What to do, what to do?

[unblinded]

My anniversary is on 11/13 (7 years) & my wife, once again, is willing to cater to my catfish obsession & buy me something catfish related. I'm torn as to what to ask for. I could get a Syno Pardalis or Lothar Seegers great big African Catfishes book. What to do, what to do? I could also just get some other more common synos. My wife is awesome, she's letting me build a 12' x 16' fish house just to feed my obsession--How many catfish can I fit in that space??? I'd just like to know what you guys would choose if you had the option-the book, the fish-other?

[Bijn]

I can't say what you should do but I would not buy a single specimen. Rather a group off a cheaper species than a expensive loner. I think four brichardi are better than one pardalis. A good book is also nice offcourse.

7 years and already a wife? You're mature early!

[unblinded]

Why not a single specimen? Do the Pardalis do better in a group?

[MatsP]

I'd get the book. No substitute for researching what you want, before you buy it, and if you haven't got this book, you are missing a big part of African catfish information.

I also agree with Bijn, if you want to keep an unusual syno species, get a group - unless it's one of the ones that are decidedly territorial and solitary fish.

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Mats

[unblinded]

Well, re-reading Richard B's review & the votes have made me decide on the book. Now to find the best price. Thanks for those that voted & for those of you have recommended the book. On a side note, is the Synodontis Pardalis described in this book? If so, it'll be like I got a Pardalis too!

[MatsP]

If you follow the link:
http://www.planetcatfish.com/books/book ... +of+Africa
and buy from the link to Amazon at the lower part of the page, you will contribute a small part of the price back to Planet Catfish.

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Mats

[unblinded]

Thanks, Mats. I'll do that. Does it matter which seller I buy from or if I buy new/used?

[MatsP]

Thanks, Mats. I'll do that. Does it matter which seller I buy from or if I buy new/used?

Don't believe it makes any difference - the money comes out of Amazon's percentage when selling through Amazon.

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Mats

[Maccus]

I might be putting this book on my wishlist.

[MatsP]

I might be putting this book on my wishlist.

It's a wish-list - you can put anything you WISH for on it... ;)

It's a great book for anyone interested in Synos, as well as all other African catfish!

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Mats

[unblinded]

So, what other book would you guys list as a "Must Have"? Currently I've got both of David Sands' Tetra handbooks, Paul Loiselle's Bottom Dwellers, An Atlas of Freshwater & Marine Catfishes by Dr Warren E. Burgess & Catfish in the Aquarium by Dr Carl Ferraris, Jr.

[MatsP]

For African catfish, I don't think there are any others.

Corydoras: Fuller & Evers' Identifying Corydoradinae catfish, Ian Fuller's Breeding Corydoras (not sure the exact title).

Plecos: Ingo Seidel's "L-Catfishes" (does cover most of the commonly available non-L-numbers too!)

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Mats

[unblinded]

I've been eyeballing the "L-Catfishes" book. My buddy has it & I can read it at will but I'd love to have it my collection too.

[Birger]

Since you have an interest in African Catfish should start with Seegers book.....then you can keep working on one of each in the picture below Some are old, some new and some are missing from the picture. Internet is cool but I still like my books. .

Birger

[unblinded]

Birger,

Thanks for the pic. I've got a few questions & realizations. I didn't realize Pierre Brichard's Tang Cichlid book was so thick for starters. Second, do you have all of Axelrod's Breeding Aquarium Fishes books? I only see 5 in the pic. Do you have Book 5? If so, what is so special about it other than it had a more limited printing than the others? And lastly, how would you describe Ad Konings' book Enjoying Cichlids? I've considered getting that one, I have his Tanganyika Secrets & his "Bigger than a Breadbox" book.

[MarkSmith]

Hi Unblinded:

If I may - the revised edition of the Brichard book, published in 1989, is not a very good book on Lake Tanganyikan cichlids, at least when it comes to covering the species properly, accurately and up to date. The info from the first half of the book is the most interesting. Also, when the book was being put together at TFH, it was given to one of the editors who didn't know much about Lake Tanganyikan fishes, which is why there are over 100 images of fishes depicted that are not found anywhere near the lake.

Konings' Enjoying Cichlids second edition is definitely worth the cost. It has accurate information on many cichlid species written by experts from around the world. A definite must have. Great photos and accurate captioning for the most part.