This book shows you step-by-step and fish-by-fish how to create a beautiful, harmonious aquarium that mimics a natural habitat and fosters healthy fish and plant life. It includes more than eighty detailed recipes for aquariums of different types and sizes, specific aquarium model designs, the basics of aquarium setup and maintenance, and a 16-page color catalog of fish and plant varieties.

For beginning aquatic fancier looking to start out right with fish, Freshwater Aquariums by David Alderton is the ideal primer. A vertebrate that breathe primarily by means of gills and swim by means of fins is the author’s lead-in to the first chapter called “What are Fish?” Alderton builds the reader’s confidence by providing solid information about what fish are anatomically speaking, how they evolved, how they breathe, how they move, where they live, and how they behave. The new fancier’s aquarium begins in chapter two with instructions on setting up the tank, including selecting the right size, figuring out how many fish, setting the tank, equipment, substrate, heating, lighting, filtrations, plants, water chemistry, assembly, and more. Choosing the freshwater fishes that appeal to the reader is the subject of “Introducing the Categories of Fish,” which schools readers in seven categories: Cyprinids (e.g., goldfish, minnows, and barbs), Characins (e.g., tetras), Cichlids (e.g., oscars, angelfish, and discus), Anabantoids (gouramis, bettas/Siamese fighting fish, and paradise fish), Toothcarps (guppies, swordtails, platies, black mollies, and killifish), Catfish, and others (loaches and Chinese algae eaters). The purchasing, maintenance, and feeding of fish are described in considerable details, and the author gives a basic overview of breeding and keeping fish healthy as well. Resources, glossary, and index conclude the book.

Get Immediate Answers to All Your Freshwater Aquarium Problems •Basic Fish Anatomy - learn to distinguish between the different types by their body configuration. Planning Your Aquarium Furnishing your aquarium Then comes the fun stuff - how to select gravel, plants and other interior design elements and accessories. Water quality is very important - learn how to "keep it clean." Adding the fish - learn all about the most popular tropical freshwater fish - how many you should buy considering the tank size, should you have more than one species and how and where to buy your fish. Selecting aquatic plants for your aquarium and how to care for them to insure longevity. Do you want to add non-fish species like snails, shrimp or crab? Feeding your fish - what to feed and when. Be on the alert for disease - what to watch for and how to treat them. How to use antibiotics to control disease. Are medicated foods the answer? Cleaning your freshwater fish aquarium. Try your hand at breeding!

The most complete owner's manual for keeping all types of freshwater and saltwater fish in indoor tropical and coldwater aquariums and outdoor ponds. Choose the right fish for any water temperature--tropical or coldwater--and for all types of environments, including indoor aquariums or outdoor ponds. Know the difference between keeping saltwater fish and freshwater fish, including differences in aquarium setups, and feeding and caring for your pet fish. Learn to tell whether your fish are healthy and find out everything you need to breed them successfully. The Encyclopedia of Aquarium and Pond Fish contains a huge photographic color reference directory of more than 800 of the most popular fish, not only showing you what they look like, but also giving you key information you need, such as how big they will grow, whether they integrate with different fish, what food they eat, and what water type and temperature they prefer.

Freshwater nano tanks, or tanks under 20 gallons as the authors define them, have become increasingly popular over the past few years. There are hundreds of species available to aquarium keepers on a regular basis, so figuring out which ones to choose for these specialized tanks can be a daunting task. The 101 Best Freshwater Nano Species is the only field guide that helps you choose and keep fishes, plants, and invertebrates specifically for nano tanks. Written by two leading experts in the field of nano tanks, this fully illustrated guide will prepare you to keep these wonderful and fascinating animals successfully.

This book is your recipe for saltwater aquarium success. The key is choosing fish, invertebrates, seaweeds, and corals that coexist in harmony. This guide covers the basics of setup, maintenance, and design. It includes more than forty specific recipes for saltwater aquariums, a 16-page color catalog of fish, invertebrate, and coral varieties, and information on more than 100 saltwater fish.

"This updated, comprehensive, full-color reference covers 500 of the most popular freshwater aquarium fish. It provides concise at-a-glance information on their behavior, diet and breeding along with guidance and recommendations on setting up a freshwater aquarium. Species include: Cichlids, Catfish, Cyprinids, Characoids, Loaches and suckers, Gouramis, Rainbow fish and blue-eyes, Livebearers, and others"--