Guide to Fancy Goldfish Book
Updated August 12, 2019
Author: Mike - FishLore Admin
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By Dr. Chris Andrews, Interpret Publishing (2002), reprinted 2006
The Guide to Fancy Goldfish is written by Dr. Chris Andrews who was the curator of the aquarium at the London Zoo and has written a large number of articles on aquariums and fish keeping. The Guide to Fancy Goldfish provides nearly all you will need to know regarding Goldfish.
This isn't a big book and doesn't delve deeply into any one topic but provides the basics for beginners to goldfish keeping. Below you will find all the topics covered in this book.
Introduction - talks about the popularity of the goldfish and how the book is structured
History and Origins - tells how the history of the goldfish can trace back about 1600 years and how it spread throughout the world.
Basic anatomy - everything you need to know about the fish anatomy of a goldfish, including info on the skin and scales, fins, senses, eye sight, etc.
Bowl or aquarium? - the author provides his views on keeping goldfish in bowls vs. aquariums. I kind of wished the author recommended against keeping them in bowls but he does provide good information for those that do.
Water requirements and filtration - gives basic info on how to condition tap water, acidity and alkalinity, temperature, water hardness, ammonia, nitrite, nitrates, the aquarium nitrogen cycle, etc.
Lighting, plants and decorations - provides a basic intro to aquarium light, aquarium plants and decoration ideas for your goldfish.
Setting up and maintenance - explains what you're going to need to set up a freshwater aquarium, tips on a successful goldfish aquarium, how and when to maintain it.
Feeding - fish food, proteins, vitamins, freeze dried, dry and live food ideas.
Breeding and rearing - this is a good section and gives the hobbyist info on how to sex goldfish, choosing parent fish, how to prepare them for spawning and how to breed goldfish in an aquarium. Raising the fry, rearing and culling, line breeding, how to strip eggs and more.
Pests, diseases and problems - freshwater fish disease - infectious diseases, fungus, white spot, fin rot, fish pop-eye, fish lice, swim bladder issues, anchor worm and more are discussed.
Showing - how to enter contests and shows to show off your goldfish
Fish photography - this is a neat section that gives tips on taking pictures of your fish. Really good info here.
Goldfish varieties - a photographic survey of popular fancy goldfish. You could use the pictures in this section to help determine which style of goldfish peaks your interest. There are some really fascinating goldfish varieties out there.
Index, credits and further reading - where to get more information.
The Guide to Fancy Goldfish was a pretty good book. I could see how more advanced fish keepers might not get much out of it, but to a novice the information could be considered good. I rate the fancy goldfish guide four stars:
Reviewed by: Mike FishLore
Summary: How to keep and enjoy a wide selection of these popular and beautiful fishes in the home.
Description: The Guide to Fancy Goldfish is written by Dr. Chris Andrews who was the curator of the aquarium at the London Zoo and has written a large number of articles on aquariums and fish keeping.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
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