Baensch Aquarium Atlas Vol. 2 [Hardcover]

Rudiger Riehl; Hans A. Baensch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1997

Originally, only one volume was planned. You, dear reader, have decided otherwise. The comments received were so numerous and so clearly in favor of a second volume that the authors had to grant the readers' wish. The result is present here. This volume turned out more extensive than the first. With over 900 species of fish and over 170 aquatic plants included in this second volume, that is more than an aquarist could ever keep in his life, but interests are very variable and everyone's preference is not equal. Volume 2 of the Aquarium Atlas purposely does not go further into sophisticated and highly specialized hardware but rather into the breadth of the hobby. This allows us to give you more information on additional fishes and plants.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1212 pages
• Publisher: Microcosm Ltd; 3rd edition (November 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1890087130
• ISBN-13: 978-1890087135
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 5.2 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,160,833 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A 2nd volume to, IMHO, the best all-round aquaria reference, October 9, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Aquarium Atlas, Volume 2 (Baensch Freshwater) (Paperback)

A large and recommendable guide to fresh and brackish water fishes and plants, in the style and format of volume 1 (to which it often refers for further information on related species).

Contents:

- A section on aquatic plants both sub-aquatic and emersed, including 22 pages dedicated to the flowers of the plants featured (mostly pictures - from the small and humble to the impressively coloured and shaped). 150 plants are described (according to their count).

- A section on iron and other nutrients: symptoms of deficiencies, fertilisation, CO2 addition and general plant care and choice guidelines (about 10 pages total, includes some pictures of symptoms of common plant problems)

- A section on algae, including description, pictures and control for: blue-green algae (cyanobacteria), diatoms (a.k.a. brown algae), and cluster, beard, green bunch, green spot, black spot, pelt, black brush, filamentous and suspended algae (9 pages, with pictures).

- Some 22 pages on anatomy and physiology of fishes.

- The largest section (almost 2000 pages) describes and contains pictures of some 850 species (again, on editor's count). From time to time a picture of a biotope is included - sometimes with specifications as to the fishy inhabitants, sometimes with miscellaneous comments. The origin of these is quite unbalanced: while South America scores some 17 photos, lake Malawi makes do with 4 (though 2 are underwater ones - the only ones to be so!), lake Tanganyka with just one, Australia with 3 and Asia with 1. The rest go completely unrecorded. To make matters worse most of these are landscape pictures giving little information about the actual habitat of the fish or plants. Only in one picture can aquatic plants clearly be seen (apart from water lilies, that is) - no specific biotope information is given for plants at all.

All in all this is, I believe, a great reference book on plants and fish. It shows many remarkable plants and fish, many of which are not even normally commercialised. Great for the terminally curious and those whose imagination runs ahead of their tanks' possibilities. But not a good source of biotope information (other than short descriptions and hints contained in the individual species descriptions).

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars good continuation, September 29, 2005

By 

Olli Orrainen (Finland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Baensch Aquarium Atlas Vol. 2 (Hardcover)

If you liked the first book you need to have this one too. Very good continuation to first one. Lots of new fish and plant species and some mistakes done in the first book are corrected in this one.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More good stuff!, April 30, 2009

By 

A. S. "ltkettch17" (Gurnee, IL) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Aquarium Atlas Volume 2 (Hardcover)

If you already have Volume I, you know what to expect from this series. Plenty of great pictures and excellent information regarding specific water requirements for all types of fish and plants. This volume seems to cover much larger fish than what an average aquarist might choose to keep.