Fishbase Client Updated

[nmonks]

For those that use FishBase Client to quickly get into their wonderful database, this update might be useful.

I was finding it a hassle that sometimes the main mirror wasn't working or wouldn't process a search, while another mirror would. So now FishBase Client lets you quickly switch between mirrors. Beyond that, it's not much different.

http/homepage.mac.com/nmonks/software/software.html

Cheers,

Neale

 

[Gnatfish]

Is the FishBase server down at the moment?

Becasue its not working for me

 

[nmonks]

Working fine for me. Try using different mirrors, or copying by hand the search criteria into your web browsers address field.

Cheers, Neale

 

[Gnatfish]

I have just realised how stupid i am.

Btw, Who created Fish Base, and why is it so trusted?

Thanks

 

[nmonks]

A potted history of FishBase:

http/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FishBase

It's trusted because it's put together by scientists using info from papers and books. So in that regard it covers more species and has better credentials than the average aquarium book. On the flip side, the creators of FishBase don't critique the stuff they include, and some scientific data is just plain wrong. Aquarists know a lot more about certain things, like breeding behaviour, for huge numbers of species that have barely if ever been studied that way in labs. For that sort of thing, your fish books are better.

Cheers,

Neale

 

[OohFeeshy]

OOI, any idea how to access the photo galleries? Before, when I've been searching Google for particular fish, I've managed to get to a page with all the available photos for that paraticular genus, family, whatever. But I can't find a reliable way of actually doing it.

 

[nmonks]

Going straight to all their pictures of one species isn't easy. I've tried. You need to have the species ID code. So while you can craft a URL to search for "Neon tetra" or "Paracheirodon innesi", that will only take you to species information page. To get to the photographs (or any of the other bits of extra information, like distribution) you need to know that the neon tetra is ID number 10691 and craft your URL around that.

FishBase Client is therefore limited in what it can access to searches based on actual names rather than code numbers.

Cheers,

Neale

PS. I've tweaked the application a bit today:

-- Resize window as required
-- Quits when you close the window
-- Clears old searches
-- Has a simpler interface
-- Six preset fishes in an "Examples" menu for people unfamiliar with FishBase to play with

I've only tested these on my Mac; if they don't work on a PC, let me know!