A very big welcome to the "Tropical Fish Keeping Journal Book Edition Three" for every tropical Fish Hobbyist and Dedicated Aquarist from around the World. Each edition covers a series of special features on the hobby, for a successful tropical fish keeping experience.
In this issue of the “Tropical Fish Keeping Journal” book edition three, we cover; water quality and conditions, to the techniques, products and methods to heating the tropical fish aquarium, to lighting systems and the choices available for the aquarist and a little history, to finally fish behaviour and physiology.
INTRODUCTION - Author’s introduction to the Tropical Fish Keeping Journal Book Edition Three Page 05, AQUARISTS DIARY AND NEWS - The Tropical Fish Keeping Journal, Aquarists Diary and News, for Aquarists and Hobbyists Page 08, AQUARIUM WATER CONDITIONS - Achieving the best water for healthy thriving tropical fish and the 28 day conditioning cycle Page 14, AQUARIUM HEATING AND THERMOSTATS - The different methods and devices for successfully heating the tropical fish aquarium Page 59, AQUARIUM LIGHTING METHODS - Getting the best effects and results by using the most effective lighting techniques Page 67, FISH SPECIES BEHAVIOUR - Getting into the physiological behaviour and habits of tropical fish, including pecking orders Page 75, TROPICAL FISH SPECIES - Editors choice featuring a selection of tropical fish species accompanied with fact files Page 99, AQUATIC PLANT SPECIES - Editors choice featuring a selection of aquatic plant species accompanied with fact files Page 103, AQUARISTS PRODUCTS GUIDE - Featuring essential star aquatic products of note for today's tropical fish hobbyist Page 106, AQUARISTS REFERENCE TABLES - Sets of essential reference tables for aquarists including Gallons, Litres, Aquarium Sizes, Filtration and more in every journal edition, plus mathematical formulas Page 113, AQUARISTS BOOK GUIDE - Essential books and magazines worth reading and acquiring covering the hobby Page 120 and AQUARISTS DIRECTORY - Useful web sites and web addresses for aquarists in relation to the pastime Page 121.
Alastair Agutter is one of a select few world-wide to successfully breed Wild Discus (symphysodon) species King of the Aquarium in captivity and an authority on these tropical fish species and others, as an accomplished Best Selling Author of Specialist Books Internationally.
Alastair began keeping and breeding tropical fish as a hobbyist from the age of just 9 years back in 1967 (nearly 50 years ago) and has successfully bred many species. He was one of the very first Aquarists in the United Kingdom breeding cichlids from the Great Lakes (Malawi and Tanganyika) in the early and mid-nineteen-seventies.
His enthusiasm as a dedicated Aquarist continues today with a number of projects underway; including the development of new biological filtration systems (Polyatomic-ion Biological Reactors), to help improve the success survival rate for keeping thriving plants with tropical fish species. Other projects include breeding a number of endangered species including original strains of the symphysodon family and other smaller indigenous species native to South America mainly inhabiting the Great River Amazon.
Alastair also continues today designing and making his very own aquariums and equipment for his projects, and also endeavours to write more tropical fish hobbyist reference books as a freelance full-time author, in the interests of further serving the local and wider Community Internationally.