Book Description
This book is the "bible" on the subject of Reef Aquarium keeping, covering the biology of coral reefs and relating it to the biological, chemical, and physical parameters considered when creating a reef aquarium. The book details how to successfully cultivate corals in captivity and also features the identification and care of numerous coral and giant clam species. Diseases and parasites, and methods for controlling algae are also featured. The book finishes with an exciting section of photographs demonstrating successful reef aquariums.
Customer Reviews:
Great advice.......2005-10-14
New hobbyist should read this book for advice, then read it again in 6 months.
Wonderful Stony Coral and Clam Reference.......2005-06-09
The good?
This book is truly a comprehensive piece covering probably more than you want to know at times. For example, it explains the chemical reactions that occur during calcification of corals and why additions are necessary.
After reading many other references, I must say I am very happy I purchased this volume. Contained in these pages are insights you won't find anywhere else.
The book clearly explains the setup and maintenance procedures required to be successful in stony coral reef keeping.
The bad?
My main gripe is trivial. Guys, how about a larger font size and pictures? I had to do a lot of squinting.
It could do with a minor revision of some references that are dated (such as collection of live rock from Florida) as the original was 1994, but make no mistake that all information is relevant.
In summary...
Obviously at this price it is unfortunately out of reach of the casual hobbyist, which is a shame. However, one could buy this book instead of various "reference manuals" which might be the same at the end of the day.
Buy it if you can afford it.
I also highly recommend Eric Borneman's Aquarium Corals book.
Perhaps the best book on reef care.......2005-05-16
An exceptional book on the subject. It is comprehensive but I would not say not complete as no book on this subject could be. Still I believe this book to be the best work compiled in book form. Described by many as "the Bible" on the subject it indeed may be but it is not dogmatic as it offers several options and methods and leaves it for the aquarist to use.
(Note: This volume covers stony corals and not soft corals).
When I started keeping marine aquaria keeping back in 1970 one almost had to employ the skills of a chemist. In those days most people in the hobby thought it nearly impossible to care for many of the species of coral now commonly kept. It was only through the encouragement of a local public aquarium (the John G. Shedd Aquarium) whereas a high school student I was able to participate in collecting trips that I got the encouragement to experiment. I started out with Robert Straughan's books back in 1970 which both helped to get me in trouble and helped me grow as an aquarist. both In those days there was an awful lot of trial and error. Later in the late 70's I helped to pioneer some techniques when I worked for the Steinhart Aquarium in San Francisco. In those days in San Francisco I worked for one of the largest marine fish wholesalers in the world. We had a lot of shipments that went off to Germany and now I wonder if some of the species that passed through my hands ended up in the hands of the authors. Somewhat of a revolution went of in the hoby in the 1980 thanks in part to the efforts of the Germans. Thankfully the hobby is now much more of a discipline and a lot more humane. It is quite amazing how far the hobby has come. I am sure the hobby will continue to evolve. This is a pricey book but it is a pricey hobby and this book is one of the best, if not the best, books on the subject available. The best place to start with the hobby is a book like this one.
Helpful books.......2001-12-10
In some reviews the two volumes of "The Reef Aquarium" have been named "the bible of reef aquarists". This makes you expect a lot, but my expectations have not been disappointed in any way. Describing the natural habit at in the coral reef, explaining the established reef aquarium systems or introducing the suitable aquarium inhabitants - in these two books I found it all. Even here in Germany those two books are known as a German translation, and they're successful.
The Questions Are Answered.......2001-12-05
This book should be an example by which all other marine and reef aquarium books follow. Current and relavant information from cover to cover. This is the stuff you need to know if you are serious about being successful in this hobby. Great book but a great group of people.
Book Description
Reef Fish3rd Edition, Reef Creature 2nd Edition and Reef Coral 2nd Edition Identification books packaged in a beautifully printed Shelf Case.
