Reef Sources Mini Book Reviews

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Reef Sources Mini Book Reviews


Sinularia DuraThere are, most likely, hundreds of good books regarding the identification and care of marine animals. Unfortunately, there are as many, or more, bad ones. The books presented in this section are books that I have read or am reading, and think highly of. I choose not to mention the bad ones I've read.

I could not imagine being successful in this hobby without doing the reading. If you attempt it, the odds are against you. Actually, the odds are against your animals. Most likely, you will experience significant die-off, get discouraged, and abandon the hobby, leaving a trail of dead animals, and a significant investment in yard-sale fodder, in your wake. Reading will help you not to experience this tragedy.

If you buy and/or read only one book, read "The Marine Aquarium Handbook: Beginner to Breeder". It alone is not enough, but it will get you a long way.

The Marine Aquarium Handbook: Beginner to Breeder
by Martin A. Moe Jr.

Get it at AmazonThis is the first book on raising marine animals that I ever read. While the text is somewhat dated, and the pictures are only line drawings, this book is a must have. It was updated several years ago to include reef systems, but the real value is the detailed descriptions of the natural biological processes, and the disease treatment of marine fish. It is cheap but information rich, and it belongs on every aquarist's bookshelf.

Get it at Amazon!

The Marine Aquarium Reference: Systems and Invertebrates
by Martin A. Moe Jr.

This is not a text that I have read yet. I felt obliged to include it on the list because of all the praise I have heard about it, and how pleased I was with the Marine Aquarium Handbook, also by Martin Moe. It is out of print, but can be located at many fish stores, as well as Amazon.

Get it at Amazon!

Natural Reef Aquariums: Simplified Approaches to Creating Living Saltwater Microcosms
by John H. Tullock

Get it at AmazonThis is the first book that I purchased when I decided to return to marine fish/reef keeping after a protracted hiatus. It teaches a lesson in matching up reef inhabitants with compatible species from an emotional compatibility as well as a geographic compatibility perspective. It contains beautiful photos that help identify the more common species. It also discusses their care in a reef system. It contains information on tank selection, lighting, and filtration. If I had to pick a favorite, this would probably be it.

Get it at Amazon!

The Conscientious Marine Aquarist: A Commonsense Handbook for Successful Saltwater Hobbyists
by Robert M. Fenner

Get it at AmazonMuch like the Tullock book, Natural Reef Aquariums, The Conscientious Marine Aquarist starts out with the basics of marine fish keeping. It covers tanks, lighting, filtration, and nutrition. (It has a homemade fish food recipe that I use regularly.) It is well laid out with beautiful photos and also serves to help identify the more common species and their requirements. This book has more of a fish slant than does the book by Tullock, and covers the difficulty in identifying the healthiest specimens and the strongly recommends the quarantining of same. All-in-all, a very good value.

Also, Bob Fenner does a regular column for Flying Fish Express that has some helpful tips.

Get it at Amazon!

The Reef Aquarium : A Comprehensive Guide to the Identification and Care of Tropical Marine Invertebrates
by J. Charles Delbeek, Julian Sprung

Get it at AmazonThis book, combined with the 2nd volume, is considered by many to be the reef keepers bible. This first volume deftly covers the natural reef, coral biology, lighting, aquascaping, and water quality. It also covers collection and care of stony corals and tridacnid clams as well as the diseases and maladies associated with each.

The price of this epic tome is a tad steep, but it is a beautiful hard-bound edition with a tremendous amount of information and excellent photos.

Get it at Amazon!

The Reef Aquarium : A Comprehensive Guide to the Identification and Care of Tropical Marine Invertebrates Vol. 2
by J. Charles Delbeek, Julian Sprung

Get it at AmazonThis book, combined with the 1st volume, is considered by many to be the reef keepers bible. Volume 2 expertly covers soft coral and anemone biology, collection and transportation, propagation techniques, and the maladies that trouble the soft corals.

This book is also pricey, but, like its predecessor, worth the money. If you are on a budget, buy only Volume 1 and 2 of this book. Most everything you need is touched upon here.

Get it at Amazon!

Marine Atlas Volume 1
by Helmut Debelius, Hans A. Baensch

Get it at AmazonThis book is predominately a taxonomic atlas of a specific set of fishes and invertebrates. It was translated from its original German, and is more scientific than entertaining. It covers anemones, shellfish, tangs, wrasses, and other of the most popular fishes, but does not make a complete work by itself. You need at least volume 2 and 3.

This is a great field guide for figuring out what your fish store is selling you. Do not always trust the fish store employees. When I take a fish excursion, being that there are precious few quality fish stores nearby, I carry volumes 1, 2, and 3 with me.

Get it at Amazon!

Marine Atlas Volume 2
by Harry Erhardt, Horst Moosleitner

Get it at AmazonLike volume 1, this is a taxonomic atlas of a specific set of animals, particularly soft corals, stony corals, sponges, and snails.

Get it at Amazon!

Marine Atlas Volume 3
by Harry Erhardt, Horst Moosleitner

Get it at AmazonLike volume 1 and 2, this is also a taxonomic atlas of a specific set of animals, particularly mollusks, bristleworms, starfish, and cucumbers.

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Reef Fishes, Volume I: A Guide to Their Identification, Behavior, and Captive Care
by Scott W. Michael

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This book is the first of a set of three volumes. It is a well-written and exquisitely photographed taxonomic guide to fishes of the coral reefs, and to the captive care of each. Obviously, not all reef fish are represented here, and the total set will only represent several hundred of the most common species. All-in-all though, a beautiful book and I anxiously await the other two volumes.

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Marine Reef Aquarium Handbook
by Dr. Robert J. Goldstein

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I bought this book in a pet store in Maryland while I was there on business. It was cheap and I needed something to read. It turned out to be a decent book for the price. It explains a lot about filtration types and identifies some common corals and their care.

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Corals: A Quick Reference Guide
by Julian Sprung.

Get it at AmazonJust like the title says, this is a quick guide to identification and captive care of the major corals found in the aquarium trade. It is well photographed and provides a sufficient level of detail to determine if it is suitable for you aquarium. I particularly like the placement and requirements charts for each specimen.

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Clownfishes
By Joyce Wilkerson

Get it at AmazonThis book covers all manner of topics related to the captive care and breeding of clownfish (anemonefish). It talks about tank setup, species identification and pairing, and raising the fry to adulthood. It also covers, at a superficial level, host anemones and the species-to-species suitability between clownfish and anemone host. It is a good book and easy to read is you are ready to learn more specifics about what could be the most interesting fish in the hobby.

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Copyright © 1999-2000, Scott Brown, except as otherwise noted. All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced, in part, or in full, without the express written consent of the copyright holder.