posted 02-16-2004 11:06 AM         

I have only been keeping fish for about 18 months and have in my possesion a book that has proved invaluable for answering almost all of my questions about aquaria. It is DK's "Aquarium Owners Guide: The Complete Illustrated Guide to the Home Aquarium" written by Gina Sandford. It is widely available at bookstores and on-line. It covers all the basics of freshwater tropical, coldwater, brackish, and saltwater setups. It also covers fish anatomy, diseases, filters, feeding, breeding, fishkeeping history, etc. It is beautifully illustrated with color photos and has useful species-specific information on a large number of different types of fish.

If you are a newbie (like we all were at one point), this book will be the best $17.00 you ever spent. It is probably the most thumb-worn book in my house. Even if you are not new to the fishkeeping experience, it is a valuable reference to have around.