Customer Reviews:
The "Bible" of Identification for the Carribean!.......2007-10-15
This is a must-have set for the SCUBA diver who is serious about knowing "exactly what is that fish/creature/coral" . And, even for the recreational diver, the books are laid out in a format to allow one's curiosity to help one to learn more about what exactly one can see while diving. Just about every live-aboard dive boat that I have been on counts this as a staple amongst its reference library. It is a nice set to have at home to review before or after diving - or even just to learn more about possibly what one MIGHT see on a future dive!
Identifying things underwater in the Caribbean........2007-08-26
I am a Brit who has been travelling to the Caribbean to dive with a Rotary group on an annual basis for the past 5 years during which we have dived in the North, East, West and Southern areas. One of my diving colleagues brought along the Reef Set and having looked at it, I was so impressed that I decided to buy a Set for myself - a great reference work for someone who is keen to put names to the things they see underwater.
Wonderful.......2007-08-15
I was working as a scuba instructor down in Grand Cayman when the first edition came out. I can't tell you what an impact the reef fish identification guide had. I have the whole set and it's wonderful.
The best in print.......2007-08-11
If you dive, this is the guide you must have to identify what you see. Indespensible for any trip.
The Best Guides in the Ocean.......2007-05-21
This set makes identifying fish, creatures, and corals possible for anyone. The authors developed a revolutionary grouping system to help the user focus observations, from which one can then refer to the book to make a positive identification. The photos are fabulous, and in the Reef Fish book, the authors even tell you where they were taken. Information is geared to those who spend time underwater (both the "Reef Fish" and "Reef Creature" books tell readers how organisms react to divers). Although one can use these books by thumbing through the pictures alone, there is much valuable information in the concise writing leading up to the photos, especially the authors' notes and explanations of the identification groups. Descriptions accompanying the photos help one learn subtle differences and sharpen observations further. In all, these three books are "must haves" for those who want to know what they're looking at under the ocean.
Book Description
This second volume in the series features the anemones and soft corals associated with reefs, detailing their biology and husbandry requirements, and featuring numerous species descriptions, with the benefit of wonderful color photographs. Also featured is new information regarding parasites in reef aquariums, and captive culture of anemones and soft corals. The book finishes with another section featuring more stunning images of reef aquariums around the world.
Customer Reviews:
A Must for any Salt Water Aquarium Household.......2007-07-13
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.
not a beginner book.......2006-03-09
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.
THE reference for that field.......2005-10-06
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
One of the best of the best vol.2.......2005-05-16
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.
The Reef Tank Bible Part Two.......2002-10-22
With volume one and volume two, what more does a reef aquarist need? Answer: Volume Three !
Book Description
A comprehensive field guide for aquarists, divers and naturalists, with detailed full color photographs of hundreds of species, encompassing the majority of coral genera one is likely to encounter on reefs around the world, This book defines corals and distinguishes them form similar hydrozoans, zoanthids, and corallimorpharia. The corals are described and compared to similar looking species, and their range and the correct pronunciation of the Latin name is given.
In addition, for aquarists who grow corals in reef aquariums, information is provided in quick reference charts concerning each coral's requirements for light, water movement, and food, hardiness in captivity, aggressiveness toward other corals, and proper positioning in the aquarium.
Customer Reviews:
Good pictures.......2007-02-12
This book has very good pictures but very little written information about each.
Beautiful pictures, but incomplete text.......2006-11-29
This book is full of fantastic full-color pictures with which one can easily identify many of the corals commonly available. Also includes many rare corals.
However, the text material about the corals, care etc. is extremely brief - much too brief. General care and lighting needs for a particulate coral species is given in the form of bar graphs and placement diagrams. This could theoretically be a helpful companion and summary of a more extensive text about the coral species being described. However, in this book, these diagrams are a *replacement* for the text. In and of themselves, the diagrams are inadequate to properly gauge the needs of the coral species.
I was also disappointed that the book completely leaves out many commonly available corals (for example the corallimorphs ("Mushroom corals"), which are common beginners corals). Leaving these corals out while including many rare species which the average hobbyist will never see seems to dilute the usefulness of the book.
