The Betta: An Owner's Guide toa Happy Healthy Fish (Happy Healthy Pet) [Hardcover]

Mic Hargrove (Author), Maddy Hargrove (Author)

Book Description

Series: Happy Healthy Pet | Publication Date: August 2, 1999

Bettas (Siamese Fighting Fish) are wildly popular with freshwater aquarium hobbyists. This book will provide all the essentials in proper care, housing and feeding of these exceptionally beautiful, spunky fish.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

At last, a book for the beginning Betta-keeper with everything you need to know about caring for the beautiful Siamese Fighting Fish. The Betta: An Owner's Guide to a Happy Healthy Fish will walk you through every stage of successful betta care—from selecting the right tank to breeding your own gorgeous Bettas. Proper water chemistry, temperature and good tankmates for the Betta are discussed in full, as well as how to feed your fish and keep them in the best of health. Written by experienced fish-keepers, The Betta: An Owner's Guide to a Happy Healthy Fish includes a wealth of information to help you understand your Betta's behavior so that caring for your fish is all the more fun. With info-packed sidebars and stunning color photos, this is the Betta book that hobbyists will enjoy most.

About the Author

MIC AND MADDY HAARGROVE are authors and columnists with over 30 years of experience in all aspects of aquarium fish-keeping. When not writing about fish, the Hargroves enjoy scuba diving and exploring the underwater world.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Howell Book House (August 2, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582450501
• ISBN-13: 978-1582450506
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #938,506 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

70 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Very Basic Fishkeeping Information, May 12, 2000

By 

wytwch "wytwch" (Fremont, CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Betta: An Owner's Guide toa Happy Healthy Fish (Happy Healthy Pet) (Hardcover)

This book is fine for the person who has little background or experience with aquariums. The vast majority of the book is very basic information about water quality, the nitrogen cycle, choosing a tank, filter, light, substrate and plants...very general aquarium basics. It is very disappointing if you are seeking specific and/or detailed knowledge about bettas. No information at all about tail and color variations, genetics, standards, etc. A better title would be, "Setting Up Your First Aquarium...and you can put a BETTA in there too!"

51 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the BEST Betta Book for ANYONE!! :-), August 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Betta: An Owner's Guide toa Happy Healthy Fish (Happy Healthy Pet) (Hardcover)

I just got this book a few days ago, and it is WONDERFUL! It covers everything in GREAT detail such as breeding, diseases and their prevention, and Genetics. A GREAT book out in the market today. So check it out!!! It is a book that seems to have everything anyone would need to know, in one!!!

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Easily the worst book ever about Bettas, June 22, 2005

By 

Bettaman "hulabetta" (Colorado Springs, CO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Betta: An Owner's Guide toa Happy Healthy Fish (Happy Healthy Pet) (Hardcover)

This is hardly a book about Bettas but as a previous reviewer noted a very basic aquarium book. As a Betta book it is so vague that it offers very little help or knowledge about Bettas' specific needs. The breeding and rearing the young section is a so vague & generalised that I really wonder if the authors have ever bred any Bettas at all. The food & feeding section is so full of errors & again vagueness that its best to ignore it. The disease treatments are mainly things that even your pet shop doesn't carry. Go to the numerous Betta sites on the web and the many Betta groups on yahoo! & you'll be far better off. Dr. Goldstein's book is light years better than this as is Walt Maurus'. Save your money for those and don't waste it on this one!