Aquamaster Series

Aquarium Plants is overflowing with full-color photographs--over 300 in all--that bring the many beautiful plants in this book to life. Author Peter Hiscock, an expert in aquascaping and fish keeping, begins with an animated science lesson on how plants grow, giving readers a quick background that to help them improve their aquatic green thumbs. The text addresses such vital topics as water quality, use of substrates, choosing healthy plants, and planting techniques, offering aquarists all the information they need to know to establish a well-planted, vibrant aquarium. In the chapter on lighting, the author has provided lists of plants that thrive in low, moderate, bright, and very bright light and explains the differing effects of light on plants. Aquarium Plants offers essential information on feeding plants, propagating plants, keeping plants healthy and choosing fish. Creative aquarists will welcome the sections on designing the aquarium, using various elements of display, and creating a themed tank (such as an African theme or a cold or hard water aquarium).

The section "Popular Aquarium Plants" recommends specific plants for different areas of the aquarium, including background, foreground, midground, and floating plants. For each, the author offers dozens of options, all of which are represented by color photographs.

Community Fish

by Peter Hiscock

Published 1 May 2007

This compact, richly illustrated guide explores all aspects of keeping a wide range of freshwater fish suitable for community aquariums.

Natural Habitats
How Fish Live
Communities Of Fish
Compatibility
Water Quality
Aquascaping
An Aquarium Setup
Choosing And Adding Fish
Feeding Fish
Aquarium Maintenance
Breeding
Health Care

Fish Profiles
Starter Fish
Peaceful Small Fish
Medium-Size Fish
Large Specimen Fish
Substrate Dwellers
Shoaling Midwater Fish
Surface Dwellers
Popular Fish
Active Fish
Character Fish
Algae Eaters
Malawi Cichlids
Tanganyikan Cichlids

Community Aquariums
Mixed Community Aquarium
A Small Aquarium
Peaceful And Slow-Moving Fish
Active Species
Large Fish
A Planted Aquarium
African Lake Cichlids
Picture Credits

Freshwater Aquariums

by Stuart Thraves, Peter Hiscock, and Gina Sandford

Published 1 August 2007

Illustrated with over 300 full-color photographs and drawings, Freshwater Aquariums presents the essential information that all freshwater fish keepers need to know to create their own well-balanced and thriving freshwater aquarium. A stylish, easy-to-read guide filled with practical and reliable advice, this Aquamaster title harnesses the experience of authors Stuart Thraves, Peter Hiscock, and Gina Sandford, all noteworthy writers and highly skilled fish keepers. The first section of the book is a DIY manual for setting up a freshwater aquarium, detailing the types of substrates, furnishings, and plants recommend for keepers and offering information on lighting, filtration, and water management. The authors also include basic husbandry info on feeding and health care of freshwater fish as well as maintaining a clean tank.

The second section of the book, "Fish, Plants, and Themed Aquariums," presents a selection of popular freshwater fish and aquarium plants plus a look at some ideas for setting up aquariums that reflect natural habitats around the world. The author recommends that hobbyists consider fish by their families or groups so that they can set up the right conditions for them. The book features the following groups: cichlids, catfish, barbs, characins, anabantoids, danios and rasboras, rainbowfish, livebears, and loaches and sharks. The discussion of aquarium plants describes over 30 popular options, alphabetically arranged from Anubias barteri to Vallisneria spiralis 'Tiger.' The author shares six imaginative themed aquariums, including information on substrates, display, plants, filtration, and suitable fish. The themes include mountain stream, Central American river, flooded Amazon forest, Congo whitewater river, Lake Malawi, and Southeast Asian swamp.