go.
   
   There's some good basic information in there that can be useful for the aquarist interested in raising corydoras. But it's not any more detailed than what you'll find on the web, and a whole lot harder to locate within the book. There is no index, so if you want to look up a particular species, it's going to take some tedious searching. You may do better searching for obscure species, but I was surprised, for example, to find almost no mention of corydoras julii, which is one of the more common species in stores. I would have expected some discussion of the frequent confusion between trilineatus and julii, for instance. All in all, it doesn't seem like a very practical guide to me, and I wouldn't recommend it unless you're really focused on taxonomy.



2. This book has some good basic information for the beginner in the corydora hobby. It was one of my first catfish books and helped me to learn some basic information in caring for my fish.

3 comments about Proper Care of Guppies (Tw-133).

1. Quite simply this is the most important book any guppy fancier can get. Stan imparts his extensive knowledge of guppy breeding andshowing in a clear conciseand informative manner. No pseudoscientific claptrap here - just the accumulated wisdom aquired as the top in his class. Read it



2. This is an excellent book for both beginning and advanced aquarists alike. Stan's book is a very comprehensive guide to breeding, raising, and the proper care of show quality Guppies. He covers the various techniques used by himself and other top Guppy breeders to develop and maintain different strains of Guppies. The information contained in this book is very thorough and the pictures of his Guppies and those of other breeders, are outstanding. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in breeding quality fish.



3. The author, Stan Shubel, uses the 30 years worth of guppy raising experience to bring to the reader a very down to earth, commonsense approuch to raising, caring for and showing this marvelous and intriguing tropical fish, the Guppy. Stans ability to take the everyday care of the guppy and put it in a sensable and fun light make the book easy reading. In particular, the breeding and genetic subjects are laid out for the common hobbyist. No Genetic degree is required for understanding. A very special part of the book is dedicated to the care and raising of Show Fish. It appears that Stan is now ready to share his inside secrets of raising and breeding quality Show Guppies. This is a must read by any serious guppy breeder and a delightfully easy read for the casual and curious hobbyist. Jim Gourlie,(moneyman@ncweb.com)Geneva,Ohio

No comments about Golden Tips for Keeping Your First Goldfish (Gold Metal Guide).

5 comments about The Professional's Book of Koi.

1. I was excited by the title of this book because as a koi enthusiast since I was a little boy, I know how hard it can be to get something beyond the introductory level text on these beautiful fish.
   
   When I got this, book, I was disappointed since, as soon as I opened it, I recognized both pictures and the information. I turned to my bookshelf to see if I could find this book already there, but with a little digging I realized I didn't have this book but much of it is RECYCLED MATERIALS from "Koi and Garden Pools: A Complete Introduction" by Dr. Herbert R. Axelrod (Jan 1, 1987) and "Koi of the World by Dr. Axelrod" (Jun 1973) (both from TFH Publications). Some of the text is almost word for word, and Ms. Barrie liberally used photographs from both of these texts. I was extremely saddened to see that TFH Publications would even print such a similar text.
   
   This is definitely not a book for professionals, not by any leap of the imagination, and the information is no more contemporary than the aforementioned books by Dr. Axelrod (those books are both very nice, though, and Dr. Axelrod is THE authority on koi in my opinion). If you already own those books, don't make the mistake that I made by purchasing this one. However, if you are looking for an introduction (a quite uninformative one, however), this book might suit your needs.



2. ...from any of this author's books...Ms. Barrie was just the publisher's secretary...the publisher is Herb Axelrod and under cross-examination during litigation against him Ms. Barrie said whenever Axelrod assigned her to do a book she just went to the library for references and then spent a week writing each one...Axelrod ultimately was sentenced to 18 months in prison for tax evasion and Ms. Barrie is now working as a dental hygienist...Axelrod carries some weight among fish fans but I'd be cautious about taking advice from any of Ms. Barrie's books.



3. This book does not appear to be good for beginners or professionals. It does have details on constructing ponds, but it is seriously lacking in the `care and feeding' of koi. This area is covered conversationally and although the important topics are mentioned, it does not provide details. So it is not a practical beginner's guild. Nor does it provide technical details such as chemistry or anatomy that you might expect in a professional's guide.
   
   I liked the photography. However, if you are looking for a book on pond building or koi photos, there are better books than this one on either subject.



4. This is more of a book geared toward beginners and enthusiasts. Too often the comments are very general in character -- under anatomy, for instance, the author tells us that koi have all the usual internal organs one would expect -- and the author frequently refers the reader to other publications. There are numerous very nice color photographs and the book is easy to read. It just scratches the surface, however, and so is perhaps not aptly named.



5. I love reading this book, for the tons of photos of different strains of koi. It also has a surprising amount of information on designing and building koi ponds, pond plants, anatomy/physiology, history, breeding, etc. But it does lack detailed information on some topics such as diseases and water chemistry. Statements such as "koi thrive between a pH of 6.5 and 8.0" are a good start, but a bit simplistic for the serious koi keeper.

No comments about Encyclopedia of Aquarium & Pond Fish.