I would recommend instead Borneman's "Aquarium Corals" (which I have and refer to constantly), and/or perhaps Sprung and Delbeek's more extensive 3-volume "The Reef Aquarium" (which has received good reviews, but I don't own (yet)).
Good for quick reference.......2006-08-05
If you already know a bit about corals, this is a nice book to have around for quick reference. I especially like that it lists similar corals and gives some basic information on how to tell them apart. It can be deceptive, though. The information it gives on the specific corals is very general, and should not be considered a good source for research on a coral you're planning to actually buy. Don't get me wrong, though. I'm happy I have this book, but I'd suggest supplementing it with a text such as Eric Bourneman's "Aquarium Corals: Selection, Husbandry, and Natural History". This text will actually give you much more specific information on requirements to care for the corals, as well as some better techniques to identify certain corals, since many look very similar, and there's no way any book could show every possible shape and color for many species.
good picture book.......2006-05-31
Book has lots of good pictures to help you identify corals. IN this manner it can be used as a min-coral atlas.
However, the book comes up seveley lacking when you wish to get information on said corals. All info is in bar graph form -- not narrative. A coral may be listed as preferring light 3-7.
That is not helpful... 3 could mean keep it in the dark while 7 could mean it prefers direct light... the 3 and 7 are not informative! Same for feeding icons, coral placement icons, etc.
If you want a book that TELLS you all about different corals, how you care and feed them, etc, then this book is NOT for you!
BUT, the pictures are really nice, closeup, and clear.
Good First Reference Text, pity about poor quality binding and packaging.......2005-10-16
A wonderful first reference text from Julian Sprung. The necessary information is well presented and communicated in a clear manner. A word of advice, don't get the hardcover version as it looses pages through poor binding and Amazon's inability to package adequately results in the corners being damaged in transit.
Product Description
This colorful photographic field guide describes about 1,200 species of common invertebrates, fishes, reptiles and mammals that occur on and around the world's coral reefs and mangroves. 6-1/2" x 7", 478 pages, 1,300 color photos.
Customer Reviews:
A Diver's Guide to Reef Life.......2007-09-17
A Diver's Guide to Reef Life
Comment by Stephen Wong, Marine Wildlife Photojournalist
I used to believe that biologists (or people who knew much of science) did not make the prettiest images, while dedicated photographers were merely trying to paint aesthetic pictures but didn't know a lot about the scientific part of their subjects. I am sure the biologists could shoot extremely well but they just didn't have the time to create the pretty photos, as their time spent would be doing much research in lab and field. At the same time, wildlife photographers could be stellar ecologist but simply lack the proper background training to discuss seriously the scientific side, or the photographers could know in-depth biology on only a few subjects but not many. Gee, am I wrong! "A Diver's Guide to Reef Life" by Andrea & Antonella Ferrari has changed my steretypic perception.
This 480-page 16cm X 18cm book delivers a wealth of scientific knowledge plus a full load of exquisite images. There must be at least 828 species (I counted) of the more encountered and diver-interested marine creatures' discussed and over 1,200 species of animals deftly composed in the book. Not only the general distribution and sizing of the subjects are talked about, the animals' individual habitats and their intrigue life habits are discussed. The ID shots for the `science' section are more than adequate as the pictures clearly show the species' colors, shapes and unique features so that viewers can immediately locate and relate to. The life habits section and the galleries (many beautiful images) are my most favorite. I am learning a lot from these two areas, plus from the underwater photo-tips that the Ferraris stated in each family introduction.
Besides the more popular diver-quested subjects, such as sharks to the jeweled pygmy seahorses, the book also covers subjects that may be of less interest to most divers, like the corals, sponges and sea squirts. Though these are not talked in-depth, the authors have used ample images to let the readers compare to what they see in their dives - a criteria for a good guide book. The Ferraris also have dedicated a small section on the dangers that the ecosystem now faces and suggested a list of `Don'ts' for everyone to help to preserve the fragile reef.
