Dr Burgess's Atlas of Marine Aquarium Fishes (Guide to Owning A...)

Rating:
Summary: Complete Disappointment
Review: I read the other reviews before I bought the book, and I can't help but wonder if we're talking about the same book. Yes, it has really nice pictures, and yes, it covers a tremendous range of fishes, but the information is way too general to be at all useful. I will admit that my opinions result from being an aquarium owner, but I simply don't see any practical applications here for most of the general public unless you just want to see pretty pictures.

For those who are considering buying this book, I seriously suggest that, if at all possible, give it a quick read and find out what you're truly getting.

Rating:
Summary: Major Help for Newcomers
Review: This book was probably designed for intermediate to advanced marine hobbyists. However, I bought it just getting into the hobby and it was invaluable for one reason. It shows every known fish, and as another reviewer says, talks about sociability, smallest tank size (big one), and diet. What was most useful for me was to help me design my ultimate tank as far as colors, types, compatability, etc without ever spending a dime. Well worth the money just for the comprehensiveness.

Rating:
Summary: Good book for a fish-only marine aquarium.
Review: This is a good book to have when selecting marine fish for your aquarium. It has special symbols at the bottom of each photo (1900 in all) that tell you if the fish is hostile, sociable, what sort of diet it requires, lighting, etc. It also has a complete section in the back on aquarium maintenence as well as different diseases and parasites with accompanying photos. The only problem I have with this book is that it completely ignored marine invertabrates. I always keep shrimp and crabs in my aquarium to clean up the bottom, and it would be helpful if they were mentioned in the book so I would know which fish they are compatable with as well as diet and aquarium behavior. Crustaceans, anenomies, nudibranches, etc. are the most interesting and beneficial additions to a marine aquarium, and if the good Dr. would have dedicated a section to them it would have been a five star book.