Loaches: Natural History and Aquarium Care

Features

• Cover Type: Hard Cover with 256 pages
• Published by: TFH Publications November 15, 2007
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0793806208
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0793806201
• Book Dimensions: 9.4 x 8.6 x 0.9 inches
• Weighs: 2 pounds

Product Description
The popularity of loaches is on the rise as they become increasingly available at pet stores and aquarium shops, both large and small. Despite this surge in accessibility, they remain a relatively little-known group of freshwater fishes.

Loaches is the first book of its kind to give extensive focus to this diverse family of aquarium fish. Experts from nine countries contribute their knowledge, experience, and photographs to this easy to use guide. It delves into the natural history and husbandry of over sixty species of loaches, including the specialized brook and hillstream loaches, in both their natural and aquarium habitats. It also contains technical information on providing for the care of specialized loaches, including water chemistry and tank design, a comprehensive description of disease and treatment options, and descriptions of the first successful in-tank breeding of certain species.

If you or someone you know is considering inviting loaches into your tropical aquarium, or if you own loaches but are in need of information to ensure proper care, Loaches provides expert information and guidance to one of the world's most popular types of aquarium fish.

About The Author
Mark Macdonald is an editor and author of both fiction and non-fiction. He is an accomplished aquarist with many years of experience whose very first fish was a loach. He lives in Delta, British Columbia. He has brought together a dedicated group of self-taught loach experts and enthusiasts to lend their decades of knowledge and personal experience to this book.

Reader Reviews
This is a pretty remarkable book in that its authors are a group of loach fans who knew each other from internet websites centered on loaches. Instead of the typically distant, dull text that most tropical fish books have, this book is delightfully colorful and passionate about loaches. Not only that, it is written from the perspective of ardent hobbyists who are enthused about loaches and their care in aquariums, which leads to a lot more useful, practical advice than you generally get. The downside of such an approach by collaborative amateurs is that you would expect to see comparatively shoddy organization and lousy text quality. Fortunately, however, the project was headed up by some superb professional text editors, and the text is every bit as professional as you could hope for. What's left is the best of both worlds -- a personal, charming, and extremely helpful book about loaches that is entirely professional. I can only hope that this model of publishing becomes more commonplace, because it produced a jewel here. If you're interested in loaches, this book is a knockout.