Dr. Burgess's Mini-Atlas of Marine Aquarium Fishes (Hardcover)

by Warren E. Burgess (Author), Herbert R. Axelrod (Author), Ray Hunziker (Author) "Dr. Burgess 's Mini-Atlas of Marine Fishes is designed as a pictorial aid for the identification of marine fishes as well as a guide to..." (more)
Key Phrases: reef aquaria, dim tank, hair algae, Clarion Angelfish (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover
The only thing "mini" about Dr. Burgess's Mini-Atlas of Marine Aquarium Fishes is in its title. At almost a thousand pages and containing more than 1900 full-color photos, this book is big in size and value by any objective standard. The "mini" part of the title results only from the existence of the larger Dr. Burgess's Atlas of Marine Aquarium Fishes, the standard identification reference work in the field. Additionally, it contains a large (256 pages) section devoted to the setup and maintenance of marine aquariums. The fishes shown are indexed by both scientific and popular names for ease of reference.

One of the handiest features of this Mini-Atlas is that it shares with its larger cousin the use of space-saving symbols in the captions. Besides giving the fishes' scientific names, the captions also include numbers and symbols that provide at-a-glance information about the fishes' families, feeding habits, sizes and temperaments, swimming habits, and aquarium lighting requirements.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1023 pages
• Publisher: TFH Publications; 2 Sub edition (April 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0793800323
• ISBN-13: 978-0793800322
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.9 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #766,706 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a must have reference for both beginner and advanced, May 16, 1999

By A Customer

This reference allowed me to find compatible species for my reef tank. Many aquarium stores have staff that aren't as informed as they should be. This reference saved me from a potential disaster in choosing the wrong species of fish.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars MIXED FEELINGS - TOUGH FOR BEGINNER, April 24, 2001

By	J. C. Bieselaar "christianjcb" (Paris, France) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The strength of this book is the number of color photographs identifying an amazing number of fishes. The shots are clear and well taken. It is a strong, thick, well illustrated reference book. However, I believe this book is difficult to use for someone who just starts saltwater tank. First, all the fishes are listed in their scientific names (not the names given in the store). Therefore, you first have to look at an index table of "store names" which translates into scientific names, then look into the scientfic names' index table to find the page. It can take lots of time at first. Not very convenient. Second, there is absolutely no text about any fish - only symbols that give you information about food, environment... I guess that's why this work is called the "mini-atlas". The problem of using only symbols is that the information can be subjective and lack context. For example, the book does not recommend any trigger for a novice. If you have only fishes and no corals in the tank, why not? They are the least likely to die and will live long as long as you get other fishes they can get along with. In summary, this is a good reference book but do not expect to find much specific information in it.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Mother of All Mini Atlases, August 27, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: Dr. Burgess's Mini-Atlas of Marine Aquarium Fishes (Hardcover)

If you are looking for a way to identify your marine fish in your aquarium look no further. Dr. Burgess Mini-Atlas of Marine Aquarium Fishes is a great reference and pictorial guide to marine aquarium fish. Do not be mistaken about this books intentions! It is an identification guide with lots of pictures and references so you can identify and classify marine aquarium fish. It is not a care guide for Marine Fish although it does talk about the correct parameters for keeping marine aquarium fish. At less than half the price of the larger version of this book you can't go wrong. It belongs in every Marine or Reef aqaurists library. Reviewed by Brian Fox