"A Diver's Guide to Reef Life" is a book that makes nature lovers learn more about the denizens of the seas and the relationships with each other. With interesting marine science balances eye-savvy images, be the book placed on the shelf for educational purposes or bringing it on dive locations for reference, I highly recommend the book for everyone and all resorts.
If you need ONE book, this is the one!.......2007-06-27
This book is the most used book in the library at Raja Ampat's Sorido Bay. It seemed that whatever we were looking for, was in this book. Now I have to resolve the spelling quirk for Thysanozoon. Who is correct? The Ferrari's or the others? Also, a big plus for this book...it stays open wherever you put it, while you are researching all your finds. The construction is ingenious.
Top Guide.......2007-06-18
ANDREA AND ANTONELLA FERRARI have spent years amassing the photographs and information contained in A Diver's Guide to Reef Life, and it shows.
With 1200 tropical species, ranging from coral polyps, gorgonians, sea squirts, sponges, nudibranchs and all of the main fish groups, this is a truly comprehensive work, and probably the only reef guide most divers will need to take with them on a trip.
Covering the Red Sea, Indo-Pacific and many Caribbean species, the book comes in a handy, almost square format with just three species per page, allowing good-sized images of high quality.
The authors describe each species carefully, and where possible give information on behaviour to assist with identification. For example, the reader learns that the orangeband surgeonfish (Acanthurus olivaceus) "can switch its main body colour from dark olive to tan to dark blue in seconds" and that there are 40 different species of triggerfish. One section shows juvenile specimens of some of the commonest fish, demonstrating how unlike their adult forms they can be.
Photographically, Reef Life is excellent, with every shot a genuinely representative view of the animal or fish described. The book also contains a good general introduction to coral-reef ecology, and titbits of information are spread throughout the text: "94 million tonnes of fish are now taken globally each year, compared to 19 million tonnes in 1950."
The Ferraris also produced the Macrolife Guide to Underwater Malaysia, in my opinion the best of its kind. Now they have created an indispensable companion volume that will serve every diver well.
Tim Ecott, author Neutral Buoyancy: Adventures in a Liquid World
One of the better guides to marine life.......2007-06-06
As a marine biologist as well as an author and photographer of marine life books, I am very selective in my choice of those that end up on my shelf. I am particularly critical of books with a global scope as these invariably include only a small fraction of what lives in any particular area. These books usually include only what the photographer happens to have good photographs of rather than what is important. This book is an exception as the authors have included many excellent photographs taken by others. In doing so the authors have managed to pull together 1200 of the most important and interesting species, all with concise information on distribution, habitat and behavior. No book of this kind is immune from misidentification, but this one has fewer than most. It's a keeper. For those in the w. Pacific who want to dig deeper, please also check the following: Micronesian Reef Fishes: A Field Guide for Divers and Aquarists
Wonderful photo guide to reef life.......2007-06-04
I have A DIVER'S GUIDE TO UNDERWATER MALAYSIA MACROLIFE and was pleased to see this additional book by the Andrea & Antonella Ferrari. I find this book just beautiful and well researched. This book is superior to some other field guides seem slapped together without much substance. I see this as a great addition to my library. You may also be interested in the following book: Coral Reef Guide Red Sea (Coral Reef)
Book Description
825 classic marine life photographs of 600 common and rare reef fish species. The easy-to-use, quick reference format makes it a snap to identify the myriad of fishes in Florida, Caribbean and Bahamas waters. A must for every serious diver. 6 inch x 9 inch, cloth stitched flexibinding that allows the book to lie flat.
Customer Reviews:
Impressive book........2007-10-05
As book reader and Diver, I just love this book, It gives me all the pictures and characteristics for an accurate evaluation of the creatures I found under water. Great pictures, and outstanding charcterization of fishes.
