View Full Version : I need a list of beginner books
Dale W.
02-08-2003, 1:43 PM
I did this in the marine section but I would like a good list of books on FW aquariums that I can put in the archives for future use.
Please list the book title, Authers, and a brief description of the book. I am going to post this same message in the GFW section so I would like the list to be split up between advanced books and beginner books. Beginner books being listed here.
Thanks
The single best IMHO is unfortunately out of print, but may be available in used/second-hand shops:
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Freshwater Aquariums, Mike Wickham, Alpha Books, New York, NY. ISBN 0-87605-327-4
I don't agree with everything there, but overall it is quite good.
Setting Up a Freshwater Aquarium
Gregory Skomal
A good small hardcover text by Gregory Skomal who is a respected marine biologist and author of many FW and SW books. This 126 page book will help the new fishkeeper steer clear of most of the usual pitfalls. It has many good pics and covers all the topics a beginner should know. This book even lists Aquaria Central as the first of it's recommended web sites. The best part of this book is its "Fish to avoid as beginers" section. The only thing I might add to this book is information on Fishless Cycling.
Setting Up a Freshwater Aquarium
Gregory Skomal
$12.95 US
$17.95 Can
**** (out of a possible *****)
OrionGirl
02-08-2003, 10:00 PM
Do you want specie specific books? Or would those be advanced?
ChilDawg
02-08-2003, 10:56 PM
RTR, rumor has it that the Complete Idiot's guide will be re-released by a new publisher under a new, less-insulting name. It said that in one of his [Mike Wickham, the author's] column bios for AFM. Since he started Pleco Press, I believe that the book may be found there soon...keep an eye out.
ChilDawg
02-08-2003, 11:02 PM
**** Mills is the man as far as I am concerned. You and Your Aquarium has some old info, but it is a good book for the beginning hobbyist (and for the usual beginning fish). His newer effort with DK is my bible for fish info, but I also have John Dawes' Complete Encyclopedia of the Freshwater Aquarium as a back-up (and the Species Profiles on aquariacentral!) For the best beginners species-specific books, I like the TFH books oft-called "The complete guide to owning...", and the "An Owner's Guide to a Happy Healthy Pet" series by Howell Book House. Barron's also has some borderline-advanced species specific ones, but their Betta book, which I wish I could find at home, may well have been more helpful than the ones by Ostrow and Wolfsheimer (no slouches when it comes to fishkeeping, and Betta-keeping in particular!!!) I would read any introduction to species by any of the old masters (Axelrod, Wolfsheimer, Ostrow, **** Mills, **** Stratton, etc.) I would also recommend the "Aquarium Owner's Guide" by Gina Sandford. Of course, you don't have to buy all the books which I would...I have spent literally hundreds and possibly $1000+ on them, but it may not be a bad idea to invest in a few of these!
Dale W.
02-09-2003, 1:43 PM
Orion, Species specifics can probably go under both headings so I will leave it up to you as far as the material within the book as to which group you want to put it in or just put it in both. :D
OrionGirl
02-09-2003, 1:48 PM
Killifish, A Complete Pet Owner's Manual, from Barron's publishing is an excellent reference for killifish, and covers enough for all levels. I'm not sure it's still in print--I had to search abit to get mine.
Peter Scott -- The Complete Aquarium. Hardback, very nicely illustrated, will actually show how to set up numerous biotope aquariums. I got this and the first Amano book within days of each other, yet I kept coming back to this one because it is more inspiring in that the tanks are attainable, Amano's are not.
Scott Brodie -- Confessions of a Fish Doctor Unfortunately out of print, yet can still be found on-line. Best book by far. Very readable in that it explains the differences between the major species of fish, and yet it offers several old-school methods of treating fish and growing plants. Helped me to understand that fish have personality and that one of the reasons people get out of fishkeeping is that they don't pick fish to match their personality. A valid point. I mean, how many dog people would dare have a cat and how many cat people would deign to have a dog, and yet people buy fish with only the regard as to how they'll look....
Val
The Simple Guide to Freshwater Aquariums, copyright 2001
David E. Boruchowitz
$12.57 at Amazon
The Simple Guide at Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0793821010/qid=1044820459/sr=2-1/002-1013140-0961628?v=glance&s=books)
JamisonBWolsh
02-09-2003, 7:37 PM
Fishkeeping for Dummies
pinballqueen
02-10-2003, 4:38 PM
A lot of out of print books are still available through Amazon. A lot of used book sellers and people who still have copies of OOP's are affiliated with them. If you can't find it in the book stores, don't forget to check there.... Ebay, too, while you're at it. It's hard to find anything that ISN'T on Ebay....
Fancy Goldfish by Dr. Erik L. Johnston and Rick Hess. It is probably the best all around goldfish book for beginners to advanced. It is a complete guide to care and collecting, it also has some great pictures of goldfish. It is $24.99 on cover but I paid $17.47 on amazon.
Avoxo
Botiadancer
02-26-2003, 10:15 PM
Cichlids of the Americas by Wayne Leibel
I chose not to put this in the advanced section only because it's such a great read that anyone casually thinking about keeping cichlids (or fish for that matter) would probably be convinced enough to give the hobby a try. I think Leibel is the Aquarium hobby's most entertaining writer.
tnlguinn
03-08-2003, 4:05 PM
Aquarium Style by Matthew Christian, not sure of the publisher. it has some reall nice tank setups, as well as some thet are on the edge. it has a great section on what you can put into an aquarium and what can not. very helpful for beginners.:p
Steve B
03-15-2003, 7:11 PM
I thought Wickman's book was coming out as part of the KISS series with a publishing date of last summer. I was in Borders recently and they had a whole section of the KISS books but I did not see it there.
For my money the best book out there now is Baensch's Aquarium Atlas Vol 1.
Mantis_22
04-07-2003, 7:15 AM
I never have used text booklets for the studys on fish. Mainly just being online
Tetratastic
04-09-2003, 10:51 PM
'The Complete Encyclopedia of the Freshwater Aquarium' by, John Dawes
It includes a species guide with color photos, has a section just on water plants, as well as different kinds of equipment, guide to sick fish, etc.
I received this as a gift and have found it quite helpful. :)
twokats
04-13-2003, 4:53 PM
i like the book "the simple guide to freshwater aquariums" by david e. boruchowitz. it is written for beginners in an effort to bypass "new take syndrome." heavily emphasizes cycling, water changing, amount to feed, not overstocking, etc. just in-depth enough for a beginner, but not over the top.
Pam Lowrey
04-14-2003, 1:01 PM
I like the one titled "Aquariums for Dummies" - mostly b/c I'm a big "... For Dummies" fan, but this one is also a good general beginnig-level book & includes lists of common mistakes & how to avoid them and opinions on bad beginner fish (as well as good ones).
Being a beginner myself, I really appreciated the straightforward writing style & list of common mistakes.
I think it's published either by IDG books or Hungry Minds (I can't remember which & don't have the book handy right now).
:)
Edit: Here's the citation...
Hargrove, Maddy & Mic (1999) Aquariums for Dummies, IDG Books Worldwide, Chicago, IL
And here's another one I really like for species info:
Schliewen, Ulrich, Aquarium Fish, English Translation by Rita & Robert Kimber (1992), Barron's Educational Series, Hauppauge, NY
It's the only one I've found so far to include Corydoras Panda.