Focus on Freshwater Aquarium Fish - Hardcover

Fletcher, Nick

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1552979369 ISBN 13: 9781552979365

Publisher: Firefly Books, 2004

Synopsis

A totally fresh look at fish.

Focus on Freshwater Aquarium Fish is a valuable reference for fishkeepers at all levels. The book features a wide variety of fish illustrated in a dynamic way and offers practical advice for their care.

The book presents the fish based on their families or fishkeeping groups. These groupings consist of:

• American and African Cichlids: bold inhabitants
• Characins: from tetras to piranhas
• Live-bearers: includes guppies and mollies
• Killifish: short-lived beauties
• Anabantids: air breathers including Bettas
• Danios, Minnows and Rasboras
• Catfish: found in tropic and temperate waters
• Rainbowfish: tropical fish at home in tap water
• Sharks and Loaches: bottomfeeders and efficient algae eaters
• Barbs: active and gregarious
• Oddballs: pufferfish, low-voltage eels, elegant predators and more
• Goldfish: a wide variety of a perennial favorite.

Each section opens with an overview that introduces the range of fish within that group and explores their adaptations. The images and text provide details of the mature size and main characteristics of each fish, its behavior in the aquarium and a brief look at how it breeds.

The bright, colorful photographs display the fish swimming rather than as static side views. This evokes a clearer sense of the personality of each species. Freshwater fishkeepers will be delighted at the beauty and choice available.

About this title

About the Author:

Nick Fletcher is a prolific contributor to aquatic publications.

Geoff Rogers has been involved in aquatic publishing for many years, mainly on the editorial side.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.:

Introduction

Taking these photographs has been a challenge and a pleasure. The challenge has been mostly physical -- sitting crouched in front of the tank for hours -- and sometimes mental -- from the anguish of waiting for some fish to do anything interesting! The pleasure kicks in when the photographs succeed in our aim of showing aquarium fish as living creatures completely at home in an environment quite different from our own. A thin sheet of glass separates our two worlds and yet it is possible to capture the essence of their lives as if no barrier exists between us. This book gives us the opportunity to look more closely at a wide range of fish that many of us glimpse only fleetingly in dealers' tanks. Of course, the fish know that I am there with my digital camera pointed in their direction. The cichilds are particularly curious -- look at their eyes following my every movement! And some fish, such as the fancy goldfish, seem to relish the opportunity to show off their finery, moving gracefully this way and that so that I can capture their flowing fins from all angles. Of course, I could not have taken these pictures without the fish and I would like to say a huge thank you to all the aquatic stores and fishkeepers who kindly and patiently allowed me to "shoot" their fish. The results are on the page -- living snapshots of aquarium fish that are true stars in their own fascinating and vibrant underwater world.

- Geoff Rogers

In writing the text to accompany Geoff's photographs, my aim has been to convey the personality of the fish, rather than to dwell on the finer points of the anatomy, or fishkeeping care. I also happen to love fish, and I hope that comes across. This is a pictorial gallery that provides the "wow" factor of freshwater aquarium fish and that I hope will inspire non-fishkeepers to take up the hobby. My grateful thanks go to Mar Bailey: her expert guidance on cichilds has helped preserve my reputation as a journalist and writer on all things fishy.

- Nick Fletcher.

About this edition

• Publisher: Firefly Books
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 1552979369
• ISBN 13: 9781552979365
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 208