/The Conscientious Reef Aquarist

Bibliography/Further Reading

Bob Fenner

As the saying goes, "knowledge is power"; be powerful. Gather as much information to make up your own mind as to what works for you, and enjoy other's opinions, art and interpretations.

As Confucius pointed out, "thoughts without action are worthless"; and for Plato, "an unexamined life is not worth living". Therefore be a discerning (conscientious) consumer. Know that there are dangers aplenty in delving into the literature in these fields. So much dis- and mis- and contrary information as to mystify, mislead, or turn-off the best intentioned. Don't let this bug you. Remember, ultimately, what is written are done by people that are human, and that "humans are fallible." Take what you see with a grain, or whole bag of synthetic salt.

Reference Books:

Where to find these? A visit/call to your library for the current address of the Publisher, new/used book stores, Natural History museum, Public Aquaria, and "with it" fish stores.

Marine Biology:

Bannister, Keith & Andrew Campbell. 1988. The Encyclopedia of Aquatic Life. Facts on File, Inc. New York, NY.

Burgess, Warren A. & Herbert R. Axelrod. 1972. Pacific Marine Fishes, volumes 1-10. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, NJ.

Cousteau, Jacques. 1979. The Ocean World. Harry N. Abrams Co.

Crowder, William. 1959. Seashore Life: Between the Tides. Dover Publications, Inc. New York, NY

Randall, J.E. 1968. Caribbean Reef Fishes. TFH Publ., NJ.

Roessler, Carl. 1986. Coral Kingdoms. Harry N. Abrams, NY.

Rudloe, Jack. 1971. The Erotic Ocean. Thomas Y. Cromwell Company.

Veron, J.E.N. 1986. Corals of Australia and the Indo-Pacific. Angus and Robertson Publishers, Australia.

Wood, Elizabeth M. 1983. Corals of the World. TFH Publ., NJ.

Zann, Leon P. 1980. Living Together in the Sea. TFH Publ., NJ.

General Marine Aquariology:

Adey, Walter H. & Karen Loveland. 1991. Dynamic Aquaria: Building Living Ecosystems. Academic Press.

Axelrod, H.R. & W.E. Burgess. 1969. TFH Publ., NJ.

Axelrod, H.R. & Warren E. Burgess. 1987. Salt-Water Aquarium Fishes. TFH Publ., NJ.

Axelrod, H.R. & C.W. Emmens. 1994 (9th ed., orig. 1975). Exotic Marine Fishes. TFH Publ., NJ.

Baensch, Hans A. 1983. Marine Aquarist's Manual. Tetra Press.

Burgess, Warren. 1987. A Complete Introduction to Marine Aquariums. TFH Publ., NJ.

Dakin, N. 1992. The Book of the Marine Aquarium. Tetra Press, Morris Plains, NJ.

Emmens, C.W. 1975. The Marine Aquarium In Theory And Practice. T.F.H. Publications, Inc. Neptune City, New Jersey.

Emmens, Clifford. 1987. Marine Aquariums. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, NJ.

Mills, Dick. 1985. A Fishkeeper's Guide to Marine Fishes. Salamander Press, UK.

Mills, DIck. 1987. Tetra Encyclopedia of the Marine Aquarium. Tetra U.S.A.

Moe, Martin A. 1982. The Marine Aquarium Handbook: Beginner to Breeder. NORNS Publishing Co., Marathon, FL.

Moe, M.A. 1989. The Marine Aquarium Reference Book. Green Turtle Publications. Plantation, FL.

Spotte, Stephen. H. 1970 Fish & Invertebrate Culture: Water Management in Closed Systems. Wiley-Interscience. New York.

Spotte, Stephen. 1973. Marine Aquarium Keeping: The Science, Animals and Art. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. New York.

Spotte, Stephen. 1979. Seawater Aquariums: The Captive Environment. Wiley Interscience.

Straughan, R.P.L. 1976. The Salt Water Aquarium In The Home, 4th Ed., A.S. Barnes & Co.

Thresher, Ronald E. 1980. Reef Fish. Palmetto Publ., FL.

Thresher, Ronald E. 1984. Reproduction in Reef Fishes. TFH Publ., NJ.

Wilkens, P. 1973. The Saltwater Aquarium for Tropical Marine Invertebrates. Engelbert Pfriem Verlag, Wuppertal, Germany.

Reef Books:

Colin, P. L. 1988. Marine Invertebrates and Plants of the Living

Reef. T.F.H. Publications, N.J.

Debelius, Helmut. 1986. Fishes for the Invertebrate Aquarium, or

Colorful Little Reef Fishes. Meinders & Elstermann, Germany.

Delbeek, C.J. & J.Sprung. 1994. The Reef Aquarium. Ricordea Publishing, Coconut Grove, FL.

Straughan, R.P.L. 1975. Keeping Live Corals and Invertebrates. A.S. Barnes & Co.

Thiel, Albert. 1988. The Marine Fish and Invertebrate Aquarium. Aardvark Press, Bridgeport, CT.

Invertebrates:

Barnes, Robert. 1987 (5th ed.). Invertebrate Zoology. Saunders, PA.

Brusca, R.C. & G.J. Brusca. 1990. Invertebrates. Sinauer Associates, Inc., Sunderland, MA.

Debelius, Helmut. 1984. Armoured Knights of the Sea. IKAN, Germany.

Friese, U.E. 1973. Marine Invertebrates in the Home Aquarium. TFH Publ., Neptune City, NJ.

