Marine Fish

Robert Goldstein
Barron's Educational Series, Revised edition (1 Dec 2007)
ISBN-10: 0764136747
ISBN-13: 978-0764136740

This is a serious work for people interested in marine aquarium life, in particular invertebrates. It's really suitable for experienced fishkeepers with some knowledge of the biology of marine fish and invertebrates. There are easier to understand guides for novices, for example the Mini Encyclopaedia from Dick Mills (see below). Robert Goldstein's book is also not the most informative guide to selecting fish (What Fish? from Tristan Lougher, see below, is more useful when you are choosing fish), nor is this a 'coffee table book' with lots of pretty pictures, but if you are after reliable information especially on corals and other invertebrates, and how to prevent and deal with diseases and parasites, this is a very useful book. It has been expanded and updated since the first very successful edition was released.

 Tristan Lougher
Interpet Publishing (Oct 2006)
ISBN-10: 1842861182
ISBN-13: 978-1842861189

This is probably the best guide to choosing marine fish. It helps you to avoid making expensive or heartbreaking mistakes, and to choose fish that are compatible and which may even breed successfully. There is information both on the needs of particular fish, as well as on how they are likely to relate to others in the tank. The book is well-organised, and the text is easy to follow. It is well worth spending time researching fish with a book as informative as this, making a shopping list before you get to the shop. This guide is also a handy enough size to take into shops and check that you (and the store) have identified particular fish correctly, and to work out the wisdom of any impulse to buy particular fish that takes your fancy in a store.

Tristan Lougher
Interpet Publishing (28 Feb 2007)
ISBN-10: 1842861794
ISBN-13: 978-1842861790

This guide is a very useful companion to 'What Fish?', and gives information on over 150 invertebrates of different types, such as sponges, anemones, corals and crustaceans. It is a systematic study, giving information on key questions, including size, food, and a rough guide to cost. Tristan Lougher is a zoologist who works in the aquatics industry, and who has specialised in marine fish and invertebrates. This book is useful both for deciding which invertebrates to buy, and in helping to identify invertebrates, since it spells out differences between species that look similar. Very highly recommended.

Dick Mills
Interpet Publishing (24 Jan 2005)
ISBN-10: 184286100X
ISBN-13: 978-1842861004

This is perhaps the best beginners' guide to keeping marine fish. It comes from veteran Dick Mills, author of a large number of fish keeping guides. The first part of this book tackles setting up a marine aquarium. It's well-illustrated and clearly written, so easy for novices to follow. The second part of the book describes some of the more common marine fish. As a starter guide, this is extremely helpful. Obviously, people interested in particular areas of marine aquarium life, like invertebrates will need more specialist works, such as 'What Invertebrate? However, it's possible to have too much information when you are a novice, and this book is pitched just right, covering the essentials without overwhelming you.

C. Lavett Smith
Alfred A.Knopf
ISBN 067944601X

A comprehensive guide to reef fishes off the eastern Central Americas and Caribbean region. This book is geared to marine fish enthusiasts who are interested in how the fish behave in their natural environment, and who want to identify them. It is of especial interest to divers. The book is well illustrated, with both photographs and drawings. It is a large volume, with a wealth of information for hobbyists with an interest in marine tropical fish from this region.