Customer Reviews

Cephalopods: Octopuses and Cuttlefish for the Home Aquarium

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Over 37+ years of marriage, my husband and I have kept a number of unusual pets, along with the typical dogs and cats. For each of these (both the unusual and for each breed of the typical) we have purchased untold numbers of books about each animal. Most have been read once and never reviewed again because the information was too basic, found to be just plain incorrect or lacked an appropriate index to locate information when needed. The prospective and current cephalopod keeper will find this book pleasingly different. Octopuses and Cuttlefishes for the Home Aquarium stays on topic, has a 12 page index and provides solid guidelines for successfully choosing and keeping a cephalopod at home.

Opening the book, one of the first things the reader notices is the display of on topic photographs at the turn of every page. It is quite clear that the pictures are of multiple environments and depict actual aquarium pets, a welcomed accomplishment from both the publisher and the authors. The type is clear without being geriatric, the layout and subtopic headings make skimming for specific information quick and easy while the sidebars provide interesting suggestions or observations based upon personal experiences.

The content is a must for anyone contemplating keeping an octopus or cuttlefish. In December of 2006, with the help of [...], we added our first octopus to an aquarium designed and setup 8 months prior for this inhabitant. At that time there were no books and few on-line guides. Today keeping a cephalopod has become an interest to a fast growing number of marine enthusiasts but until this publishing, short, hard to find magazine articles have been the only publications giving a hint on successful aquarium environments and containing very little about care or what to expect during the animal's lifetime. Nancy and Colin discuss the entire captive life cycle from housing design, choosing a species, obtaining, acclimating, housing, feeding and egg laying to dying, providing aquarist with a clear understanding of the requirements for raising a cephalopod as well as sighting which animals to avoid and why they are unsuitable for aquarium life.

The book is an enjoyable and informative cover-to-cover read. Don't stop reading once you reach the appendix! It is full of interesting suggestions and factoids for enriching a cephalopod experience.

This wonderful book is a long-overdue resource, detailing everything you need to know to successfully keep a cephalopod at home. It clearly explains why cephs are not the easiest marine pet you can choose, without being daunting, and it is obvious the authors are not only extremely knowledgeable and experienced, but very enamored with cephalopods. The book concentrates on Octopuses and Cuttlefish, since these are the most common cephs kept as pets, but there is also interesting information on Nautilus.

I set up my first Octopus tank last summer, and during the planning stages I was intimidated by the lack of concise yet comprehensive resources. I am lucky enough to have access to academic journals, so I was able to refer to the small number of published methods papers, but I don't know how anyone was brave enough to keep an Octopus without access to scientific methods papers UNTIL NOW. With the publication of this book, that has all changed. It is fantastic, and really covers everything you need to know to get started (luckily after reading the book it turns out I am doing most things right!).

On top of the content though, the pictures are incredibly beautiful. This would work easily as a coffee table book for those who don't intend keeping a cephalopod, but just find them fascinating. I cannot recommend this book highly enough to anyone interested in cephalopods.

This is a wonderful book on multiple levels. First and foremost, it is the most complete and practical book in circulation regarding how to successfully keep cephalopods for the layperson. This is the reason I bought the book, and it is the previously empty niche that this book fills nicely.

Secondly, it is a beautiful work, with many stunning photos of cephs, examples of their behavior, and demonstrations of their diversity. This not only makes it aesthetically pleasing, but also encourages hobbyists in what is otherwise a daunting subject. This is also the reason that this book has broader appeal, to the non-hobbyist but nature-loving group, as a coffee-table book. I even caught my artist brother using it as a model for some sketch work.

Thirdly, although the subject matter can be intimidating and technical, the writing style is not, so the end result is that it is quite approachable. I think that anyone even casually considering keeping cephalopods should read this beforehand. It is a relatively miniscule time/money investment and is very helpful in this regard. This is the category I am in; I am an experienced marine aquarist, but have never kept a cephalopod before.

My only criticism of the book is that it could have been made into more of a reference, with some more detailed advice. For example, one of the unique features of keeping octopuses (and therefore not found in other books) is sealing the tank. This is treated superficially, and would have benefited from additional practical suggestions, some detail tank photos, and perhaps some diagrams. Similarly, another of the unique problems cephalopod hobbyists face is picking the correct species. The descriptions of commonly kept species is excellent, but a tabled summary comparing them would be helpful. More practical help with identifying species of octopuses (text and photos) would also be welcomed, especially since we cannot rely on the vendors for correct identification, and the species makes such a difference.

In summary, this book is outstanding on several levels, and is a very informative and enjoyable read.

I believe this book is a great starting point to learn about how to take care of cephalopods. I'd recommend this to anyone who is at least familiar with saltwater husbandries and want to advance to taking care of these awesome creatures.

This book is well written and loaded with up-to-date, relevant information. Great for all ages. A very enjoyable, easy read. Great reference guide for octopus keepers or anyone who is interested in these amazing animals. I would whole-heatedly recommend this book.

My 13 year old read it and loved it too.

This book is amazing. It has all information you need for keeping these amazing creatures. Plus the pictures are outta this world. I original bought the book to use as reference but it is now the centerpiece of my coffee table. Everyone that flips through it is amazed at the information and pictures, its a great conversation starter. I highly recommend this book! It's a must read!