Fish ID "Bible".......2007-08-31
At one time I was the head of a volunteer organization in WPB, Florida that assisted Palm Beach County with their artifical reef program. Part of the qualification was to get training in a variety of related subjects (like fish identification) sponsored by the Florida Oceanographic Society. This book served as our fish identification "bible." I no longer live in FL, but when I go diving in the Caribbean I stil take this book with me. If you need to (or just want to) know the fish of the Caribbean, buy this book.
Caribbean Fish.......2007-07-20
This is a fabulous resource, and I wish we had bought it before to take with us on our trip to BVI
Wonderful guide!.......2007-07-19
I bought this item for my trip to the Caribbean. I'm a marine biologist by training, and I loved this book because it gave information above and beyond just identification. It also tells you how likely it was that the fish you saw was the one pictured in the book. Then there are lists of all the species in the back, with space for you to record when and where you saw it. I had so much fun combing this book after snorkeling to identify all the organisms I had seen! What a great investment!
Best Fish Book I Have Found.......2007-07-13
This book is a must buy for any diver who has moved beyond the "Oooh look at the pretty fishes" stage. If you want to know what you are looking at, use this book. It is an excellent companion to PADI's AWARE Fish Identification Specialty, and makes it easy to look up fish when you surface.
Average customer rating:
- Creative and Fun learning tool
- beautiful
- Accurate, fun pictures.
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Coral Reef Coloring Book
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ASIN: 0486285421 |
Book Description
Forty-four realistic drawings of parrotfish, octopus, damselfish, moray eel, sea cucumber, dolphin, medusa jellyfish, sea dragon, many more. Captions.
Customer Reviews:
Creative and Fun learning tool.......2007-07-14
Adults and kids who enjoy art and/or nature will find the books in this series enjoyable. You can simply enjoy putting colors together to create your own world of creatures or flowers (depending upon which book you order) or you can do the research and create a realistic world of color and beauty complete with learning the different names for the fish and under water foliage or the flowers or the butterflies etc in other books. Whether used as a learning tool or just for creative expression adults and children alike enjoy these books. I keep a selection of these types of coloring books around around the house with a very large selection of gel pens and markers for my neices and nephews and they come over frequently to visit while we all sit down to color, nothing else, Though I wouldn't sit to color a regular coloring book, these and the geometric or mandrel design coloring books are more on an adult level and I enjoy sitting with them as we chat about what is happening in their lives as we color. I believe they open up more because the coloring alows them to avoid the intensity of one-on-one coversations about emotional things in their lives. Open a door, sit and color with your pre-teen or teen and just be available to talk. You may be surprised at what doors you are opening, beyond the creativity of a child and yourself.
beautiful.......2007-04-11
I just purchased these Dover COloring Books for my mother and she loves them. The detail is out of this world and the variety of colors you can use are only limited by your inagination. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Accurate, fun pictures........2002-01-17
This is a book which is accurate in its drawings, with the official names for many, if not all, the different species. I am an adult, a frustrated artist with no talent whatsoever for drawing. I have really enjoyed coloring these pictures with colored pencils. There is a lot of small detail work in some of the pictures, which I think would be difficult with crayons, but of course, all the detail doesn't need to be observed. I have loved this book and have colored 2/3 of the pictures. It is my favorite of the half dozen coloring books I bought. There are completed colored pictures of about a quarter of the drawings, which I appreciate very much, as it gives inspiration to those of us who would like to experiment with shading, etc.
Book Description
A detailed overview of what is presently know about the behavior and ecology of reef fishes inhabiting the waters of Florida, Caribbean and Bahamas. The enjoyable fact-filled text is lavishly illustrated with 475 marine life photos, many capturing spectacular fish behaviors never before documented.
Customer Reviews:
Fish Behavior.......2007-05-27
As a family we enjoy scuba diving. Our last vacation in Honduras we were noticing certain fish "acted" in very specific ways and some making no sense to us at all. We were told about this book and have read it now and things we saw make much more sense now. We will be heading back to Honduras in August and hope to use this new found knowledge regarding fish behavior in helping us capture better pictures.
fantastic.......2007-05-08
so glad i broke down and bought this! after taking all my photos and comparing them to the details in this book, i am 99% sure of my labels! and after doing so, it was amazing how much of the info stuck in my brain!
