Article © Julian Dignall, uploaded January 01, 2002.

This series of books from British catfish expert, David Sands, is now out of print hence the question mark in the above price. I picked up the set in the early nineties (individually signed by the author incidentally) for the total cost of 25.00, but you can pay much, much more for them, especially now they have become something of a catfish keeper's collectors item. The information is offered in loose-leaf format with the good intention of being added to later. These supplemental additions are even harder to find than the originals.

The text itself covers all species known at the time of print (more being introduced via the supplements). Care, and especially breeding, are given individual attention per species. A number of general discussion articles such as "Toxin production in Corydoras" and "Corydoras Mimicry" also add to the value of the book. Location maps, taxonomic observations and other scraps of accumulated information are littered throughout. Corydoras catfish are Sands' major interest and this volume exudes this fascination throughout. Obviously dated now, there still remains much here for the specialist. It is up to that person to work out what they want to pay for this book.

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