Has anyone read Confessions of a Tropical Fish Addict by Ross Socolof? Thoughts?
Confessions of a Tropical Fish Addict
- Thread starter gwand
- Start date
That’s a new one on me . Where do you find it ?
OP
OP
I joined the American Cichlid Association. Their website includes new book releases. They have a treasure trove of information on the site. Your knowledge base is much deeper than mine. But for me the site is a gold mine.
It’s the same with The American Killifish Association . They have many resources on their website and links to Killifish stuff all over the world . These organizations exist for almost every tropical fish there is and the keeper of those fishes benefits by associating with them .
There are Cichlid groups, killie groups, catfish general groups, Cory groups, livebearer groups, Bettas, anabantoid groups, North American native fish clubs, Australian rainbow groups - lots of options for the learning inclined.
I'm a member of the Corydoras World group, and the Killi Club de France. I used to do a lot of reading at the Cichlid Room Companion, and joined ANGFA in Australia for one year so I could have access to their magnificent hobbyist produced journal. I used to be in the American Killifish Assoc and Cichlid Association. All were good.
I'm a member of the Corydoras World group, and the Killi Club de France. I used to do a lot of reading at the Cichlid Room Companion, and joined ANGFA in Australia for one year so I could have access to their magnificent hobbyist produced journal. I used to be in the American Killifish Assoc and Cichlid Association. All were good.
Come back .
It's becoming a better organization to be in again, if you are in the United States. Within the US, you get a network you can use.
It's all geopolitics, with our little hobby getting caught in the middle. I can get eggs from and send eggs to Europe, but dealing with the US border is a bureaucratic nightmare. It's illegal for me to send eggs to friends in the US, and while it's legal for me to receive, packages from the US vanish. From anywhere else, they get here, so I'll stick with the French club and get eggs from Europe.
I have 25 years of AKA journals from when I was an active member, and they are prized sources of info, along with journals from other clubs.
TwoTankAmin
Fish Connoisseur
Some Canadian fish keepers who live not too far from the US border often cross over to buy things. If you only have a few eggs you are brinning back they likely will never be detected. But if you bring a carload of stuff back that might change the game.
Our system for getting imported fish or eggs etc. the country is not geared for the occasional user. I know because I have worked with folks who import fish etc. The box must be cleared at the point of entry. You can pay for this and for somebody to do it. But for a small batch of eggs they better be made of gold and decorated with diamonds to be worth the costs and efforts needed.
I worked in partnership with folks who were already doing importing so they had the systems in place. In one case I financed the whole shipment (324 zebra pelcos from Indonesia) but in the others I used to pick up and pay for the fish coming in to the transshpper and then meet the person getting the fish halfway to their home. They would then repay me. I did this because I was allowed to buy fish at import prices by piggy backing their order.
edited to put the C back into anadians in the first line.
edited again to add an n to finaced and an r to othes.
Our system for getting imported fish or eggs etc. the country is not geared for the occasional user. I know because I have worked with folks who import fish etc. The box must be cleared at the point of entry. You can pay for this and for somebody to do it. But for a small batch of eggs they better be made of gold and decorated with diamonds to be worth the costs and efforts needed.
I worked in partnership with folks who were already doing importing so they had the systems in place. In one case I financed the whole shipment (324 zebra pelcos from Indonesia) but in the others I used to pick up and pay for the fish coming in to the transshpper and then meet the person getting the fish halfway to their home. They would then repay me. I did this because I was allowed to buy fish at import prices by piggy backing their order.
edited to put the C back into anadians in the first line.
edited again to add an n to finaced and an r to othes.
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I can bring anything non CITES listed into Canada as long as I have a bill for it. I just agreed to do a couple of talks close to the border in late Spring, and I'll be ordering fish from some of the wonderful dealers you guys have. When I get to the border, I have no problem. Just a delay while they figure it out.
I did a deep dive into regulations by asking a high ranking 'homeland security' guy from the airport I'd met through coaching kids, and he checked. He had the wonderful line that if it wasn't in the US already, it was too worthless to want. The US killie guys didn't agree, but you can't beat the dudes in the mirror sunglasses...
I think I read that Russ Socoloff book at one point years ago. He had a nice Mbuna named after him, and I think the book was on someone's fish bookshelf when I was visiting.
Fishbooks have become very expensive, running at the $100 range. The market is so small. The ones that show and discuss rare species are even more expensive, because they get you wanting the fish.
