Providing a new, hands-on manual for the fast-growing saltwater aquarium hobby, noted marine science writer Robert Fenner, demystifies the process of planning, setting up and managing a thriving captive slice of the tropical ocean.
The book sets out to help try and shape the future of marine fishkeeping by highlighting issues that every marine fishkeeper ought to bear in mind.
Contentious issues such as cyanide and dynamite fishing, live rock collection and reef damage are all tackled in the book and answered in a realistic and positive way.
Each species section starts with a comprehensive introduction to the family group of fish before looking at range, size, natural habitat, informed selection, behaviour, feeding, breeding and disease, in fact just about everything you would need to know to choose and keep the best fish for your tank, a message that the author reaffirms throughout the book.
Despite its huge amount of information, the book is far from dull. The words are well chosen and the photography superb.
Contents
• Introduction
 An Argument for Marine Aquarium Keeping
• Demystifying the Marine Aquarium
 Systems
 Basic Equipment
 Filtration
 Water
 Setup and Aquascaping
 Maintenance
 Marine Algae
 Foods and Feeding
 Disease
 Cyanide Collection
• Fishes for the Marine Aquarium
 Sharks
 Moray Eels
 Marine Catfish
 Squirrelfishes
 Lionfishes
 Basses
 Fancy Sea Basses
 Dottybacks
 Grammas
 Jawfishes
 Cardinalfishes
 Butterflyfishes
 Angelfishes
 Hawkfishes
 Damselfishes
 Clownfishes
 Wrasses
 Parrotfishes
 Blennies and Blennylike Fishes
 Gobies
 Tangs, Surgeons, and Doctorfishes
 Triggerfishes
 Filefishes
 Puffers, Boxfishes, Cowfishes and Porcupinefishes
• Marine Invertebrates
 Sponges
 Cnidarians
 Fanworms and Feather Duster Worms
 Molluscs
 Crustaceans
