Books, Clubs, & Other Research Resources

By Jesse B. Hunt Copyright ©2003
From Jesse's web site: http://www.save1004.com
Aquarticles

It can probably be said that all successful aquarists have either done a good deal of homework or else they have spent a lot of money making silly mistakes. If you’re like me, then money is not just an endless resource, which is why it is necessary to do your homework before charging head first into what is a somewhat complex hobby. Below you will find a list of resources that I have found valuable in my hunt for aquaria information.

1. Books- There are countless books that can be purchased at your local bookstore, aquarium shop, or on the Internet. You should also check at the local library for books that you can check out, after all the library is free.
Visit: Wet Web Media Book/ Media Review Page for help in selecting good books.

2. Magazines- There are several aquaria magazines that I have come across in my time in the hobby. They offer a wide range of articles, pictures, and other aquarium information. This is a great way to stay up to date from month to month. These magazines can usually be purchased from local aquarium stores or over the Internet.
The magazines I recommend are:
Aquarium Fish Magazine
Tropical Fish Hobbyist
Marine Fish Monthly
Freshwater and Marine Aquarium

3. Local Pet Store- Your local aquarium store is a great resource for information. If you are shopping at a good pet shop, the staff should be very knowledgeable and willing to answer your questions. You should do some homework, however, before you run to the pet shop and bombard the staff with a million unintelligible questions. Their advice is free, but you should purchase your supplies there if they are kind enough to spend time teaching you.
Below are websites that offer directories of fish stores from around the world:
FINS - Local Pet Store Directory - Very extensive listing of fish stores from around the world.  This site is indexed by country and state.
Badman's Tropical Fish - Pet Shop Directory - Provides a listing of fish stores that are located in the United States.

4. Internet- This is perhaps the most comprehensive resource in your search for aquaria information. From web forums and online publications to online stores and informational sites, the Internet is packed full of hundreds if not thousands of aquaria resources. You should be careful when searching on the Internet however, not everything you read on the Internet is true, so make sure you check out your sources. Most of this online information is available free of charge.
have listed a few of my favorite aquaria websites below.

The Aquarium Information Source - Offers information to assist any aquarist in the search for fresh or saltwater aquarium information.

Aquarticles - Offers a very extensive collection of aquaria articles.  Use this site to find freshwater or marine articles, from beginner to advanced.

Aquaria Central - Provides species profiles, articles, and other aquatic information.

Fish Link Central - Offers an extensive collection of links to other aquaria websites.

The Krib - One of the internets original aqauria websites, The Krib provides articles on most every aquarium related topic.

5. Aquarium Club- Check online or with local aquarium stores to see if there are aquarium clubs in your area. If there is, this may offer a great way to learn more about the hobby and meet new people at the same time. These clubs sometimes offer a periodic newsletter, and most always offer a wealth of knowledge.
Below I have listed a few of the websites that you can use to locate local aquarium clubs.
IFOCAS - This website offers a database of North American Aquarium Clubs which is searchable by state.
FINS - This website offers a database of aquarium clubs from around the world.
Fish Link Central - This website offers another database of aquarium clubs from around the world that is searchable by country.

6. Friends- If you have friends that are also interested in the aquaria hobby, pick their brains, you will be surprised at what you might learn. If you don’t currently have friends that are into the aquaria hobby, find some in Internet forums, at aquarium clubs, or just introduce one of your current friends to the hobby. Below I have listed links to several forums where you can meet other aquaria hobbyists.
Aquarium Pros
Aquarium Site Forums
Aquaria Central Forums
Fish Forums
Wet Web Media

These are just a few of the places where you will find a good deal of aquarium information, but no matter where you do your research, do it thoroughly. You will be able to save a lot of money by spending some time learning what you are doing. If money is no object to you, then be my guest, spend it lavishly; if you are like the rest of us, do your homework!

Special thanks to Howard Norfolk of Aquarticles.com for his assistance in writing this article.