Invertebrate 'bible'?

[fishstick]

Which is the most comprehensive of all the publications on marine (reef) invertebrates? Most books have quite a bit of information which doesn't apply to some of the stuff popping out of my live rock.

 

[chrissaysyes]

Google.com

 

[nmonks]

Google would not be my first choice! The problem with Google is that a lot of the articles that turn up are unedited or written by people who don't have a clue.

If you're looking for something specifically on the things in your tropical marine aquarium, then 'Reef Invertebrates: An Essential Guide to Selection, Care and Compatibility' is one of the better books around.

But do be aware that identifying small creatures like isopods and annelid worms is not something that is easy to do. I have a zoology degree and worked as a marine biologist for a while, and even identifying the stuff from the Atlantic that I am familiar with is challenging. For someone without a degree in zoology, simply identifying things to class-level will be an achievement in some cases!

If you merely want to know something about what these sorts of animals are and how they live, then a more general invertebrate zoology text book will probably be more useful. I happen to love 'Animals Without Backbones', a book that has been reprinted and updated many times since 1938. It's a lovely, readable primer to these animals.

Cheers, Neale

 

[Donya]

I actually rather dislike google as a resource beyond simply trying to find pictures to ID things...the amount of bogus info I've read on marine inverts from various sites (including directly contradictory info, sometimes on the same site) does not leave me very impressed with most sets of invert info out there.

Most books have quite a bit of information which doesn't apply to some of the stuff popping out of my live rock.

That will generally be the case, becuase the better books are narrowed by groups of animals. So, to cover everything in your LR, you'd need a library not one book lol. In addition to the suggestion nmonks made (I don't actually own that book - it's on the wishlist lol), the best book I have that gives a good level of detail on many species is "The Modern Coral Reef Aquarium," but alas...I only have volume 4 for echinoderms and gastropods. I'm still trying to find the other volumes for an affordable price. The reason I like that series is that the books separate topics and don't get derailed on corals.

Ron Shimek's invert pocket guide (This one) is a good quick reference, the only problem is that it's REALLY brief on everything. It's good for quick IDs, but a little annoying if you want to know details beyond a quick paragraph summary of the animals.

You should also have a look at the body of knowledge sticky in this forum - there are some good books and websites listed in that.

 

[SkiFletch]

Yeah, Shimek and Calfo seem to be good authors on inverts that are common to the home/reef aquarium, I'd lookup those guys

 

[fishstick]

Thanks, everyone for useful suggestions. I do have Ron Shimeks guide and now I have ideas for my Christmas presents.

 

[steelhealr]

Don't forget Borneman's guide on Corals .....(ahem)..they ARE invertebrates too. SH