Books

Lake Malawi is a large, beautiful African Rift Valley lake, bordered by Malawi, Tanzania and Mozambique. Its biodiversity is simply extraordinary by any standard - it has the greatest wealth of fish species of all the lakes in the world. The vast majority of this ichthyofauna belongs to just one family, the Cichlidae, and most of the cichlid species are endemic to the lake. These fishes are of major economic importance as an important source of protein for the riparian people. They are also of great value as research subjects in a wide array of biological disciplines and are currently at the forefront of evolutionary research. Many of these cichlids, especially the Mbuna, enjoy considerable popularity in the specialized aquarium hobby.

Less than half of the 800 or more estimated cichlid species from Lake Malawi are described, and many of those only in superficial terms. All kinds of taxonomic problems abound at both species and genus level. This makes studying these fishes quite a challenge. Several genera or parts of genera have been revised in this book; about forty new species have been described and many species reported for the first time, with each given a provisional working name. About 270 black and white or color illustrations of these fishes have been included to facilitate their identification.

Tanganyika cichlids are the most interesting aquarium fishes known today. More than any other group of aquarium fishes, they have evoked great passion among hobbyists. They provide aquarists with a combination of attractive fishes, interesting behavior, and easy maintenance. In order to enjoy your Tanganyika cichlid aquarium to the full, however, it is essential to take their specific maintenance requirements into account. This new guide provides expert advice on all the elements of proper maintenance, such as choice of aquarium (with details of the minimum size and capacity required for each species discussed), creating the correct water conditions, providing appropriate decor, feeding, breeding, common diseases, etc. This book is a revised and greatly expanded version of the Tanganyika cichlids guide published in this series in 1996. It contains several new chapters and the number of photos has doubled to about 600. This guide provides an overview of all the species that have become available to the hobby and comprehensive information on how to keep them in the best possible way. Two detailed foldout maps and the numerous outstanding photos make this guide indispensable for anyone interested in these exciting fishes. 192 pages, over 625 color photos, hardcover, and size: 7" x 9.5" (17.5 x 24.5 cm).

Malawi cichlids have been, and will probably always remain, among the most popular aquarium fishes of all time. Their brilliant colors, ease of maintenance, and interesting behavior are the three most important reasons for their popularity.

A selection of these fishes is all you need to create an interesting and decorative aquarium in your home. In order to enjoy your Malawi cichlid aquarium to the full, however, it is essential to take their specific maintenance requirements into account. This new guide provides expert advice on all elements of proper maintenance, such as choice of aquarium (with details of the minimum size and capacity required for each species discussed), creating the correct water conditions, providing appropriate decor, feeding, breeding, common diseases, etc. A detailed foldout map and 600 photos make this guide indispensable for anyone interested in these beautiful fishes.