Book
Review: Emperor Of The Amazon - by Dr. David Sands |
| Daphne Layley |
ecently I had the opportunity to
read the updated 2005 limited edition reprint of David’s
book, Emperor Of The Amazon, which is the handbook of Phractocephalus
hemioliopterus, the Amazonian Red-tailed Catfish. That
a book should have been written specifically about one species
is quite significant and clearly demonstrates the importance
of this catfish and the esteem in which it is held. The
book answers all the questions any owner of one of these
catfish could possibly ask about the conditions needed to
maintain these fish in a healthy and humane manner. It contains
detailed advice regarding water quality, water changes,
filtration, feeding, tank size pro rata to fish size, health
problems, transporting and acclimatising. I feel that all
this information would be equally useful to enthusiasts
who are keeping other large species of Amazonian catfish.
There is an interesting chapter on the fishes in their natural
habitat and their importance as a food fish within the Amazon
basin and the commercial fisheries of the region.
The book comes spiral bound, with a soft cover. Although
it’s not cheap, at £40, the information it
contains is priceless. It is well researched, easily understandable
and clearly written without being overly scientific. If
you are considering keeping one of these fish, buy this
book first!
Dr. David Sands can be contacted
on 01257 249960 or E-mailed at drdavidsands@aol.com. He
will be pleased to send you a copy, £3 postage &
packing, but remember, it is a limited edition, so don’t
leave it too long.
First published in the Southern
Counties Catfish Rescue Society newsletter 2005
Daphne Layley 25/08/2005
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