Which books should I wish for christmas?

[OHR]

This year I finally know what too wish for

I know I want this book:
"ecology of the plantet aquarium" by Diane Walstad from 2003

Other than that I want the best Apisto books both for identification and information. Could anyone help out to which this is?

Also I`m intrested in a title called: "culturing live foods" by Hellweg 2008, is this any good or is there an other better?

A referance to any other books that could be useful would be great:biggrin:
I`m considering Bleher`s Discus ( dont know the year) as it has lots of intresting facts and information about habitats and feeding etc. It is a great brick and the only downside I can find is the price.

 

[Mike Wise]

Well, in my opinion, all of the better apisto books are a bit old. I would recommend the following:

DATZ Sonderheft/special publication "Südamerikanische Zwergcichliden/South American Dwarf Cichlids". It is printed as a single German + English edition. It is more of a picture book (magazine format), but it has more species than any other book and the species are accurately identified.

Koslowski's 2002 book "Die Buntbarsche Amerikas, Band 2: Apistogramma & Co." It is published only in German, but an English text translation is available. The pictures are poorly printed (dark), but most are in the DATZ publication above. Data on biotopes of collecting localities are from people all over the world who did the actual collections and fairly detailed. Identifications are very accurate for the most part, although some species have since been scientifically described and have new names.

Römer's 1998/2000 book "Cichliden Atlas 1/Cichlid Atlas 1" (CA1). It comes in German and English editions. The English edition is sold out but a new edition hopefully will be available next year. Information is mostly good, but some identifications are not. Many of the closely related species are 'lumped' together under 1 species name and some others are mis-identified completely. Species in "Cichlid Atlas 2" are not any better. Most of the "new" species in CA2 are those of species found in the other publications, but just given new names. I don't think it is worth the money. Both books are quite expensive, but are 1000+ pages long.

 

[dw1305]

Books

Hi all,
I'd highly recommend both "Eology of the planted aquarium" by Diane Walstad and "Culturing live foods" by Hellweg, both contain information you don't find in other books.

I've also got "Südamerikanische Zwergcichliden/South American Dwarf Cichlids", as Mike says it is mainly a photographic guide, but it does have some useful cultural information, (and a picture of Mike himself, presumably correctly I.D.'ed?).

I don't have "Bleher`s Discus" or Romers CA1 & 2. that is because I am too poor/mean, although I will buy CA1 when it is re-printed in English, and Bleher's Discus for the biotope desriptions (if I can stop my wife finding out I've bought it).

The other 2 I use are Linke and Staeke's "Dwarf Cichlids" and Mayland & Bork "SA Dwarf Cichlids" , I probably prefer Linke and Staeke, although both don't cover all the newer species (particularly in Linke and Staeck, which was published 20 yrs ago). These have water parameters for some of the collecting locations.

Other books I have that are occasionally useful are Ingo Siedels "Back to Nature Guide to L catfishes" and Ad Konings ed "Enjoying Cichlids".

Final 2 are getting well away from the point, but I also enjoyed Barlow "The Cichlid Fishes: Natures Great Experiment in Evolution" and Goldschmidt "Darwin's Dreampond - Drama in Lake Victoria".

cheers Darrel

 

[OHR]

Thanks that was really helpful

"The cichlid fishes, natures great experiment in evolution" by Barlow 2000, looked really promising I`ve put that on my wish list.

Can`t find the Koslowski 2002 or DATZ Sonderheft/special publication with english and german text for sale anywhere. But there was a referance too a Mike Wise who had translated and sold them, do you still sell these titles? or are they available anywere?
Well I guess I can read german, but my head still hurts when I think of the hours spent reading the works of the german philosophers in College

And dw1305: be nice to your spouse and you never know what shows up under the christmastree:wink:

PS: It seems indeed that the time has come to write a new comperhensive book on apistogrammas, who would be the perfect author for such a book I wonder.........

 

[dwarfpike]

I'd second the Linke and Staeke's "Dwarf Cichlids" book despite the age. True it is missing a lot of the newer species, but what it does have is very solid and still applicable ... and I love that it has quite a bit of collection data info for several of the species. Plus due to it's age, you might find it cheap.

