Aquarist Magazine

[Limpc]

Hi all,

Wanted to find and buy magazines related to fishkeeping etc. Saw those in library but cannot find in newstand not even in airport.

Any one got info about this ? I'm thinking about subscription as well.

Limpc

[Achilles Tang]

I actually bother to subscribe to aquatic magazines.... full of ads... and many irrelevant articles.

The WWW is a much better resource!

True, they may feature some people's 20,000g tank but other than that... there's nothing in there that is covered in the internet.

My 2 cents.

AT

[wedgee]

Yah cant agree with u more, Achilles...I was browing thru a magazine at Kinokuniya last weekend, and 95% of the pages were covered with ads... From Corallife salt mix to SKimmers to fish food ads!!! REALLY NOT WORTH THE $12!

One year subscription is better off spent on a few good solid aquarium guid books or references...

And I've been getting all my important info from the Net too!

[Stenopus Hispidus]

If you really need to get reading material, get serious reference books instead of magazines. Its more worth it;

Marine Reef Aquarium Handbook (Robert J. Goldstein)

The Reef Aquarium Vol. 1 & 2 (C.Delbeek & J.Sprung)

The Conscientious Marine Aquarist (R.M Fenner)

Modern Coral Reef Aquarium 1,2,3 & 4 (Nielsen & Fossa)

Natural Reef Aquariums (Tullock)

Marine Aquarium Reference (Martin A Moe)

Reef Notes Vol 1,2,3 (J. Sprung)

Marine Aquarium (Nick Dakin)

Corals of Australia and The Indo-Pacific (J.E.N. Veron)

Marine Invertebrates - Organ Pipe, Leather & Gorgonians (Peter Wilkens)

Marine Invertebrates - Stony Corals, Mushroom & Colonial Anemones (Peter Wilkens)

A practical guide to Corals for the Reef Aquarium - (Ed Puterbaugh & Eric Borneman)

Managed to get all the above in Singapore. Warning: Some are real heavy stuff and can make reading quite an experience as they bring up a lot of moot points to make you really, I mean really...think. If you like challenge, read them otherwise you will sleep on it...

As for magazines off the shelves in Singapore, I personally think FAMA is the best around just to keep updated on new developments and any new school of thoughts...although admittedly, its flooded with ads just like any other fish mag. For some reasons, I don't really like TFH publications. Be it their hardbacks or magazines, somehow they all seem superficial. Well, just my opinion only.

PS: There's an article in FAMA Nov 02 issue concerning an occurence in someone's tank which I find particularly interesting. Its about the asexual reproductive strategy of T.Geoffroyi (Open Brain) through decalcification to produce daughter colonies much in the same way as the Fungia species. So to all of you whose open brain is dead, please leave your open brain skeleton in your tank and not throw it out cos you will never know that it may come back from the dead one day! Accompanied by pictures showing daughter satellites. Interesting.

[Tanzy]

I'll have to agree with S. hispidus. I have Delbeek & Sprung, Tullock, Nilsen & Fossa and E. Borneman, so I will highly recommend these books. Excellent material to start. The reference material inside will also inform you of the requirements for various animals.

TFH has lotsa good stuff!!! "Aquarium Corals : Selection, Husbandry, and Natural History" by Eric Borneman is a great book! So are "Natural Reef Aquariums" by John H. Tullock and "Clownfishes" by Joyce Wilkerson, which are all published by TFH.

I'll avoid all of Julian Sprung's "Quick Reference Guides", not too useful, really just quick reference only, few words.

Magazines have the lastest developments in the hobby which will not be found in the abovementioned books, so they aren't all that useless.

[Limpc]

You guys never fail to amaze me. I mean, you all are so knowledgeable.

If I were to ask ... out of the list given, which one should I get first on the criteria it has to be light and compact for me to carry around esp for my biz trip ? Of course, the quality of picture has to be high.

Limpc

[Stenopus Hispidus]

"Aquarium Corals : Selection, Husbandry, and Natural History" by Eric Borneman is a great book! So are "Natural Reef Aquariums" by John H. Tullock and "Clownfishes" by Joyce Wilkerson

Tanzy, I think those are Microcosm Publications. Yup…those make good reads too. TFH are those with so called 5-10 years binding problem free books that comes with fancy glazed pictures for preservation.

Limpc,

Criteria for travel? Hmm…That’s something new. But really, for the book to buy, you should consider contents as the most critical criteria more than attributes like compactness, lightness and picturistique…Should start off with C.Delbeek & J.Sprung. A bit thick though but has a lot of immediately useful info. for reefers and hey…quite a lot of good pics too. Tullock’s makes for an easier read and more compact to carry about. If you want pictures, go for E.Borneman’s Practical Guide on Corals or Veron’s. Veron has pictures of all the SPS corals that you can possibly imagine (with info on location, depth..blah, blah…where they are found and they do it one coral at a time…not just generally speaking) but of course its not very travel friendly. But at twice the size of C.Delbeek & J.Sprung it makes for a good travel pillow with orthopaedic support!!

Hey, I can’t believe I am doing this…judging books by their physical characteristics. Don’t make me do it again. I look silly!!!

Nonetheless, do enjoy your read.

[Achilles Tang]

If I were you... I'll just pick Aquarium Corals : Selection, Husbandry, and Natural History" by Eric Borneman!

If you are into phytoplankton culture... "Clownfishes" by Joyce Wilkerson makes an interesting read... well comparatively to the Plankton Culture Manual by Frank H Hoff & Terry W Snell.

If you are a picture dude and love to ID everything... you can get the Indo-Pacific Coral Reef Field Guide... tons of photos of almost every inhabitant in a reef habitat! That's the only travel-friendly book... it's hand-sized!

[Limpc]

Indo-Pacific Coral Reef Field Guide? Think I saw in Changi Airport. About $63.00. Very ex. but almost bought it.

Limpc

[Tanzy]

Microcosm series is part of TFH Publications. Veron is pretty good stuff but it is not direct at reefers, so you will have to form your own opinion about the requirements of the animals by looking at it's habitat described in the book.

Tullock started me off in the hobby. It's brief but comprehensive. Lotsa pictures equals good toilet reading! Borneman has lotsa glossy pictures.

[robe]

Just go to the national library website and reserve the books.

Available :

Delbeek & Sprung The Reef Aquarium Vol. 1 & 2

Indo pacific reef guide

natural reef aquarium by Tullock

etc...

Just do a search...

[Achilles Tang]

Hey Robe... you're back!

Heard you were outstationed?

How's your tank doing?