Anthony's Book?
WWM Crew-
Hello. I just got Anthony's "Book Of Coral Propagation" and I was
wondering, does he sign all of his books or did I get a special one? (I
can't wait to start reading) Ann
<Ann... thanks kindly for the order! I hope you read it in good health and find merit in it <smile>. I signed the first one thousand copies and ones by request after that. Since then, when time allows, I have tried to inscribe a well wish before others are shipped out. Do share your thoughts on the book after a good read. With kind regards, Anthony Calfo>

Looking for Good Coral Books
Anthony/Steve/Bob,
I'm starting to study up on the art of reef keeping after years of
successful fish only tanks. Will you please recommend a good "beginner's" book on reef tanks? I have CMA and I did order Anthony's book but the more info the better. I know I will spend a LOT of time on WWM too before even thinking of starting a tank. Thanks for any recommendations you can give me! Wes
<Anthony's book is fairly comprehensive, but not a lot of pictures for identification. If you can find it, I like Eric Borneman's first book "A Practical Guide to Corals for the Reef Aquarium". Other than that, "Corals: A Quick Reference Guide" by Julian Sprung is ok. Also, take a look at Bob's book review section on WWM. -Steven Pro>

Books
...and Bob, you don't have to put this on the FAQ or anything, but do you know of anywhere I can get your and Anthony's coral propagation book from besides online? Meaning does your publisher ship to Tower Books, Barnes and Noble, Border's Books. P.S. I'm in New York City.
<Brian... I have seen Bob's CMA at Borders and I suspect that there must be a pet store somewhere near you that has it... it has been so popular! If you order it online from Di's Aquatics (banner link on the WWM pages) you might be able to get Bob to sign it <wink> (just ask Di). My book was just released at Christmas and I'm not sure how far it has trickled down to through New York yet, although I have a huge wholesaler in NY state serving the shops (Fedko Enterprises... feel free to call them for advise of a local shop they have sold it to). Champion Lighting and Supply is also serving your area extensively. My list of dealers and distributors can be found here: http://www.readingtrees.com/dealers.html Do let me know if you need further assistance tracking either down. Thanks very kindly for your consideration. Do continue to learn and share.... best regards, Anthony>

Bob's Book
Hello, I was wondering where I could get a copy of your book's) are they sold on Amazon through you or a LFS? Your site is a pleasure to read. I really like your outlook and writing style.
<Ahh, more cause for me to try and improve. My books are offered on Amazon and LFS's... as well as many e-tailers in the field. Several of these can be found on WetWebMedia.com. Bob Fenner, visiting in Australia>
Thanks, Jason

Winter Reading List
Hiya Tim, Lorenzo (Zo) here lending JasonC a hand:
I've read your questions, and of course replied to one post on the forum, but here's a good list for you, with links to Amazon.

1st: Mike Palleta's "New Marine Aquarium"

2nd: Bob's "Conscientious Marine Aquarist"

3rd: Tullock's "Natural Reef Aquariums"

That'd be my proscribed reading list for you. Palleta's book is the easiest to grock, Tullock's book has the most reef information, and Bob's book is the most comprehensive, important of the three.
-Zo

RE: Books 
What is your site address? 
<www.readingtrees.com>
I will have to order those books. Thanks
for your assistance
<you are very welcome! And thank you for the interest in reading more about it. You have choices for buying the books. I do not sell Eric's book personally, but several of the great advertisers on this site do with mine as well (Di's Aquatics, Custom Aquatic, Premium Aquatics, etc). The mention in the previously message, however, was specific to our books being complimentary and how they have been paired with a discount on Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0971637105/qid=1014937989/sr=1-4/ref=sr_
1_4/002-7444636-4404850). I honestly have not price compared to see which sites would be less inexpensive or what their stocking quantities were. Do follow up if you have any trouble tracking them down... and thanks again! Anthony Calfo>

Happy Holidays! (new books for a scientific hobbyist)
Bob,
I know its been a long time, I just wanted to wish you and yours peace and happy holidays!
<Thank you my friend. The same to you>
Best,
Chris
PS... I'm so excited, I got Veron's "Corals in Space in Time" and Bakus's "Quantitative Ecology and Marine Biology" for Christmas! Got some reading to do :-)
<The first has some thoughtful, almost science fiction like input re "what a species is"... the last... good to read for insomniacs! Bob Fenner>