Reef.......2007-01-21
Perfect condition through Amazon.
This is a very good complement to the reef set, from the same author.
Fascinating window into the lives of reef fishes.......2006-11-19
While on vacation in Florida, I read Reef Fish Behavior by Ned Deloach and Paul Humann. It is a fascinating, well researched book on the behavior of reef residents in the wild, based on many months of observation on dives. There are incredible pictures here showing life and death on the reef.
The writing is well done, and lets readers feel like they are observing along with the authors. Witness, for example, these few sentences taken from the section on Sailfin blennies: "...late one afternoon we saw a Sailfin making a mad dash across the seafloor. The little fellow looked vulnerable and out of place in the open....This was our first observation of what we came to call runners. After several minutes of crazy zigzags, the runner arrived at a hole occupied by a slightly smaller male, and a miniature version of a marine Jurassic Park commenced."
Probably the best book available on this topic........2006-08-01
If you are hesitating due to the price of this book don't. Check out the contents page on the 'look inside' facility above. It is well worth the expense. Excellent photos,( I wonder how many hours underwater they spent observing the behaviour captured in these pics?) highly informative text, an absolute mine of interesting facts and observations about a complex subject. Though specific to the Caribbean and Bahamas it can also be used by divers in the Pacific and Indian oceans. Obviously it does not cover all species and unfortunately misses out on some of my personal favourites Morays, Lionfish, Boxfishes, Porcupinefishes and Puffers but at 360 pages it still covers a lot of ground. Enjoy!
Book Description
This new field guide will describe approximately l,000 species of invertebrates and tunicates that are found in the Central and Western Pacific and Indian Oceans. The narrative for each species will include a description of the animal and discuss its natural history and distribution. The photographs for this field guide have been contributed by 36 of the world's best underwater photographers.
Customer Reviews:
Missing some crucial information.......2007-06-05
I relied on the previous reviews and brought this book with me on a recent trip to French Polynesia. I should have been more careful. One reviewer, for example, noted the inclusion of ten (though I see eight) "undescribed little octopi." How does he know that they're little? The book doesn't give size information. The first of the eight is described as large, then there is no size information for the next two, and then the fourth is "another small species." How small? How small is a small octopus, anyway? It's not something I know, but it is something I expect a guide to tell me. Also, the one octopus I spent most time watching changed color repeatedly, and I would have liked to have seen something about coloration possibilities.
I'm rating this book harshly became I see what more it could have been. It's also a heavy book, and weight is crucial on inter-island flights. Next time, I'm bringing Allen and Steene's Indo-Pacific Coral Reef Field Guide. It has fewer entries and devotes the plurality of its pages to fish, which are better covered elsewhere, but it's lighter weight and gives size information.
great guide for diver, non diver, and any curious amateur!.......2007-01-13
Great photos, wide coverage, this book is a very simple and easy guide for any lover of the coral reef animals [even if its not a biological or academic textbook with full description and additional detail]. It gives key for coral reef animals identification and provide enough basic information to assist any non specialist, in particular diver.
Informative book for identifying invertebrates.......2006-03-02
The book is written from the prospective of the conservator rather than that of the coral reef keeper. However, the information is pertinent to both. The photographs are clear and provide a tool in identifying salt water invertebrates.
Simply the best invertebrate book.......2001-03-11
I only have positive thoughts about this great reference. It is simply the best book ever written on the invertebrates of the Indian Ocean and especially the Indonesian area. It is like an oversized version of Debelius` field guides,but this one truly rocks!It does not only include 1105 interesting invertebrate species,but also some great information about them. Some species are such new to science that they`ve not even been described. For example,there are 10 undescribed little octopi. If any animal are more strikingly colourfull than reef fishes,these are the ones. I love all animals but I especially like the chapters about flatworms,crustaceans,and molluscs,of which many species are new to me. I already have a great knowledge of animals for beeing such young,and this book gives me much more. When I take a trip to Thailand for the next winter,I`ll bring this book and see how many invertebrates I`ll recognize from it. Over all,this is a great book and would recommend it to any serious scientist,aquarium hobbyist,invertebrate lover,or the one that just likes strong colours. The price is high,but believe me,it`s definitly worth it!