George, David and Jennifer. 1979. Marine Life: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Invertebrates in the Sea. Wiley & Sons.

Walls, Jerry G. 1974. Starting with Marine Invertebrates. T.F.H. Publications, Inc., Neptune City, NJ.

Walls, J.G. 1982. Encyclopedia of Marine Invertebrates. T.F.H. Publ., N.J.

Health/Disease:

Clifton, Robert R. 1987. Marine Fish- The Recognition and Treat ment of Diseases. Peregrine Publ., TX.

Dulin, M.P. Diseases of Marine Aquarium Fish. TFH Publ., NJ.

Kingsford, Edward. 1975. Treatment of Exotic Marine Fish Diseases. Arco Publ.,NY.

Post, George. 1987. Textbook of Fish Health. TFH Publ., NJ.

Sinderman, C.J. 1970. The Principal Diseases of Marine Fish and Shellfish. Academic Press.

Hobbyist Periodicals:

There are two general categories of these; the various hobbyist Bulletins that are the stuff of dedication and production of Clubs and Societies interested in aquarium and aquatic natural science around the world; and the pay-per monthly and bi-monthly Magazines that do, and have done so much to forward the interests of aquarists and the business of aquatics.

Space and current technology will not allow us to do justice to the hobby organizations. My hearty encouragement is for you to get involved, or if need be, start-up such an association in your vicinity. I have been active with the San Diego Tropical Fish Society and various local marine groups for going on three decades; wonderful times. The location of such organizations can best be gotten by talking with local dealers and scanning the pet-fish Magazines.

For you high technology types there is no end to what is available information and chat-wise on the "internet". All major on-line service providers have specialized pet "bulletin-boards". They are best referenced by, once again, checking through current "analog" pet-fish hobby Magazines.

The following is an annotated list of current and defunct Magazines in our interest. I have a few important things that I'd like to make known re this "list", and it's relation to the citations found in this "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" book.

1) This is not the result of a comprehensive search for all or even the best of what has ever been printed re the hobby, business, science, and/or technology of aquarium keeping. My desire is simply to lead the reader to those works (in English) which they might most likely find in a large lending library, Public and Hobbyist-Group.

2) There is no intention to specifically endorse or denigrate any particular periodical by omission or inclusion. Most of the articles and advertisements in these publications have stood little review, screening, editing by their publishers. For the most part, they are the mere opinions of their writers and promoters. Understand them as such.

3) For my friends and associates who are wondering, "where the heck is the hard science, the aquariology" of marine aquarium keeping; with it's attendant citation indexing and exactness based upon "testifiable, defeatable testing". It's not here. No, "that knucklehead" has not forgotten his roots. I am/have been in the science of aquaristics; but I'm also the product of the hobby and business as well. This book is intended for the hobbyist.

This book is intentionally different; it's desire is to inform the reader with useful information, in an informal, interesting style; with a minimum of jargon, tables and charts of esoterica that are not central to being a conscientious, successful marine aquarist who enjoys the living world.

Almost all hobbyists are not going to "look up" what's known in a scientific journal or reference. These sources are practically inaccessible physically and cognitively to "mere mortals". The hobbyist literature is not; it is a rich source of information and inspiration. And lastly,

4) It is my desire to recognize the efforts of the writers, photographers, illustrators, publishers, editors and all other staff that have given so much vitality to our aquatic interests.

For too long, the "legitimate" indexing mechanisms have totally ignored the pet-fish literature, bound and periodical. This has changed of late; The Zoological Record, and a few other services "pick up" some of the pet-fish works in their citations. But what a great shame that so much that is collectively known is not more widely appreciated due to snobbery, ignorance or apathy.

I suspect this oversight will be corrected soon. With the advent of electronic encoding and retrieval, we will see a time soon when all pertinent literature, and graphics will be available to everyone, instantaneously, at low cost.

Hobbyist Magazines: Addresses:

Aquarium Fish Magazine

Fancy Publications, P.O. Box 6050, Mission Viejo, CA 92690. Since 1988.

Aquarium Frontiers

A new-bee (@1994). 2920 Ave. R., Suite 221, Brooklyn, NY 11229.

Freshwater and Marine Aquarium Magazine

RCM Publications, Inc., 144 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre, CA 91024. A monthly since 1978. 800-523-1736.

Marine Aquarist Magazine

From 1970-1978, maybe you can read/copy from hobbyist or public library collections.

Marine Fish Monthly

Available from The Aquatic Bookshop, P.O. Box 276484, Sacramento, CA 95827.

Marine Hobbyist News

From 1973-1978; see above for Marine Aquarist.

Practical Fishkeeping

from the UK; available from Motorsport, RR1, Box 200D, Jonesburg, MO 63351.

SeaScope

A free quarterly of Aquarium Systems, Inc. available from your retailer, or 8141 Tyler Blvd., Mentor, OH 44060.

Today's Aquarium

Since 1985; translated from the German, Aquarium Heute; Kaspar Horst ed., Avail from Lewis Books, P.O. Box 41137, Cincinatti, OH 45241.

Tropical Fish Hobbyist Magazine

Monthly since 1952; T.F.H. Publications Inc., P.O. Box 27, Neptune City, New Jersey 07753.

Bibliography/Further Reading:

Giovanetti, Thomas A. 1988. The literature of marine aquariums, parts 1-3. FAMA 9-11/88.

Kloth, Thomas. 1979. Kloth's korner (marine titles). FAMA 6/74.

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