1 comments about Saltwater Aquarium Models: Recipes for Creating Beautiful Aquariums That Thrive.

1. As usual, I was pleased with Amazon delivering in a timely manner just what I expected. The book was a holiday gift. He was pleased. It's very good in text and illustrations for someone just starting out in the hobby.
   
   I got the hint from his wife and in 5 minutes online picked out what I wanted and off it went. I always look in Amazon first before making any purchase.

1 comments about Loaches: Natural History and Aquarium Care.

1. Very informative book on loaches. Everything you need to know and many different loaches in this book!

5 comments about The Reef Aquarium: A Comprehensive Guide to the Identification and Care of Tropical Marine Invertebrates (Vol 2).

1. This series is well worth every penny. You can find a lot of books for less but that is what you are getting. Save yourself some money and get the series that thoroughly do cover every aspect of the hobby in amazing detail. This series is amazing and you will love it. It is a bit scientific but it does not leave anything out.



2. My husband took a dive into the Saltwater Aquarium world. ALL of Sprung's books are a must have. They have a lot of info and definitely is a great resource. Well worth the price. It has been referenced many times throughout the saltwater aquarium evolution.



3. This book goes indepth about the anatomy and physiology of mushrooms, soft corals and anemones. Not a great reference guide for choosing specimens for your It tends to generalize by family and/or genus vs species. If you are new to saltwater and are looking for a reference to choose items for your tank this would not be my first choice.



4. Just like the vol. 1, that is a must-have book. Please note that the vol. 3 should be released late Nov. 2005.
   
   Emmanuel, Los Angeles CA



5. This volume of the series covers the soft corals and sea anemones; very important topics indeed for reef aquarium. The two books together are still not complete as  there are many organisms found in a reef aquaria still not covered. In this series. A fine glossary accompanies this book. Much of what I had to gleen by trial and error and by reading arcane publications over the years is covered in this book. Approachable to the beginner yet  a lot of substance for the expert.

5 comments about Nature Aquarium World: Book 3 (Nature Aquarium World).

1. I have been an advanced aquarist since 1994 and have read (and own) most of the plant books on the market. This book, as well as his others, are not meant for beginners (or even intermediate users) in search of a solid how-to manual. Better sources for that would be The Dynamic Aquarium: Building Living Ecosystems (by Adey and Loveland) or Peter Hiscock's 2 books, Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants and Aquarium Designs Inspired by Nature or The Ecology of the Planted Aquarium by Diana Walstad.
   
   But, if you are a beginner looking for inspiration or scope of what is possible, this is a good beginner book. I suspect that majority of aquarists who actually get a lot of practical use from these books are those who can readily take the data from each photo and put it to good use. Amano's books, if used as such, assume the aquarist has an advanced understanding of lighting, water chemistry, nutrient balances, biological filtration, fish behavior, etc. For advanced aquarists, these books are invaluable in that they supply tested permutations that can be immediately applied. This saves the hobbyist much experimentation when it comes to combinations of plant placement, relative to CO2 levels and lighting and nutrient regimes.
   
   In my opinion, this book is not required for beginners, although they can certainly learn from and enjoy it. But, it is required for any advanced plant-loving aquarist. I would highly recommend it for anyone who loves aquariums or appreciates the natural world.



2. This really is a fantastic book. Try to understand the Japanese culture and you'll understand the way mr. Takashi Amano disigns his aquariums.
   The use of simplicity is amazing but not easy to realize. For every aquarist is the whole serie 1,2,3 a must. Fantastic. Good written and very nice taken photos as well.



3. the first two books were great with my personal fave being Nature Aquarium World 1 but this one was beautifully designed and illistrated. Not only are the illistrations wounderful but the "about takashi" section of the book made for some brief and enlighting reading.



4. I got this book and I was suprized to find out that it had very little information whatsoever as to how his tanks were set up and the techniques he uses. I would not recommend this book for anything other then something nice to look at and wish that you hand the time to put into making your own tanks look like that.



5. Important to note this is part III in the series. If you own part one, this is a nice addition. If you don't own part one, get it first. It's the best of Amano's photo books. Yes, these are well photographed coffee table books, not manuals to "do it yourself," although they do give you a lot of good info to work with.

   The plant names don't correspond with Western plant names. You'll have to ID things yourself based on the photographs.

   A great book of inspiration once you know the essentials of aquatic plantscaping & fishkeeping.

   Amano's tanks are a living work of art. If you're already into freshwater planted fishtanks, get this book! After you've bought book one, Nature Aquarium World, of course

1 comments about Koi (Complete Pet Owner's Manual).

1. This is a great concise introduction to koi fish and ponds. It includes pics and descriptions of different classifications of koi. Types of water plants and construction of different types of ponds are addressed. Basic, but still very informative.

