Complete Encyclopedia of the Freshwater Aquarium [Hardcover]

John Dawes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 3, 2001

This 288 page, illustration-packed encyclopedia covers a wide range of the fish species information and technical hints needed to easily and successfully maintain a freshwater aquarium at home. Several books in one, it features hundreds of species and offers advice on the latest equipment, foods, remedies, water treatments, test kits, and aquarium management techniques.

The Complete Encyclopedia of the Freshwater Aquarium includes an A-Z listing of aquarium fish species, plus:

• fish biology
• fish in nature
• fish conservation
• commercial breeding
• aquarium selection, set-up, maintenance, and troubleshooting
• fish nutrition and feeding
• fish breeding in the aquarium
• fish health and diseases
• aquarium plant species
• planting and maintenance of aquarium plants
• species of aquarium animals, such as frogs, snails, crayfish, and more

The book includes the latest information on koi and other coldwater species, one of today's fastest-growing aquarium sectors. Rounded out with a glossary and further reading, The Complete Encyclopedia of the Freshwater Aquarium is a beautiful, colorful and comprehensive guide suitable for both beginning as well as seasoned aquarium hobbyists.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

It's said that keeping an aquarium is a good way to de-stress. This well-illustrated volume offers the latest information on setup and maintenance, as well as an A-Z survey of the growing number of aquarium fish species. RBB
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

The fish photography ... is far superior to any found currently in average general encyclopedias. (Lynn C. Westney E-Streams 20020801)

This work is highly recommended for scope, detail, and illustrations. (Edmund F. Santa Vicca American Reference Book Annual 20011215)

Profusely illustrated, fact-filled reference book. (Globe and Mail )

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Firefly Books (November 3, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1552975444
• ISBN-13: 978-1552975442
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #732,906 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, has needed info on rarer species, with updated names, January 13, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Complete Encyclopedia of the Freshwater Aquarium (Hardcover)

I found information on fish that I could not find in other basic bread and butter books. While it does not have pictures of the more common species, those can be found in less expensive books. This is a book for the more advanced hobbyist, yet can be a great help for anyone with it's broad coverage. If you want a book covering basic species, go somewhere else. If you have been finding some of the rarer fishes in your pet shop that most books do not cover, then you will find this book helpfull. I do wish it covered more of the Corydoras, and included pictures for all the fish it describes however. All and all, it is nice to see current latin names used, and advice on keeping the rarer fish that seem to be showing up in greater numbers these days.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Neither complete nor encyclopedic, but still a nice work..., June 8, 2006

By 

Navigator (Los Gatos, California) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Complete Encyclopedia of the Freshwater Aquarium (Hardcover)

I was really hesitant to give this book only three stars, because it actually is very well-written and quite nicely illustrated. My main objection to the book is its scope, reflected in its slightly misleading title. In a well-intentioned effort to write a comprehensive one-volume reference, the author glosses over too many principles which a beginner should learn in detail, and skims over (or omits) some essential information on advanced topics.

As a broad overview of home aquarium science, the book is great; as a reference for either the beginning or the advanced aquarist, it will likely prove to be of limited practical use. Someone who is just starting out would do far better to purchase one or two of the many good beginner's books offered on this site. (If you're reading this, it means that you're checking the readers' reviews, which is probably the best way to find the most suitable books for your needs.)

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Complete Encyclopedia of the Freshwater Aquarium, November 11, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Complete Encyclopedia of the Freshwater Aquarium (Hardcover)

I found this book disappointing. Photographs of some of the more common species that are available at local stores were not shown. If there was a photograph of a species somewhere in the book the description segment did not give a reference page for the photograph. Knowing what rare fish look like is nice but not helpful for most novice collectors. In most pet stores these exotic fish are not available.