I did a deep dive into regulations by asking a high ranking 'homeland security' guy from the airport I'd met through coaching kids, and he checked. He had the wonderful line that if it wasn't in the US already, it was too worthless to want. The US killie guys didn't agree, but you can't beat the dudes in the mirror sunglasses...
I think I read that Russ Socoloff book at one point years ago. He had a nice Mbuna named after him, and I think the book was on someone's fish bookshelf when I was visiting.
Fishbooks have become very expensive, running at the $100 range. The market is so small. The ones that show and discuss rare species are even more expensive, because they get you wanting the fish.
It's available on Amazon. I just ordered it. Thanks for the tip, @gwand ! Don't know how I missed this one.
Have you all read An Aquarist's Journey by Rosario LaCorte? Just about every page is packed with tales of the who's who of the hobby. And packed with photos.
I like the idea of talking books on New Year's Day.
Anyone who loves Innes will love the Baensch Atlas, volumes 1 to 3. They are outstanding, and often available second hand. I hope you all have them!
TwoTankAmin
Fish Connoisseur
My first of very few fish books was the Baensch Aquarium Atlas. It was the pictures and information on species why guided me in my fish choices in my first few tanks. When I saw the pic of rhe zebra pleco I was in love and they were on the top of my wish list. Next was the Betta Imbellis. I ended up breeding well over 500 zebras over the years. I managed to get Imbellis which were as pretty as the Baensch picture. They were a trio which were offspring from ones which took first prize in one of the categorries at that year's IBC competition. They were gorgeous amd actually spawned for me. When they were in spawning mode the colors were amazing- they stood out even when seen from across the room.
Since then I have only added 3 more books.
I know both of these folks and Rachel is a long time friend. Mark was the November speaker at my fish club.
This one I have a great story about I won't add now. I have met and chatted with Ingo a few times.
And then because of my support for PlanetCatfish I was given a gift by Jools. It is a very interesting book because it is in two languages- English and German. Every page appears in both. The left page is in English and then it is repeated on the right page in German. It has great pictures of the locations they are discussing. I am not sure where one might buy it today as it came out as a revised edition of the original book. This is from a thread on Planetcatfish which ex[plains how this book got published here https://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=38937
If you do not know me in terms of the fish I have kept and worked with, it featured a lot of Hypancistrus plecos from the Middle Rio Xingu aka the Volta Grande (aka Big Bend).
I do most of my reading these days online. I also watch videos. All of these are from the sort of people who wrote these books. The vids I watch are similarly made by well known and respected experts. My most recent add was Leandro Sousa whom I got to meet and talk with a bit at the last Catfish convention I attended in 2022.
Since then I have only added 3 more books.
I know both of these folks and Rachel is a long time friend. Mark was the November speaker at my fish club.
This one I have a great story about I won't add now. I have met and chatted with Ingo a few times.
And then because of my support for PlanetCatfish I was given a gift by Jools. It is a very interesting book because it is in two languages- English and German. Every page appears in both. The left page is in English and then it is repeated on the right page in German. It has great pictures of the locations they are discussing. I am not sure where one might buy it today as it came out as a revised edition of the original book. This is from a thread on Planetcatfish which ex[plains how this book got published here https://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=38937
If you do not know me in terms of the fish I have kept and worked with, it featured a lot of Hypancistrus plecos from the Middle Rio Xingu aka the Volta Grande (aka Big Bend).
I do most of my reading these days online. I also watch videos. All of these are from the sort of people who wrote these books. The vids I watch are similarly made by well known and respected experts. My most recent add was Leandro Sousa whom I got to meet and talk with a bit at the last Catfish convention I attended in 2022.
There's a 4th volume, English edition published in 2004.
OP
OP
Are the volumes up to date with nomenclature etc? Or are they worth having for historical purposes?
They are not. One of my issues with Baensch is often times he did not even use the latest taxonomy at the time of publication, in some cases the prevailing science for decades. I suspect this was in deference to some of his German and European ichthyological colleagues who held a minority opinion regarding several taxonomic revisions that found wide acceptance elsewhere.
Update: I have the first edition of each of the 4 volumes. I'm aware that there have been subsequent editions of each volume. I see Volume 1, for example, now offers a 7th edition. I assume that means they have been revised and perhaps my complaints about taxonomy have been addressed.
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