What is the BEST SW Book?

[Lance M.]

I'd like to know what the best Marine/Reef/Invert book(s) are. Like for freshwater the best books out there are the Aquarium Atlas volumes by Baensch.

 

[malkore]

The Conscientious Marine Aquarist, by Robert Fenner...tops the list.
Aquarium Corals, by Eric...(last name not coming to me) is a good coral bible.

 

[EL Diablo]

I read The Conscientious Marine Aquarist, by Robert Fenner

It's a daily read, I must have read it front to back a dozen times.

 

[Spiderman]

If you're a beginner like I am, The New Marine Aquarium by Michael Paletta....

 

[scuba_steve]

i like reef inverts by fenner and calfo alot

 

[phases99]

Another vote for the conscientious Marine Aquarist

 

[Bearfan]

Another vote for the conscientious Marine Aquarist

And another.

 

[Lance M.]

Sounds like the Conscientious Marine Aquarist wins! What does it contain? I'm guessing all the set-up procedures, water chemistry, etc. for SW. And does it have stuff on the fish, corals, inverts? Or do I need another book for those?

 

[phases99]

Its got everything you need to get started, including fish and invertibrate chapters.

 

[Lance M.]

What's the average price for it?

 

[phases99]

I got the softcover from Amazon.com for under $30 delivered. Worth every penny.

 

[grimlock3000]

Good thread. Yesterday I ordered The Conscientious Marine Aquarist with some other stuff from www.marinedepot.com. I got overnight shipping on that order so it should arrive today and I can poke through it. The book was a bit pricey for a softcover, but I am sure it will pay for itself many times over. And it appears to have color pictures, fancy...

 

[bound_for_obx]

I picked these up last week..."The Conscientious Marine Aquarist, by Robert Fenner" (hardback) for 37 bucks delivered from amazon.com and Clownfishes (Paperback) by Joyce D. Wilkerson for $12.50 (delivered) from bookcloseouts.com I'd highly recommend either.

 

[nodoubt471]

For me, The Contientious Marine Aquarist takes the cake too.

Clownfishes by Joyce D. Wilkerson is excellent as well and has detailed profiles on the different kinds of clownfish, as well as anemone profiles and care advice. it also contains valuable information about culturing rotifers and other inverts for breeding. Softcover ranges from about $20-25.

For those interested in biotype aquariums, The Natural Reef Aquarium by John Tullock is a good refrence also, and has detailed chapters on each tropical marine ecosystem. Softcover ranges about $25-30.

Marine Fishes by Scott Michael is also a good "atlas" of almost every fish species, containing a page of compact, useful information on each of 500+ species of fish. its great for a quick refrence, especially when out shopping the LFS and you come across a fish you dont know much about. Soft cover its about $20.

 

[happyhillbilly]

This is probally stupid to all of you experts, I read Saltwater Aquariums For Dummies. It had all the basics, from filters to fish profiles.

 

[nodoubt471]

if your a beginner, definitly check out your local library before you spend money on anything. my library has 2 very easy to understand basic marine aquaium books, and then you can spend your money on something more specialized once you understand the basics