5 comments about Aquariums for Dummies.

1. Excellent resource on aquariums and how to get started. I stiff refer back to this book when any issue comes up.



2. Great at telling you what to what to watch out for--look out for temperature. PH is important, etc. But your next question is of course, what is the right temperature? What PH should it be? It's not in this book. If you're a new person to this you need a more informative resource. This is only good at telling you what to look for, but not good at telling you what it should be, and certainly not how to fix things that go wrong.



3. I picked up this book at a local bookstore and paid full price. This was a mistake. I would have felt ripped off even if it was in the bargain bin for a buck. About the only thing I would use this book for is a firestarter.
   
   I as of yet own no aquarium, and even I could see that this book was sorely lacking in useful information. As others have pointed out, the most important topic of all, aquarium maintenance, receives scant coverage. Their coverage of fish species overall is spotty, and there is little to no information on acceptable Ph values, temperature, compatibility with other species, diets, common diseases, or suitability for beginners. IMHO, a book for beginners should contain pretty much everything a beginner needs to know to get started. This book is woefully lacking. I have no ability to know how accurate the information in this book is, but I can say that I would not rely on it for a second.
   
   The copy I have was the 12th printing of the book, yet the quality of the text is something I would expect from a rough draft. Most glaring are the same sentences or facts repeated in two separate close-together sections. In one case, I saw the same thing phrased two different ways in successive paragraphs. Even the most blind and incompetent editor would have spotted this in a casual reading.
   
   Given the major style issues, I have absolutely no confidence in the accuracy of the information presented in this book. If this book never went through a copy-editor, I doubt it was reviewed properly for factual content either. If you have the misfortune of owning this book, try and get your money back.



4. I felt like a dummy after I read this book ( ripped off $$ ! ). Its like they had a one day deadline to write and published this book.



5. I have a B.S. in marine science, and I decided I wanted to bring my work home with me. Someone bought me this book and I read through most of the sections. I was very disappointed. The author doesn't discuss cleaning of the tank in any detail, such as how often you need to clean the gravel, plants and other decorations; they also missed out on describing common problems such as bacterial or algal blooms and what to do. I found some of the information very helpful, but overall, this is far from a complete reference book for the beginner aquarist.

3 comments about Koi: A Handbook on Keeping Nishikigoi.

1. For centuries koi fish have been a popular hobby, especially in Japan and in the West more recently: now beginners can learn their special needs with KOI: A HANDBOOK ON KEEPING NISHIKIGOI. The authors are experienced koi-keepers and provide all the basics in an easy, logical progression of tips perfect for general interest lending libraries strong in pet references. Chapters cover the natural history of koi and koi varieties and move into building ponds, keeping koi, and even showing koi. Packed with color photos, this is a guide any aspiring koi-keeper needs.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



2. I have been keeping koi for a number of years but am just getting organised as a more enthusiastic koi keeper. This book filled a void in my library by providing honest, accurate advice from a dedicated koi breeder/keeper who is not reluctant to share his 'secrets'. A definite must read for any koi enthusiast, from beginner to seasoned breeder.



3. I have a good-sized collection of books on Koi and Koi keeping. I've also paid four times the price of this book and gotten less than a third of the information it contains.
   
   What I really like about the book is the authors' clear and concise approach to what can be a rather complex subject. They keep it simple and easy to understand, while letting you know that the hobby has deep roots in Japanese culture. The more you learn, the more you will want to know.
   
   There is good, solid information on starting a collection, including what to look for when selecting individual Koi. The pictures are very good, the colors reproduced quite well. You will learn that you aren't just looking for "pretty fish," you are investing in the future.
   
   I was looking for a good book to direct people to when they ask me what they should read. (I get asked about this a lot, as I've been in the hobby for more than 10 years.) This book not only gives a good overview of the hobby, but also provides a great deal of definitive information on just what it is that should be appreciated about Koi, what makes one a "garden pond" fish, and another a "show quality Koi."
   
   All books have at least one failing. In this book, it was the in the translation. In the section on Water Quality, where dissolved oxygen was discussed, a word that should have been translated as "venturi," was mistranslated as "flowmeter." This mistake was repeated several times in that chapter. A picture of a venturi in operation made it obvious to me what was meant. Perhaps it can be corrected in a future edition of the book.
   
   That aside, I think this book offers a great deal, even when compared to others that cost much more. A good start for those collecting Koi, or collecting books on Koi. You could certainly spend more on such a book, but you'd be hard pressed to get more for what you'll spend on this one.

1 comments about The Essential Book of Koi: A Complete Guide to Keeping and Care.