Looking for a Book (Scotter's v.2 Reef Fishes)
Hi! Bob...
I am trying to get a hold of reef fishes VOL 2. Tropical fish hobbyist
magazine has been advertising it for four months now, with the price and
everything but when I get a hold of them, they say it is not in production
yet.
What can I do to get my hands on a copy?
<Hmm, write it... it's not in print yet... Bob Fenner, waiting as well.>
Thanks, Bhaskar.

Books (Marines)
Hi, Bob and good day. Thanks for Your advises again. What would I do without gentlemen like You, who spend their valuable time with nagging guys like me.
<Mmm, save money and time away from the Net?>
To the point: I want my son to bring me a book about marine aquarium fish. Nothing too scientific. Something that I can read before sleeping and that showes the care and size of the most common aquarium fish.Is "Saltwater Aquarium Fishes" by Dr. Axelrod ( $ 16.00) good enough for me or should I go for a more scientific book like Dr. Burgess's Mini Atlas ( $ 27.00) ? Any suggestions? It has to be easy reading.! Thanks as always, Bernd
<Well, I have these works... they're very dated... to put it nicely... but for pix only, the last one is nice... Do you have Humann and DeLoach's works on the tropical West Atlantic? Do you want to read about all the world's marine fishes? Take a look through the Book Reviews on the WWM site... something like any of them?
Bob Fenner>

Re: books 
Hi, Bob. Good evening. I was just checking amazon.com and saw that You also have a book "The conscientious marine aquarist".
<Yes>
I want my son to buy Your book for me and combine it with Dr. Burgess's mini marine atlas. Is that a good combination or does your book also cover common available marine fish and everything a novice should know about them like size in a tank, combatibility, care etc.??
<Hmm, the "atlas" really is just a "picture book", "cma" is a guide to most aspects of marine aquarium husbandry... you will certainly enjoy it>
I could not find that in the reviews (which were very good, by the way, congratulations). In that case I would buy Your book only and save some money. I need a book on the fish since I have to tell my store here what to order for me. They don't know anything about marine fish!!
Thanks as usual, Bernd
<Be chatting... and reading my friend. Bob Fenner>

Re: books (Invertebrates too?)
Hi, Bob. Me again. Sorry. Does your book mention invertebrates?
<Yes my friend. In part... the work was trimmed down from some eleven hundred pages to 432... Much good help with it, contents, lookswise... you will "see" me and others in it... a good shot at trying to cover the breadth of all that is currently marine aquarium keeping.>
I just read that Dr. Burgess atlas doesn't mention them and I would be interested in those later also. Any good simple book on those?
Thanks Bernd
<Read these for now... Oh! And do look for Scott Michael's "Pocket Guide" to Marine Fishes... on Microcosm's site... and the upcoming Marine Invert. one by Ron Shimek: http://www.microcosm-books.com/
Bob Fenner>

Re: Books
Hi, Bob. Good evening. Your help is greatly appreciated, as usual. I will
buy Your Fishwatchers Guide to Saltwater fish and your CMA book. Thanks for
the great advise. If I need more on invetebrates I will order the book You
recommended once it is out. Thanks again. It is unfortunate that it will be
Christmas before i receive the books, but so be it. Have a good nights
sleep, Bernd
<Thank you my friend. Bob Fenner>

Marine Fish magazine
Hi, Bob. Can You recommend a good monthly magazine that specializes in marine fish? How was your diving? Regards Bernd
<The three American monthlies, AFM, FAMA and TFH all have somethings to recommend them. The first is the best, most regularly edited... good writing, photography, layout. FAMA is "very uneven" in its content (the folks there readily admit not knowing much/anything about the field... the old owner/editor, Don Dewey did), TFH has some good material on marines most every month... None of them specialize in seawater topics. Is MFM still in business? The owner (Boyce Phipps if he's still about)is a crook and a charlatan... Not worthwhile. The online versions of the three former choices might work out for you in Central America... Their addresses and such can be found via the WWM links pages: http://wetwebmedia.com/links.htm
Bob Fenner>