 

[Mike Wise]

The DATZ book is hard to find in the US, but it's always available on aquabid. Check there. As for Koslowski's book, I'd buy directly from the publisher (http://www.datz.de/QlVDSElEPTE0NDgm...8F5B1A02B07C9A43BA2F49B9738A90DC79DE104F77CCB) for €25 or a better buy is the entire 3 volume set for €50 (http://www.datz.de/QlVDSElEPTM1NDQm...8F5B1A02B07C9A43BA2F49B9738A90DC79DE104F77CCB). I think that the 3 volume set is the best deal available for New World cichlids. Volume 1 includes the dwarf cichlasomines (Laetacara, Nannacara, etc) and volume 3 has the crenicarines (Biotoecus, Crenicara, Dicrossus, etc.). For about $75 you get photos of virtually every New World cichlid species. I can still sell copies of my text translation for volume 2 to anyone who can prove that they own the book.

 

[apistodave]

Books

I have one copy of cichlid atlas 1 in German leather bound and slightly used--bitten by Uwe's dog Gustav, and one copy of cichklid atlas 2 in English, autographed, but I know yu dont want either one because they are totally incorrect and are trash.

 

[OHR]

Is this the Datz book I want?: http://www.stevensimpsonbooks.com/?page=shop/flypage&product_id=3207&CLSN_1065=12555936151065f918ee79daabd1e49b
And yes I think I`ll go for all 3 volumes of the buntbarsches, 50 euroes seems like a fair price for that package,if you can give me a better offer than that I`m open for negotiations David send me a PM.
Guess Ill have to upload a picture of myself sitting and reading volume 2 in front of the fireplace early christmas morning Mike?:wink:

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Yes that is the correct Datz book. I've bought mine from Steve Simpson, and it was a very straightforward and easy transaction. I've also bought "Mayland and Bork" via "Amazon", but when it arrived it I think it was from Steve Simpson as well.

Barlow's book is a good read, as well as being quite informative. I've loaned it (and Diana Walstad's book) to several of our students, and they've all said they found them useful.

cheers Darrel

 

[OHR]

Thanks for confiming the ID Darrel
It was tricky finding it, think I`ll order it pretty soon. So they don`t sell out.

This is my list:
"Die buntbarsches americas band 1-3" (+ english translation), from steve simpson books, 45 GBP.

"Sudamerikanische zwerchichliden", from steve simpson books for 23 GBP.

"The cichlid fishes, natures grand experiment", from steve simpson for 13 GBP.
"Culturing live foods" from amazon.com for 25 usd.

That should be a good start. In the next phase I can get some of the other titles.

 

[Mike Wise]

That's a great start. If you can find a copy of Römer's "Cichlid Atlas volume 1", for a reasonable price, I'd add it to the list, too.

 

[OHR]

Well I did not manage to wait for christmas:redface:
The Norwegian currency is very high compared to foreign currencies, so I think i got a great deal:
All three buntbarsches, CA2 (english version),culturing live foods by Hellweg and Barlows book on evolution for less than 100 GBP or about 180 usd.

The rest can wait until christmas (I think).
I note that no one recommends aqualogs picture books, the pictures looks nice but that does`nt help if the species is wrong I guess. I have found the aqualog: S A cichlids 2 with supplement stickers (like my sticker album from childhood) and the latest apistogrammas. All three are for sale at about 35 GBP og 75 usd. Is it worth that or is it better to save up for the Bleher`s discus?

 

[jasonstone]

The DATZ book is hard to find in the US, but it's always available on aquabid. Check there. As for Koslowski's book, I'd buy directly from the publisher (http://www.datz.de/QlVDSElEPTE0NDgm...8F5B1A02B07C9A43BA2F49B9738A90DC79DE104F77CCB) for €25 or a better buy is the entire 3 volume set for €50 (http://www.datz.de/QlVDSElEPTM1NDQm...8F5B1A02B07C9A43BA2F49B9738A90DC79DE104F77CCB). I think that the 3 volume set is the best deal available for New World cichlids. Volume 1 includes the dwarf cichlasomines (Laetacara, Nannacara, etc) and volume 3 has the crenicarines (Biotoecus, Crenicara, Dicrossus, etc.). For about $75 you get photos of virtually every New World cichlid species. I can still sell copies of my text translation for volume 2 to anyone who can prove that they own the book.

Hi Mike

Sorry to dredge up an old thread, but do you still have translations of Ingo's Die Buntbarsche Amerikas Band zwei available?

 

[Mike Wise]

Yes, I do - for those who own the original book.

 

[jasonstone]

I

Yes, I do - for those who own the original book.

I do. Shall correspond with you via PM?

 

[Mike Wise]

PM is ok, but I prefer an email (listed in my profile).