Customer Reviews

Aquarium Care of Cichlids (Animal Planet Pet Care Library)

5 star:		(4)
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3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is written by the consumate enthusiast. There is not a chapter that does not contain valuable and practical information on this outstanding family of fishes. Not only does the author enlighten you, she inspires you, or perhaps I should say she allows these fascinating fishes to inspire you. Cichlids are freshwater fish known for their intelligence and the wonderful parental care of their fry. No one has ever conveyed their amazing qualities better than Claudia Dickinson. I have been keeping aquarium fish for over 40 years, and have read many aquarium books (well over a hundred). I can assure potential buyers that this is must read for anyone interested in cichlids. It has a permanent place in my collection.

Those of us in-the-know have been anxiously awaiting the debut of Aquarium Care of Cichlids, by Claudia Dickinson. It has fulfilled our expectations, and then some! The author is an extremely experienced and knowledgeable aquarist. She shares all of that with her readers, along with her effervescent enthusiasm. On one page she becomes an historian, on another a scientist, and on many others she is a hobbyist just like you or me. Her writing style is friendly without being flippant!
There are eight chapters simply overflowing with advice and information. It is published by T.F.H., and it is also part of the Animal Planet Pet Care Library; "Expertly written, these user-friendly guides are bound to delight the entire family."
Even though this is Ms. Dickinson's first book, she is far from a beginning author. She has won multiple awards for the countless articles she has written for such publications as Tropical Fish Hobbyist, Cichlid News, Buntbarsche Bulletin, and Modern Aquarium, to name but a few.
To quote Ms. Dickinson: "If reading this book sets you on the road to success with your first cichlid aquarium, these pages will have served their purpose well." Ultimately, YOUR review will be the most telling!
(Submitted by the book review columnist for Modern Aquarium magazine.)

I found this book woefully lacking substance and any real information as to the keeping of cichlids. I finished reading it in under an hour, easily (probably closer to 40 minutes). Although an attractive book, its reading level would probably be more appropriate to a child approximately twelve years of age. A very basic beginners book.

Unfortunately, there appears to be a dearth of good, informative books on keeping cichlids (I was unable to find any other on Amazon rated as highly as this one).

Has good basic information. No specific details on species. However, it is a good book for those just starting out with aquariums, or those who are still undecided about what type of cichlid they want.

From a Teacher. . .

Claudia Dickinson's new book, the "Aquarium Care of Cichlids" is a great fish and learning resource for any new or veteran teacher, or simply for a student of cichlids, not only because it is so accurate and informative, but because of how it is written. The book understands teaching in that the pages are "interactive" and the chapters reflect an important teaching flow.
The pages are "interactive" in design as they are filled with engaging images framed with different geometric shapes that captures the eye and draws you into the critical information provided in a short format and then expanded on throughout the chapter's pages. The engagement goes further by providing the reader, both young and old, with expert knowledge and summary pages for emphasis and clarity.
The book is ideal for learning because of its logical flow that builds upon itself. First, the books starts with the critical question, "Why Cichlids," and then advances the reader Chapter by Chapter through background information, preparations to be accomplished, and then a number of critical care chapters. This emphasis on learning as you read and then putting the animals first is thoroughly reinforced next through a new important but action oriented question, "Which Cichlid is Best for Me?" The final chapter provides the "real" world connections that can be used by a veteran or newcomer to take their new-found knowledge to ever increasing levels of understanding. For me, as well as for my students, the book is as much a resource as a guide for thinking about the "Aquarium Care of Cichlids." If you have a cichlid tank at home, or in a classroom, this book should be close by for all to be taught about what they are seeing each day in their designed aquatic habitat. The book puts fish and learning first, and this fact makes the book invaluable. I recommend this book highly and without reservation based on my 35 years of teaching experience, work with teachers as a professor at Johns Hopkins University and the co-author of a number of curriculums.

For a beginner, I think it is a great book for $10. Sure you can find all this information online. I don't know why someone thought this book "for sixth-graders". After reading this book you probably will not be able to keep discuss, at least for longer than a few days. However it contains enough information to start with some simple cichlids, e.g. like Blue Ram (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi) or Bolivian Ram (Mikrogeophagus altispinosa).