One of the best weapons available to keep in your arsenal as a fish keeper is fish-keeping books. These books range from beginner to expert, and they cover any fish or aquarium you can dream up. Books are a great resource to keep on hand to access any time a question arises about caring for your aquarium. We’ve dug up and reviewed the best books covering fish keeping to help you always have a reliable resource available to provide your fish with the best care possible.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites
Image Product Details
The Truth About Goldfish
Features color pictures throughout
Paperback and e-book formats
Budget-friendly option
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Betta Fish Care: The Ultimate Guide
Best value
Recommends products for medical treatments
Tablet or Kindle is not required to access this PDF book
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Koi: A Complete Guide to Their Care
190 pages long
Discusses how to purchase high-quality koi
Multiple qualified authors
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Livebearers: Understanding Guppies, Mollies, Swordtails & Others
Comprehensive care guide for livebearer fish
Available in e-book and hardcover formats
Contains photos and distribution maps
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Freshwater Aquariums for Dummies
400 pages long
Great book for beginners
Available in four formats
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The 10 Best Books about Fish Keeping
- The Truth About Goldfish – Best Overall
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Type of tank: Freshwater
Type of fish: Goldfish
Number of pages: 160
The Truth About Goldfish by Meredith Clawson is the best overall book about fish keeping. This is 160 pages long and features multiple color pictures throughout. This book includes general tank setup and care information about goldfish including suggested tank mates and information regarding medical care. There is a treatment index that features QR codes, allowing you to quickly access the correct medication to treat your goldfish with.
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Type of tank: Freshwater
Type of fish: Goldfish
Number of pages: 160
This book is available in paperback and e-book formats. It’s a budget-friendly fish-keeping book option, especially if you’re a goldfish enthusiast.
The older version of this book does not contain color photos and contains more QR codes throughout. Multiple people had complaints about these items, so they were updated in the 2021 book update, but older hard copies of the book will still contain these.
Pros
Features color pictures throughout
Contains info about general care, tank mates, tank setup, and medical care
Treatment index includes QR codes to link to appropriate treatment products
Paperback and e-book formats
Budget-friendly option
Cons
Older copies of the book have black and white photos and more QR codes
- Betta Fish Care: The Ultimate Guide by It’s a Fish Thing – Best Value
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Type of tank: Freshwater
Type of fish: Betta
Number of pages: 79
Betta Fish Care: The Ultimate Guide by It’s a Fish Thing is the best book about fish keeping for the money. This book comes only in a PDF format, but it features 79 pages covering all aspects of betta fish care. Since it is in a PDF format, a tablet or Kindle is not required to access this book.
Features color pictures throughout
Contains info about general care, tank mates, tank setup, and medical care
Treatment index includes QR codes to link to appropriate treatment products
Paperback and e-book formats
Budget-friendly option
- Features color pictures throughout
- Contains info about general care, tank mates, tank setup, and medical care
- Treatment index includes QR codes to link to appropriate treatment products
- Paperback and e-book formats
- Budget-friendly option
Older copies of the book have black and white photos and more QR codes
- Older copies of the book have black and white photos and more QR codes
Type of tank: Freshwater
Type of fish: Betta
Number of pages: 79
It contains information about the history of the betta as a pet fish, betta fish anatomy, tank setup, tank mates, dietary needs, and even how to train your betta fish and enrich their environment. It also covers betta health conditions and how to treat them, including specific product recommendations for treatment of each condition.
Pros
Best value
Tablet or Kindle is not required to access this PDF book
Contains info about general care, tank mates, tank setup, and medical care
Discusses the anatomy and history of the betta in detail
Recommends products for medical treatments
Cons
Only available in PDF format
- Koi: A Complete Guide to Their Care and Color Varieties – Premium Choice
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Type of tank: Freshwater
Type of fish: Koi
Number of pages: 190
Koi: A Complete Guide to Their Care and Color Varieties by Bernice Brewster, Nick Fletcher, Steve Hickling, Keith Holmes, Mick Martin, and Tony Pitham is a comprehensive koi fish care guide that sells for a slightly more premium price than many other fish-keeping books. It has 190 pages of information, including full-color diagrams describing the anatomy of koi fish and how to identify different breeds. It also includes information regarding how to purchase healthy and high-quality koi fish.