Re: Pseudocheilinus ocellatus, not an unknown (to me) any longer
Bob:
Good that you ordered a few Indo-Pacific Fishes. I hope you get rich
enough to order the rest of the series.
<Ah, a worthy goal! Be chatting Jack. Bob Fenner>
Aloha, Jack

book (looking for CMA)
Hello - I am interested in acquiring a book titled "The Conscientious Marine
Aquarist" and was given your name as a contact. I was unsure whether you
were the author or had some other connection. Can you provide me any
information on price, availability, etc. Thank you.
<Thank you for your inquiry. I am the author of this title, but don't do the sales/distribution/fulfillment of same... Are you looking for just one or a couple of copies? If so, Amazon.com does etail CMA. Bob, aka Robert Fenner>
Kathy Sexson
Curator of Education/Deputy Director

RE: book
Thanks for your prompt reply. I should be able to order it from my local
book dealer. Appreciate the info. Kathy Sexson
<Ah, you're welcome. Am sure you/your staff will enjoy the book. Bob Fenner>

Re: help please
Thanks Bob,
No, there aren't any resources here and that's the
problem. I live in rural Colorado. I did purchase
one book, but it is far too general and doesnt get
into troubleshooting. I have been reading everything
I can on the internet,
<This is a BUNCH>
and I thought my tank was ready
and I was ready...but apparently not....so now I'm at
the panic level. I certainly don't want anymore of
these beautiful creatures to die. So...thanks again
for your help.
Sara
<Do look into (shameless though not shameful plug here) "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist"... my shot/chance at being able to explain things about marine aquarium keeping. Bob Fenner>

marine aquarium reference books
sorry me again...can you recommend a good general marine aquarium book? also
with my set up would live rocks improve things or would you say fish only?
<There are a few... some of which are reviewed on the WWM site... even one that's well-regarded by yours truly. Look for the names Martin More, Nick Dakin, John Tullock... Bob Fenner>
thanks for all your help, Marc

About my writing, and I'll spare you the long version... (FW, a budding writer...)
I began about 10 weeks ago and immediately (after having read a dozen or so sales/self-help books) decided to put my experiences on paper. Most of the sales books are the "this is what I found to work" type. Since keeping an aquarium is something I had never been exposed to, I read the Innes book 
<A worthy tome>
and 3 or 4 smaller trade papers before I did anything. I put an ad in a local buy/sell/want paper and had several aquariums given to me because of a death in the family. This young mans mother had no interest in them. I also read several magazines. My Innes copy was a 25 cent cover-torn copy from a local bookstore. I have since purchased an updated version. Because I frequent many bookstores, I have been able to find several good books on the subject and through cash or credit for used books, I have purchased a few. I really expected more casualties by now and to tell you the truth there is so much left to learn myself I feel kind of foolish with the "how I did it" thing. I do appreciate your taking the time to inquire and I would like to know if you think submitting my thoughts/experiences to a magazine is a good idea. I think it would be a real "hoot" but didn't really think any mag would be interested. I just never considered it.
<Freshwater and Marine Aquarium especially, are very interested in such types of articles.>
How many aquariums do you keep? 
<A handful... travel a great deal, so enjoy other people's and institutions more than my/our own>
I started with the fish which were in the first aquarium I bought and have only added guppies. I think after 6 or so months I may try some dwarf guoramis or something. I would like to try egg-layers and think the gouramis are interesting. I also plan to try to breed my corys soon. I want to get the hang of caring for the fry of live bearers so I make fewer mistakes with the egg-layers. I have a 55, 30, and 25 with fish, and a 30, two 25's, and a 20 empty. I have given away 2 and will probably only set up one more in the future. I don't want to rush into things, and would like to get the hang of these before adding more. Any advice is appreciated and again a big thanks for the help and kind words.
<Do keep collecting your thoughts, experiences... and recording them to write into article format... and do keep your eyes open for aquarium books and magazines for your collection and use. Bob Fenner>