Over the past five decades fishkeeping as a hobby has seen a vast explosion into popular fancy. Fishkeeping is sometimes profitable, but always rewarding in the aesthetic value of an aquarium and in the successful creation of an underwater biosphere. Sadly, though, a large number of entrants into the hobby have no idea what they're doing and often receive copious amounts of misinformation from various sources. It is precisely these cases that books such as the Aquarium Owner's Manual by Gina Sanford were written.

About The Aquarium Owner's Manual

This extremely useful and easy-to-use book is divided into five main categories.

Introduction

A quick summary of the history of fishkeeping, including the evolution of the home aquarium and early assumptions on the requirements of individual fish. Also included is a short overview of a fish's anatomy, body shape, eyesight, scale type, the way an aquatic ecosystem works, and an explanation of how to use the tropical fish guide included in the book.

The Freshwater and Brackish-Water Aquarium

Includes species profiles on numerous popular fish for freshwater, brackish water, and cold water aquariums. Species profiles include the scientific name, common name, family, distribution in the wild, adult size, required diet for maximum health, water conditions (temperature, pH, and dH), swimming level (bottom, mid-level, top), and breeding type as well as a short description of the species' temperament, any special requirements, and breeding tips. The profiles also include small fish icons in the corner for easy identification of easy-to-keep fish (one symbol)up to a fairly challenging fish (three symbols). Also in this section is a short list of popular freshwater aquarium plants with instructions for their care and propagation.

The Marine Aquarium

Includes species profiles with the same features as described above for fresh and brackish water fish. The profiles for these also include which fish should and should not be kept in with invertebrates. Next are profiles on various marine invertebrates including plants, snails, and shrimp, followed by a variety of algae types.

Creating a Home Aquarium

This section includes instructions on tank selection, aquarium equipment (filters, heaters, aerators, coolers, etc.), tank stand requirements, lighting, various substrates and their respective problems and advantages, and decor. Next is a detailed explanation of how to plan out your tank setup, and actually get it set up and matured. Also included are a couple of neat ideas for themed aquariums. Sanford describes the best ways to install aquarium plants, select and introduce fish, and offers several fish "package" suggestions for a 36"x12"x12" tank (measurements also in centimeters)

Caring for Your Fish

Suggestions on stocking levels, rate of introduction of new fish, the type of dealers you should seek out to supply those fish, how to select suitable fish, and a "do" and "don't" table for beginners are all found here. Also tips on observing fish to ensure health, and safe handling of fish. Finally, Sanford explains how to read a water test and correct any off parameters; also a nice table explaining essential maintenance for the tanks and how often they should be done.

In "foods and feeding" Sanford describes different commercially-available foods and explains how to choose the right ones for your fish.

Also in this section are fully-illustrated discriptions of common fish ailments and how they should be treated, as well as instructions for setting up breeding tanks for the various breeding types (egg-scatterers, egg-depositors, egg-buriers, mouthbrooders, nest-builders, and livebearers).

Summary and Critique

All in all this book is a concise, easy-to-read and fully-illustrated book designed for entrants into the aquarium hobby. It is an excellent start for a beginner, but novices should be aware that this is only a very basic guide to get started on. With this book's easy format and user-friendly species profiles it is an excellent tool for beginners to figure out which fish they are interested in, though further study into those specific fish is strongly suggested as these profiles only offer the most basic information.

I was somewhat disappointed that the author completely overlooked or dismissed the freshwater invertebrates such as snails, shrimp, and crayfish, all of which are often misunderstood and mistreated as a result. Snails especially are very popular in the hobby, but hardly anyone knows their special feeding requirements, assuming they can live solely on algae. Snails and shrimp both are often placed with too-rambunctious tank mates and generally don't live full or healthy lives as a result.

For information on aquarium equipment, this book is a little outdated. Most of the equipment suggested is still useful, but now many better, cheaper, and/or easier-to-use options are available. The equipment section (and, to some degree, the fish medication section) were all I noted as being especially out-of-date, but as the book was published in 1999 the rest is pretty much correct as we know it.

One other disappointment I had with this book is that the author did not go into much detail on the proper methods of cycling a tank. There are many methods out there, some better than others, but unfortunately a large number of aspiring aquarists completely overlook this crucial part of a tank's setup...an aquarium is more than a tank full of water, it is a contained ecosystem that must have all its parts in place for its larger inhabitants such as fish to survive.

Overall, this is an excellent book to start with, though if you're lucky enough to have a reputable fish dealer in your area they can probably advise you better on equipment and cycling. The fish species profiles are excellent, if basic, and even after my twelve years of fishkeeping I learned a couple of new things about my little aquatic friends. I would suggest that anyone setting up a new aquarium do additional research after they've selected the species they wish to keep.