1. EXTREMELEY HELPFUL BOOK. I RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE WHO HAS A POND OR IS THINKING OF INSTALLING A POND. IT WOULD OF HELPED ME BY READING THIS BOOK PRIOR TO THE BUILDING OF MY POND.THIS IS A GOOD INVESTMENT OF YOUR TIME.

5 comments about Nature Aquarium World Volume 2.

1. If it were not for the goldfish bowl, this book would receive 5 stars from me because, in every other way, the book serves its purpose very well. The validity of the goldfish bowl is a dangerous notion to perpetuate and I was disappointed that an expert, who serves as a role model and who must love nature so much, would not have more respect for it than to perpetuate such a known erroneous practice.
   
   Goldfish should never be kept in bowls. The smallest goldfish reach softball size when kept in healthy conditions and need twice the tank size for a similar biomass of smaller fish. In such a bowl, the fish would be dead in a matter of hours from suffocation due to lack of oxygen. In slightly larger (but still small tanks), their growth would be stunted, their immune systems compromised, and their lifespan greatly reduced due to the inability of the system to carry the large load of ammonia excreted by these fish. Although survival in small tanks is possible, with frequent, large water changes, the quality of life would be dismal for these beautiful cratures and completely inhumane. I hope Takashi Amano takes responsibility, changes his ways and stops perpetuating bad practices that so many other responsible aquarists have been working hard for so long to change.
   
   Aside from the goldfish bowl, I think the book is fabulous. I have been an advanced aquarist since 1994 (have worked in fish stores, owned a fish maintenance and design business and have a degree in marine biology) and have read (and own) most of the plant books on the market. This book, as well as his others, are not meant for beginners (or even intermediate users) in search of a solid how-to manual. Better sources for that would be The Dynamic Aquarium: Building Living Ecosystems (by Adey and Loveland) or Peter Hiscock's 2 books, Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants and Aquarium Designs Inspired by Nature or The Ecology of the Planted Aquarium by Diana Walstad.
   
   But, if you are a beginner looking for inspiration or scope of what is possible, this is a good beginner book. I suspect that majority of aquarists who actually get a lot of practical use from these books are those who can readily take the data from each photo and put it to good use. Amano's books, if used as such, assume the aquarist has an advanced understanding of lighting, water chemistry, nutrient balances, biological filtration, fish behavior, etc. For advanced aquarists, these books are invaluable in that they supply tested permutations that can be immediately applied. This saves the hobbyist much experimentation when it comes to combinations of plant placement, relative to CO2 levels and lighting and nutrient regimes.
   
   In my opinion, this book is not required for beginners, although they can certainly learn from and enjoy it. But, it is required for any advanced plant-loving aquarist. I would highly recommend it for anyone who loves aquariums or appreciates the natural world.



2. To quote someone else's review... this book makes a good paperweight and has nice pictures. Also a waste of money.



3. This book has gorgeous photographs of amazing aquariums. It`s not as intructional as I`d hoped but it`s an excellent book.



4. One buys this book for the pictures. They deserve five stars. I am using this book for inspiration as to what can be achieved with nano and micro tanks.
   
   The shortcomings of this book are only to blame this book for being what it is not and what it does not claim to be. It does not claim to be a 'how to' book, though I believe many readers (me included) wish it WAS a 'how to' book. As such, one can continue moaning about how inaccurate the scientific names of plants are; how little information there is on planting, propagating and maintaining the plants; what the mineral contents of the substrate and fertilizers are; what the light spectrum and intensity is; etcetera...
   
   So, although I love the book. I'm going to minus one star for the lousy reason that it isn't what I want it to be.



5. I, really think it was a good book for beginners like me, but it wasn't what I was looking for. It had great photography, but it was very unclear how to make a beautiful, planted aquarium grow. It's very good in somethings and lacks in others.

3 comments about Manual of Koi Health.

1. This little book is the best reference I've found for the amateur koi keeper. Specifically, it not only talks about Koi health, the diseases they get, and the medications that may help; but it provides you with excellent photos of these little critters that can decimate your pond. With this book and a beginer's microscope I have been able to diagnose many problems and save my fish. I just bought four more copies to have ready for newcomers to our Koi Club this spring when we will once again start receiving calls from distraught pond keepers.



2. The book was well thought out as far as content. The author spoke to the reader taking into account that the reader might be a novice koi keeper



3. This is a fantastic book for anyone needing tips on keeping the environment their koi live in heathy and free of disease. This book is very easy to understand and has many photos to help you better understand what you are reading. Everything is well photographed with excellent instruction on identifying, prevention and the treatment of diseases. When the photography was not good enough, then wonderful and highly detailed illustrations were used.
   The text is straight forward with little jargon so that it is easy to understand for even a non-fish person like me. This is a great book for anyone interested in going to the next level with their pond.