Best value
Tablet or Kindle is not required to access this PDF book
Contains info about general care, tank mates, tank setup, and medical care
Discusses the anatomy and history of the betta in detail
Recommends products for medical treatments
- Best value
- Tablet or Kindle is not required to access this PDF book
- Contains info about general care, tank mates, tank setup, and medical care
- Discusses the anatomy and history of the betta in detail
- Recommends products for medical treatments
Only available in PDF format
- Only available in PDF format
Type of tank: Freshwater
Type of fish: Koi
Number of pages: 190
Not only does this book contain information on basic koi care, but it contains detailed information on designing and setting up the perfect pond to care for and showcase your koi fish. With multiple qualified authors, there is a ton of good, reliable information. It’s only available in paperback form.
Pros
Full-color diagrams show anatomy and breed specifics of koi
190 pages long
Discusses how to purchase high-quality koi
Contains care guide and information about anatomy and medical care
Multiple qualified authors
Cons
Premium price
Only available in paperback format
- Livebearers: Understanding Guppies, Mollies, Swordtails & Others
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Type of tank: Freshwater
Type of fish: Livebearers
Number of pages: 144
Livebearers: Understanding Guppies, Mollies, Swordtails & Others by David Alderton is a comprehensive book covering the care of freshwater livebearers. This book is available in e-book and hardcover formats and features 144 pages of information. This book contains information on the history, care, and tank setup for these fish, as well as their unique reproductive habits. There are photos and distribution maps covering 16 different species and breeds of livebearers, putting the natural needs of these fish into perspective.
Full-color diagrams show anatomy and breed specifics of koi
190 pages long
Discusses how to purchase high-quality koi
Contains care guide and information about anatomy and medical care
Multiple qualified authors
- Full-color diagrams show anatomy and breed specifics of koi
- 190 pages long
- Discusses how to purchase high-quality koi
- Contains care guide and information about anatomy and medical care
- Multiple qualified authors
Premium price
Only available in paperback format
- Premium price
- Only available in paperback format
Type of tank: Freshwater
Type of fish: Livebearers
Number of pages: 144
This book contains lots of great information, especially for people who are new to the care of livebearers. It doesn’t contain much information for experienced livebearer fish keepers, though.
Pros
Comprehensive care guide for livebearer fish
Available in e-book and hardcover formats
Discusses the unique reproductive habits of livebearers
Contains photos and distribution maps
Great book for beginners
Cons
Doesn’t contain much information for advanced fish keepers
- Freshwater Aquariums for Dummies
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Type of tank: Freshwater
Type of fish: Freshwater community
Number of pages: 400
Freshwater Aquariums for Dummies by Madelaine Francis Heleine is a great book resource for beginners, as the name implies. However, it is not a very good book option for advanced fish keepers since most of the information is very basic, beginner-level info.
Comprehensive care guide for livebearer fish
Available in e-book and hardcover formats
Discusses the unique reproductive habits of livebearers
Contains photos and distribution maps
Great book for beginners
- Comprehensive care guide for livebearer fish
- Available in e-book and hardcover formats
- Discusses the unique reproductive habits of livebearers
- Contains photos and distribution maps
- Great book for beginners
Doesn’t contain much information for advanced fish keepers
- Doesn’t contain much information for advanced fish keepers
Type of tank: Freshwater
Type of fish: Freshwater community
Number of pages: 400
This book features 400 pages of information covering everything from basic to luxury aquarium setup, as well as how to maintain the ecosystem and cycle of a tank. It also discusses how to choose a tank and fish to suit your vision. It’s available in e-book, paperback, digital audiobook, and CD audiobook formats, allowing you to read or listen to this book anywhere.
Pros
Great book for beginners
400 pages long
Covers info about tank set up and choosing appropriate fish
Available in four formats
Cons
Doesn’t contain much information for advanced fish keepers
- Saltwater Aquariums for Dummies
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Type of tank: Saltwater
Type of fish: Saltwater community
Number of pages: 352
Saltwater Aquariums for Dummies by Gregory Skomal is the saltwater counterpart to the freshwater Dummies book. It’s 352 pages long and features quality beginner information but does have limited usefulness for experienced saltwater aquarium keepers. It discusses saltwater aquarium setup best practices and how to maintain your aquarium.
Great book for beginners
400 pages long
Covers info about tank set up and choosing appropriate fish
Available in four formats
- Great book for beginners
- 400 pages long
- Covers info about tank set up and choosing appropriate fish
- Available in four formats
Type of tank: Saltwater
Type of fish: Saltwater community
Number of pages: 352
It includes a full color insert to help you better visualize the saltwater tank of your dreams. It’s available in e-book and paperback formats. The information in this book discussing sump filtration, which is one of the most common types of filtration in saltwater tanks, is limited and doesn’t contain any diagrams explaining how these complex filters function.
