Cichlids, A complete pet owner's manual

Review

by Juan Miguel Artigas Azas, 10-Sep-1996.

This book, part of a series of German books translated and sold by Barron's in the US, covers all the basics when dealing with Cichlids. It is geared towards the neophyte cichlid-keeper, covering the basics of selecting a tank, selecting compatible fish (with a nice recommendation chart), tank decorating, filtration, care and maintenance, and finally breeding.

At 71 pages, the information is bound to be succinct and rather general, but it lays the foundation for a better understanding of cichlids. 20+ color photos, 30+ line drawings, and a few charts/tables round out the work. The chapter on popular species gives a good beginner's list of cichlids from the Americas and Africa (conveniently divided by region and thus water conditions) but a lack of photos for every species mentioned leaves some to be desired. All-in-all, it's a good resource for the beginner, and cheap enough for all aquarists to add to their bookshelf.

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