Fantastic Assortment of Pictures........1999-12-26
This soft-cover book provides some of the most vivid color pictures of marine invertebrates that I have seen to date. However, do not expect involved explanations about each species listed. Scientific names are given for each species, but common names are not always included. Very little information given concerning how each species relates in the aquarium environment.
Product Description
624 pages, hardcover. By Scott W. Michael. Covering 68 families and thousands of species, Reef Fishes is an authoritative guide designed to be a lifelong reference for saltwater aquarists, divers, and amateur reef naturalists.
Customer Reviews:
Reef Fishes Volume 1.......2005-10-14
This book is a excellent reference, one that every saltwater fish enthusiast should have in their library. It goes into great detail about each reef fish, including their captive care, disorders and diseases, compatibility, reproduction and many other topics, way too many to list. Plus, the pictures are awesome! A must for anyone of enjoys saltwater aquariums.
Volume 2 is available.......2004-05-28
It should be noted that you will find it on Amazon under the name "Basslets, Dottybacks & Hawkfishes: plus seven more aqarium fish families with expert captive care advice for the marine aquarist", but it's obviously Reef Fishes Vol 2 as confirmed by the Microcosm website.
Now we are all waiting volume 3 !!
Waiting with Bated Breath.......2004-04-02
This is one of the best fish books I've ever owned. The author succeeds admirably in his goal of providing a comprehensive reference to reef fishes. There are a couple of things prospective buyers should note:
1) There is more in-depth information about each species than I've seen in any other fish book---by this, I mean pages instead of a paragraph or two.
2) This is only volume 1 of an eventual 3 volume set that will provide a comprehensive reference to virtually all reef fishes. What this means is that all kinds of bizarre fishes are covered in detail----even those that most of us would never consider for our own aquarium and those that we will never see unless we take up scuba diving. Many (most?) of the fishes that the amateur aquarist might own will be covered in future volumes.
The text is well-written and fun to read. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on frogfishes, even though I can't imagine myself owning one. Additionally, the book is profusely illustrated with excellent color photographs. It's really astounding that one person could do all the research, compilation, and writing that went into this. Whatever Mr. Michael is making from this book, it's not enough.
Over-all, a really terrific book, and I'm waiting with bated breath for volumes 1 and 2. I hope the author can find time and energy enough to get them out within a few years.
Reef Fishes Volume 1 by Scott W. Michael.......2003-06-19
Awesome book! So many wonderful pictures and more information than I hoped for!
Great Beginning--Where's Volume 2?.......2003-05-04
This is a wonderful book. It give s agreat intor to the general aspects of anatomy, physiology and ecology of reef fishes. It then goes on into detail on several families of fish. Among these are: Eels, Frogfishes, Seahorses, Squirrelfishes, Lionfishes, Anthias, and several others.
At least 2 more volumes are planned.
Volume 2 has been due "soon" for quite a while now. I hope "soon" isn't much longer--it will include many of the most interesting fishes: Damselfishes, Butterflyfishes, Angelfishes, Dottybacks, Jawfishes, Grammas, and several more.
Volume 3 (who knows when it will arrive) will include wrasses, blennies, gobies, surgeonfishes, rabbitfishes, pufferfishes and several others.
This series will definitely be the "definitive reference on all fishes a marine aquarist might ever encounter." The author, Scott W. Michael, is a renowned expert in this field. He has more than 25 years experience as an aquarist and diver. He has written several other books and contributes regularly to Aquarium Fish Magazine.
Highly recommended!!
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