Pros
Great book for beginners
352 pages long
Covers saltwater tank setup best practices and maintenance
Full-color insert
Available in e-book and paperback formats
Cons
Doesn’t contain much information for advanced fish keepers
Sump filtration information is lacking
- Today’s Essential Guide to the Freshwater Aquariums
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Type of tank: Freshwater
Type of fish: Freshwater community
Number of pages: 96
Today’s Essential Guide to the Freshwater Aquariums by Stuart Thraves, Peter Hiscock, and Gina Sandford contains 96 pages of information about the setup of freshwater aquariums and the care of freshwater fish. It contains over 300 full-color photos throughout the book and covers everything from proper filtration to how to feed your freshwater fish.
Great book for beginners
352 pages long
Covers saltwater tank setup best practices and maintenance
Full-color insert
Available in e-book and paperback formats
- Great book for beginners
- 352 pages long
- Covers saltwater tank setup best practices and maintenance
- Full-color insert
- Available in e-book and paperback formats
Doesn’t contain much information for advanced fish keepers
Sump filtration information is lacking
- Doesn’t contain much information for advanced fish keepers
- Sump filtration information is lacking
Type of tank: Freshwater
Type of fish: Freshwater community
Number of pages: 96
Pros
Discusses tank setup and care of specific fish
Includes 300 color photos
Discusses proper filtration
Has six aquarium theme ideas and setup instructions
Cons
Information may be oversimplified
Only available in paperback format
- Discus World: A Complete Manual for the Discus Keeper
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Type of tank: Freshwater
Type of fish: Discus
Number of pages: 184
Discus World: A Complete Manual for the Discus Keeper by Chris Ingham is a solid book choice if you’re interested in keeping the discus fish, which does have some specific care needs. It covers discus fish of all kinds, including wild and domestic-kept discus fish. It discusses tank setup and cycling, including how to set up a tank on a tight budget.
Discusses tank setup and care of specific fish
Includes 300 color photos
Discusses proper filtration
Has six aquarium theme ideas and setup instructions
- Discusses tank setup and care of specific fish
- Includes 300 color photos
- Discusses proper filtration
- Has six aquarium theme ideas and setup instructions
Information may be oversimplified
Only available in paperback format
- Information may be oversimplified
- Only available in paperback format
Type of tank: Freshwater
Type of fish: Discus
Number of pages: 184
There is great information in this book regarding sexing and breeding discus, and even how to set up a discus business. It’s available in e-book and paperback formats and features 184 pages of information.
This is a UK-based book, so many of the products referenced are UK-specific, which can make it difficult for US audiences to use this book to its full potential. Some of the information is based on the author’s personal experiences and not necessarily science-backed information.
Pros
Discus-specific information
Discusses how to set up a discus tank on a budget
Information on how to create a discus business
Available in e-book and paperback formats
Cons
UK-specific information makes some aspects unusable for US audiences
Some info is opinion and experienced based
- Saltwater Fish and Reef Tanks: From Beginner to Expert
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Type of tank: Saltwater
Type of fish: Saltwater community, reef inhabitants
Number of pages: 154
Saltwater Fish and Reef Tanks: From Beginner to Expert by Zechariah Blanchard features 154 pages of saltwater and reef tank care information. It’s available in e-book and paperback formats, and it is written by a saltwater and reef enthusiast who also has a background as an aquatic store owner.
Discus-specific information
Discusses how to set up a discus tank on a budget
Information on how to create a discus business
Available in e-book and paperback formats
- Discus-specific information
- Discusses how to set up a discus tank on a budget
- Information on how to create a discus business
- Available in e-book and paperback formats
UK-specific information makes some aspects unusable for US audiences
Some info is opinion and experienced based
- UK-specific information makes some aspects unusable for US audiences
- Some info is opinion and experienced based
Type of tank: Saltwater
Type of fish: Saltwater community, reef inhabitants
Number of pages: 154
It includes a setup checklist and guidance on how to select the right tank to achieve your goals. And if you’ve ever found yourself in need of moving your tank, there is guidance on how to do this without ruining your tank or crashing its cycle. There’s also information on how to be a responsible reef keeper.
The pictures are in black and white, and the illustrations may be difficult to get good information from.
