Keeping Moray Eels in Aquariums [Hardcover]

Phillip Purser (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2005

Moray Eels are now considered one of the most popular of all groups of marine fishes. This book provides the basics of their care in captivity in an easy-to-read, easy-to-understand way. There is also thorough coverage of the biggest problem associated with keeping these species- their eventual size as adults.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Phillip Purser is a Georgia-based hobbyist. He is a freelance writer and photographer, specializing in fish, reptiles, and amphibians, with an emphasis on conservation and uncommon creatures.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 139 pages
• Publisher: TFH Publications (August 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 079380566X
• ISBN-13: 978-0793805662
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #939,103 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of its Kind, August 5, 2005

By 

Virgil (The South) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Keeping Moray Eels in Aquariums (Hardcover)

I've been waiting for a book like this to make it to the shelves for as long as I can remember. Moray eels have always been described in bits ahd pieces here and there in all the other books, but they've never, as far as I know, had a book all their own. I'm still reading the book and finding it to be a whole-product; that is to say, it touches on so many parts of moray keeping that it answers just about all the questions you'd ever have. As any marine fish hobbyist will tell you, referencing and cross-referencing can be a big pain in the butt when looking to solve a problem; its so refreshing to find a one-stop resource.

The writing is good too, it's not boring or thick, like a lot of experts tend to be. I found myself laughing out loud at several points. You can tell the author is so comfortable in his knowledge of the material, that he can relay it to his readers in a light, cool way that is totally readable.

The book is put out by TFH publications, renowned for their great pet books, so it's quality all the way around. It's not as long as it could be; I think there are some more moray species that could have been covered, but the coverage of what species are included is excellent. Species are described in terms of: Minimum Tank Size, Natural Range, Size, Natural Habitat, Diet & Feeding, Description, Aquarium Suitability (the author ranks each species on a 1 to 5 scale, 1's are very hard to keep, 5's are best for beginners; a great idea if you don't exactly know which species is best for you), and any 'Special Conditions' that are associated with each species, like more swimming space versus more hiding area.

Morays have been on the pet market for years, now, and I think its only right that a quality book on them exist; its only fair to the animals and its only fair to the keepers. Its well worth owning.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Buy for Aquarium Books, August 1, 2005

By 

Dr. Weiss (Sunny SoCal) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Keeping Moray Eels in Aquariums (Hardcover)

I bought this book because I've long been interested in moray eels, and after having read it, I DEFINITELY recommend it to anyone who is at all interested in keeping these amazing animals. Every aspect of moray keeping is here, and it's easy to understand. The appendices ROCK! They give info on so many eel species not covered in the main body of the work. The only criticism I can give is that this book is only 140 pages; I'd have liked it if the book had been twice as long.

All in all, I definitely think it's worth anybody's time to read it, even if you're only remotely interested in the eels. And if you're a hard core hobbyist, this book is a MUST!

~Sam

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's About Time..., July 19, 2005

By 

Sally Pendergast "I swim, therefore I am." (Boston) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Keeping Moray Eels in Aquariums (Hardcover)

It's about time someone actually stepped up to the plate and write a book about morays in captivity. And this book is AWESOME!! It starts out with the biological history of the morays, and goes into their earliest interactions with humans (this section would be interesting even if you don't keep morays!)

But the best part about the book is the practical information it has: water chemistry, acquisition, diseases, how-to-treat disorders, etc. I think a rank novice could pick up this book and really get a good idea of what to do and what NOT to do in successfully housing and keeping a moray eel. I've been keeping morays for nearly 13 years now, and I am so glad to finally have a good reference book on the subject.