Things also cost a lot more in Australia compared to the US. I managed to track down the old website for secondhand fish books, which might have something that catches your eye. It's called Index Aquatic Book Shop, and they can be found at www.seahorses.com - their contact info is [email protected] They claim to have the largest selection of aquarium and fish books, magazines, videos, and supplies for the hobby.
discussing our favorite books
Re: discussing our favorite books
Re: discussing our favorite books
I came across The Complete Aquarium Encyclopedia by Ramshort, which is a great find on abebooks for under ten bucks. It's a picture book with some solid info, but keep in mind it's 50 years old. The science of fish is constantly evolving, so you'll have to reconcile old names and misconceptions with new discoveries. The fundamentals of fishkeeping, however, remain the same.
Linke and Staeck produced some excellent books for Tetra Press, particularly in the early days of Betta research. Their work on Apistogramma and West African Cichlids is also worth noting. Anton Lamboj's book on West and Central African Cichlids is another standout.
For habitat insights, Lionessver Lucanus' Amazon Below Water is a masterpiece, as is the new Xingu book. I've heard great things about Ivan Mikolji's book, although I haven't had the chance to read it myself.
On the other hand, I've always found the TFH books to be lacking. Herbert Axelrod relied heavily on second-hand information and hearsay, which led to a lot of misinformation being spread. However, back issues of TFH magazine are a different story altogether. As someone who contributed to the magazine, I can attest to the wealth of information and up-to-date knowledge they provided. I used to spend hours reading through old issues at the library, and I highly recommend doing the same.
Other notable magazines include Aquarium Fish and Amazonas, which offered a wealth of knowledge on various fish species. British magazines were also excellent, and I often found valuable information amidst the ads. If you're looking for beginner-friendly books, the Barron's series is a good place to start. Their Breeding Fish and killie books are particularly worth grabbing if you come across them. Just be aware that many of these older books are now falling apart due to cheap glue bindings.
In my experience, print magazines have always been more informative than books, likely due to the smaller market for books. I've found that thrift stores can be a treasure trove for obscure fish books, and I often stumble upon hidden gems when I have the time to browse. With the rise of e-readers, many image-heavy fish books were overlooked during the digitization process, which is a shame.
Linke and Staeck produced some excellent books for Tetra Press, particularly in the early days of Betta research. Their work on Apistogramma and West African Cichlids is also worth noting. Anton Lamboj's book on West and Central African Cichlids is another standout.
For habitat insights, Lionessver Lucanus' Amazon Below Water is a masterpiece, as is the new Xingu book. I've heard great things about Ivan Mikolji's book, although I haven't had the chance to read it myself.
On the other hand, I've always found the TFH books to be lacking. Herbert Axelrod relied heavily on second-hand information and hearsay, which led to a lot of misinformation being spread. However, back issues of TFH magazine are a different story altogether. As someone who contributed to the magazine, I can attest to the wealth of information and up-to-date knowledge they provided. I used to spend hours reading through old issues at the library, and I highly recommend doing the same.
Other notable magazines include Aquarium Fish and Amazonas, which offered a wealth of knowledge on various fish species. British magazines were also excellent, and I often found valuable information amidst the ads. If you're looking for beginner-friendly books, the Barron's series is a good place to start. Their Breeding Fish and killie books are particularly worth grabbing if you come across them. Just be aware that many of these older books are now falling apart due to cheap glue bindings.
In my experience, print magazines have always been more informative than books, likely due to the smaller market for books. I've found that thrift stores can be a treasure trove for obscure fish books, and I often stumble upon hidden gems when I have the time to browse. With the rise of e-readers, many image-heavy fish books were overlooked during the digitization process, which is a shame.