Pros
Available in e-book and paperback formats
Written by an aquarium enthusiast and former aquatic shop owner
Information on tank setup and moving
Discusses how to be a responsible reef keeper
Cons
Black and white photos
Illustrations may not provide good information
10. Reef Aquariums
Available in e-book and paperback formats
Written by an aquarium enthusiast and former aquatic shop owner
Information on tank setup and moving
Discusses how to be a responsible reef keeper
- Available in e-book and paperback formats
- Written by an aquarium enthusiast and former aquatic shop owner
- Information on tank setup and moving
- Discusses how to be a responsible reef keeper
Black and white photos
Illustrations may not provide good information
- Black and white photos
- Illustrations may not provide good information
vhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/108746630X?tag=petkeen-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1
Type of tank: Saltwater
Type of fish: Reef inhabitants
Number of pages: 164
Reef Aquariums by Anthony Daniels contains 164 pages of reef keeping information and is available in audiobook, e-book, and paperback format. It details how to select corals for your reef tank, how to feed and care for your corals, and how to maintain your aquarium once established. It also discusses what fish are appropriate for reef tanks, helping you choose the perfect inhabitants.
This book is not an overly in-depth review of the care of reef tanks, so it may not be a great resource for experienced reef keepers. Currently, this book has not been updated since 2019. While not much has changed since then in reef keeping, some information may be outdated.
Pros
Available in audiobook, e-book, and paperback format
Discusses how to select and care for corals
Helps you select fish for your reef tank
Cons
Doesn’t contain much information for advanced fish keepers
Some information may be outdated
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Available in audiobook, e-book, and paperback format
Discusses how to select and care for corals
Helps you select fish for your reef tank
- Available in audiobook, e-book, and paperback format
- Discusses how to select and care for corals
- Helps you select fish for your reef tank
Doesn’t contain much information for advanced fish keepers
Some information may be outdated
- Doesn’t contain much information for advanced fish keepers
- Some information may be outdated
Buyer’s Guide: Selecting The Best Book about Fish Keeping
With all the different fish-keeping books out there, it can be hard to know which one would be the best for you or to give as a gift. Here are things to consider before buying a fish book:
Experience with having fish: If you are new to owning fish, look for a book that goes over general fish-keeping information for a novice fish owner. That way, you will feel equipped and knowledgeable about taking the best care of a pet fish.
Specific breed: Are you thinking about getting a specific fish? Definitely choose a book that discusses that particular breed. Not all fish are the same! How you raise Fish A may not be how you should raise Fish B.
Visual learners: Some people learn better from books with color photographs, charts, graphs, and tables. If you or someone you know is a visual learner, opt for the book with those features.
- See Also:
- 10 Best Dog Training Books: Reviews & Top Picks
- 6 Best Goldfish Books Every Aquarist Should Read
Experience with having fish: If you are new to owning fish, look for a book that goes over general fish-keeping information for a novice fish owner. That way, you will feel equipped and knowledgeable about taking the best care of a pet fish.
Specific breed: Are you thinking about getting a specific fish? Definitely choose a book that discusses that particular breed. Not all fish are the same! How you raise Fish A may not be how you should raise Fish B.
Visual learners: Some people learn better from books with color photographs, charts, graphs, and tables. If you or someone you know is a visual learner, opt for the book with those features.
Experience with having fish: If you are new to owning fish, look for a book that goes over general fish-keeping information for a novice fish owner. That way, you will feel equipped and knowledgeable about taking the best care of a pet fish.
Specific breed: Are you thinking about getting a specific fish? Definitely choose a book that discusses that particular breed. Not all fish are the same! How you raise Fish A may not be how you should raise Fish B.
Visual learners: Some people learn better from books with color photographs, charts, graphs, and tables. If you or someone you know is a visual learner, opt for the book with those features.
10 Best Dog Training Books: Reviews & Top Picks
6 Best Goldfish Books Every Aquarist Should Read
Conclusion
Only you know what vision you have for your aquarium, so use these reviews to find your best starting point, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced aquarist. The best overall book about fish keeping is The Truth About Goldfish, which is a great resource for all things goldfish. The most budget-friendly option is Betta Fish Care: The Ultimate Guide, which makes caring for one of the most popular pet fish easy and accessible for all knowledge levels. Koi: A Complete Guide to Their Care and Color Varieties is the top resource for pond setup and koi fish care.
Featured Image Credit: Ron Kuenitz, Shutterstock
