RE: NANFA-- Book Question

Hoover, Jan J ERDC-EL-MS (HOOVERJ_at_wes.army.mil)
Wed, 7 Feb 2001 12:03:13 -0600

>>>I remember someone mentioning the book _Field Guide To Lower Aquarium
Animals_ by Edward T. Boardman a while back. Does anyone own this book or
have anything to say about it, good or bad?
Respects,
Travis Haas<<<

Travis -

Late comments on Boardman's "Lower" book -

This is one of the few (only?) comprehensive guides to aquarium care of
freshwater invertebrates. The biology is excellent, but the bulk of the
text is natural history, rather than specific guidelines to maintaining the
animals in captivity. There are lots of useful tips though for a wide range
of taxa and the book is well worth the $10-12 you see it listed for in
book-finding services. I use my copy quite a bit and highly recommend it.

If you are interested in the Boardman book you might also be interested in
this book:

Pets from the Pond, 1958, by Margaret Waring Buck, Abington Press, New York
and Nashville, 72 pp.

Buck's book is written for a younger audience and is a lot less scientific
than Boardman's, but it covers vertebrates and invertebrates, provides
creative ideas for improvising aquarium containers and collecting gear,
etc.. Some of the information is definitely dated or of questionable value
(e.g., Pablum, Farina, and graham cracker crumbs as fish foods), but there
is a lot of good information in it and its fun to look at. You get the
impression that Ms Buck really kept all of the animals she writes about and
had some degree of success in doing so. The book can be found for
next-to-nothing at library sales (e.g., for $1) or can be ordered through
book-finding services on the internet for moderate prices (e.g., $10).

- Jan


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